England claimed their third Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup title by defeating France 50-38 in Wollongong, Australia, on Friday, securing a historic victory that mirrors their 2022 triumph.
- Player Valuation: Rob Hawkins solidifies his status following his third successive Golden Boot award, delivering a strong performance during the wheelchair rugby league tournament.
- Global Growth: The intense 50-38 final scoreline contributed to a super advertisement for the wheelchair game.
England reached the summit of a competition where they spoke throughout of a desire to win the trophy rather than defend it, choosing language that reflected a positive approach on the sport’s biggest stage.
The triumph in Wollongong offset the disappointment felt by the England men’s and women’s teams, who both exited the tournament in the group stage, allowing Tom Coyd’s side to paint the final rung on their team room ladder gold.
Joe Coyd opened the scoring with the first two of his four tries, but France responded fiercely as Jeremy Bourson crossed in the corner following an early flashpoint where Mason Billington was penalised for shoving Leo Hivernat.
Damien Dore, Hivernat, and Florian Guttadoro all crossed the line for France before an England response turned the momentum before the break, aided by Hawkins evading two defenders to lay on a score for Jack Brown.
Dany Denuwelaere scored to open the second half for France, but Hawkins immediately restored England’s six-point lead by acrobatically grounding the ball in the right corner.
England then accelerated away as Coyd secured his fourth try and Brown added two more to finish with a hat-trick, with Denuwelaere’s bustling third try in the closing stages unable to stop England.
| Team | Final Score | Key Tries |
|---|---|---|
| England | 50 | J. Coyd (4), J. Brown (3), R. Hawkins (2) |
| France | 38 | D. Denuwelaere (3), J. Bourson, D. Dore, L. Hivernat, F. Guttadoro |
Rob Hawkins had revealed during the tournament that England kept a ladder in their team room, marking each victory by spray painting a rung gold.
Since Tom Halliwell’s last-gasp try secured a 28-24 win in Manchester in 2022, England and France had met four times, with both winning twice.
Across the World Cup finals of 2013, 2017, and 2022, the two powerhouse nations had been separated by a total of only 10 points, highlighting the narrow margins in elite wheelchair rugby league.
Hawkins recently became the first player in any form of rugby league to win three successive Golden Boots, an award presented by the International Rugby League governing body.
The encounter at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre featured bruising collisions, heavy chair smashes, and equipment repairs including the reconstruction of a set of goalposts.
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