England national wheelchair rugby league team

The England national wheelchair rugby league team represents England in wheelchair rugby league. The team have played in all four World Cup tournaments, winning both the inaugural competition in 2008^[2] and the 2021 edition on home soil,^[3] and being runners up in both 2013 and 2017.^[4][5] They also won the 2015 European Rugby League Championship.^[6]

England

Team information
Governing body	Rugby Football League
Region	Europe
IRL ranking	1 (30 June 2024)[1]
Team results
World Cup
Appearances	4 (first time in 2008)
Best result	Winners (2008, 2021)

Wheelchair rugby league was introduced to England in July 2005 when a team from France toured Yorkshire. On 4 May 2006, the Rugby League International Federation accepted a proposal by France to endorse wheelchair rugby league. Later that month a team representing Great Britain began a tour of France and played the first official test match on 3 June 2006 losing 20–6 to their hosts.^[7] The England team was established in 2007 under the auspices of the British Wheelchair Tag Rugby League Association and played its first test match, against France the same year.^[8][9]

The team are sponsored by Betfred in a two-year deal signed in 2022 that included the wheelchair, men's and women's teams.^[10] They train at facilities including Calderdale College in Halifax^[11] and St George's Park National Football Centre.^[12]

Current squad

Squad selected for November 2024 fixtures against  Spain and  France.^[13]

• Seb Bechara (Catalans Dragons)
• Mason Billington (London Roosters)
• Wayne Boardman (Halifax Panthers)
• Jack Brown (North Queensland Cowboys)
• Josh Butler (Leeds Rhinos)
• Nathan Collins (Leeds Rhinos)
• Joe Coyd (London Roosters)
• Tom Halliwell (Leeds Rhinos)
• Rob Hawkins (Halifax Panthers)
• Chris Haynes (Sheffield Eagles)
• Jack Heggie (Wigan Warriors)
• Nathan Holmes (Halifax Panthers)
• Lewis King (London Roosters)
• Tristan Norfolk (Hull FC)
• Jason Owen (London Roosters)
• Adam Rigby (Wigan Warriors)

Competitive record

England wheelchair rugby league team celebrating at Old Trafford in 2022

World Cup Record
Year	Finish
2008	Champions
2013	Runners-up
2017	Runners-up
2021	Champions

Results

Date	Opponent	Score	Competition	Venue	Attendance	Ref.
2007	France	?–?	Friendly	Harrow, London		[9]
7 November 2008	Australia	34–26	2008 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage[14]	Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen		[15][16]
10 November 2008	Barbarians[a]	72–4		Mount Druitt, Sydney		[17]
12 November 2008	France	26–18		Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen		[18][19]
14 November 2008	Barbarians[a]	66–0	2008 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final	Whitlam Centre, Sydney		[20]
17 November 2008	Australia	44–12	2008 Rugby League World Cup Final	Betts Stadium, Sydney		[21][22]
28 August 2009	France	36–38	Friendly	Brunel University, London		[18][23]
16 October 2010	France	34–44	Friendly	Cahors	1,060	[24]
8 October 2011	France	34–32	Friendly	Leigh Sports Village, Leigh		[25]
7 July 2012	Ireland	34–12	2012 Four Nations[26]	Hull		[27]
8 July 2012	Scotland	50–0				[28]
8 July 2012	Wales	34–0				[29][30]
27 August 2012	France	22–43	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Medway Park, Gillingham	700	[31][32]
3 July 2013	France	20–28	2013 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage	Medway Park, Gillingham		[33][34]
6 July 2013	Ireland	86–8				[33][35]
9 July 2013	Wales	50–6				[33][36]
11 July 2013	Australia	81–10	2013 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final			[33][37]
13 July 2013	France	40–42	2013 Rugby League World Cup Final			[38]
9 May 2014	France	46–64	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Kindarena, Rouen	2,700	[39][40]
13 September 2014	Scotland	104–14	2014 Four Nations[41]	Medway Park, Gillingham		[42]
September 2014	Ireland	54–2
14 September 2014	Wales	80–6				[43]
23 September 2015	France	56–26	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Medway Park, Gillingham		[44]
24 September 2015	France	24–26	2015 Rugby League European Championship Group Stage	Medway Park, Gillingham		[45]
25 September 2015	Wales	56–8				[46]
25 September 2015	Ireland	66–16				[47]
25 September 2015	Scotland	102–0				[48]
26 September 2015	France	28–24	2015 Rugby League European Championship Final			[6]
24 September 2016	Scotland	90–10	2016 Four Nations[49]	Mayfield Sports Centre, Rochdale		[50]
24 September 2016	Exiles[b]	94–0				[50]
25 September 2016	Wales	56–14				[52]
25 September 2016	Wales	52–26				[53]
20 July 2017	France	31–71	2017 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage	Halle aux Sport, Carcassonne		[33]
22 July 2017	Wales	78–32		Complexe La Rijole, Pamiers		[33]
24 July 2017	Australia	80–26		Gymnase du Lac, Saint-Jory		[33]
26 July 2017	Australia	76–24	2017 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final	Gymnase Compans Cafferlli, Toulouse		[33]
28 July 2017	France	34–38	2017 Rugby League World Cup Final	Parc des Expositions, Perpignan		[33]
21 June 2019	France	31–25	Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Gymnase M. Guigou, Apt		[54][55]
23 June 2019	France	46–50		Palais des Sports de Toulon		[56]
28 September 2019	Wales	48–24	2019 Tri-Nations[57]	Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, Wrexham		[58]
28 September 2019	Scotland	136–1				[59]
29 September 2019	Wales	54–40				[60]
21 October 2019	Australia	84–28	Ashes Test series	Whitlam Leisure Centre, Sydney		[61][62]
23 October 2019	Australia	58–50		University of Wollongong, Wollongong		[61][62]
26 June 2021	Wales	102–22	Friendly	English Institute of Sport, Sheffield		[63]
10 November 2021	France	24–49	Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy[64]	Medway Park, Gillingham		[65]
13 November 2021	France	26–39				[66]
19 June 2022	France	62–48	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	National Basketball Centre, Manchester		[67]
3 November 2022	Australia	38–8	2021 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage	Copper Box, London	3,033	[68]
6 November 2022	Spain	104–12			3,268	[69]
9 November 2022	Ireland	121–0			3,847	[70]
13 November 2022	Wales	125–22	2021 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final	English Institute of Sport, Sheffield	1,318	[71]
18 November 2022	France	28–24	2021 Rugby League World Cup final	Manchester Central, Manchester	4,526	[72]
5 November 2023	France	34–43	Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy[73]	Leeds Arena, Leeds	2,373	[74]
25 November 2023	France	34–18		Palais des Sports, Marseille		[75]
26 October 2024	France	66–33	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Robin Park Arena, Wigan		[76]

Upcoming fixtures

•  Spain in Nantes, on Thursday, 21 November 2024.^[77]
•  France in Saint-Lô, on Saturday, 23 November 2024.^[77]

Records and statistics

IRL Wheelchair World Rankings v t e
Official rankings as of June 2024
Rank	Change	Team	Pts %
1		England	100
2		France	89
3		Australia	61
4	1	Ireland	49
5	1	Wales	47
6		Scotland	38
7	1	United States	27
8	1	Spain	23
9		Italy	0
Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT

The team has only ever lost to France, the originators of the wheelchair game. England's biggest defeat was 31–71 on 20 July 2017.

England's biggest win was 136–1 over Scotland on 28 September 2019; their biggest win without conceding was 121–0 over Ireland on 9 November 2022.

Honours

• World Cup (2): (2008, 2021)
• European Championship (1): (2015)
• Four/Tri Nations (4): (2012, 2014, 2016, 2019)
• Fassolette-Kielty Trophy: 5 Titles

See also

• Sports portal

• Rugby league in England
• England men's national rugby league team
• England women's national rugby league team
• Fassolette-Kielty Trophy
• Rugby Football League
• British Rugby League Hall of Fame

Notes

1. The Barbarians/Pacific Islands were a replacement team due to New Zealand withdrawing from the 2008 World Cup^[15]
2. The Exiles were a mix of Irish, Welsh and English players as Ireland were unable to travel with a full side to the 2016 Four Nations^[51]

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