# 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 and the 2021 edition on home soil, and being runners up in both 2013 and 2017. They also won the 2015 European Rugby League Championship.
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. 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.
The team are sponsored by Betfred in a two-year deal signed in 2022 that included the wheelchair, men's and women's teams. They train at facilities including Calderdale College in Halifax and St George's Park National Football Centre.

## Current squad

Squad selected for November 2024 fixtures against Spain and France.
* 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

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

### Results

| Date | Opponent | Score | Competition | Venue | Attendance |
| 2007 | France | ?–? | Friendly | Harrow, London | |
| 7 November 2008 | Australia | 34–26 | 2008 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen | |
| 10 November 2008 | Barbarians | 72–4 | 2008 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Mount Druitt, Sydney | |
| 12 November 2008 | France | 26–18 | 2008 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen | |
| 14 November 2008 | Barbarians | 66–0 | 2008 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final | Whitlam Centre, Sydney | |
| 17 November 2008 | Australia | 44–12 | 2008 Rugby League World Cup Final | Betts Stadium, Sydney | |
| 28 August 2009 | France | 36–38 | Friendly | Brunel University, London | |
| 16 October 2010 | France | 34–44 | Friendly | Cahors | 1,060 |
| 8 October 2011 | France | 34–32 | Friendly | Leigh Sports Village, Leigh | |
| 7 July 2012 | Ireland | 34–12 | 2012 Four Nations | Hull | |
| 8 July 2012 | Scotland | 50–0 | 2012 Four Nations | Hull | |
| 8 July 2012 | Wales | 34–0 | 2012 Four Nations | Hull | |
| 27 August 2012 | France | 22–43 | Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Medway Park, Gillingham | 700 |
| 3 July 2013 | France | 20–28 | 2013 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 6 July 2013 | Ireland | 86–8 | 2013 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 9 July 2013 | Wales | 50–6 | 2013 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 11 July 2013 | Australia | 81–10 | 2013 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 13 July 2013 | France | 40–42 | 2013 Rugby League World Cup Final | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 9 May 2014 | France | 46–64 | Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Kindarena, Rouen | 2,700 |
| 13 September 2014 | Scotland | 104–14 | 2014 Four Nations | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| September 2014 | Ireland | 54–2 | 2014 Four Nations | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 14 September 2014 | Wales | 80–6 | 2014 Four Nations | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 23 September 2015 | France | 56–26 | Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 24 September 2015 | France | 24–26 | 2015 Rugby League European Championship Group Stage | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 25 September 2015 | Wales | 56–8 | 2015 Rugby League European Championship Group Stage | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 25 September 2015 | Ireland | 66–16 | 2015 Rugby League European Championship Group Stage | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 25 September 2015 | Scotland | 102–0 | 2015 Rugby League European Championship Group Stage | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 26 September 2015 | France | 28–24 | 2015 Rugby League European Championship Final | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 24 September 2016 | Scotland | 90–10 | 2016 Four Nations | Mayfield Sports Centre, Rochdale | |
| 24 September 2016 | Exiles | 94–0 | 2016 Four Nations | Mayfield Sports Centre, Rochdale | |
| 25 September 2016 | Wales | 56–14 | 2016 Four Nations | Mayfield Sports Centre, Rochdale | |
| 25 September 2016 | Wales | 52–26 | 2016 Four Nations | Mayfield Sports Centre, Rochdale | |
| 20 July 2017 | France | 31–71 | 2017 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Halle aux Sport, Carcassonne | |
| 22 July 2017 | Wales | 78–32 | 2017 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Complexe La Rijole, Pamiers | |
| 24 July 2017 | Australia | 80–26 | 2017 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Gymnase du Lac, Saint-Jory | |
| 26 July 2017 | Australia | 76–24 | 2017 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final | Gymnase Compans Cafferlli, Toulouse | |
| 28 July 2017 | France | 34–38 | 2017 Rugby League World Cup Final | Parc des Expositions, Perpignan | |
| 21 June 2019 | France | 31–25 | Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Gymnase M. Guigou, Apt | |
| 23 June 2019 | France | 46–50 | Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Palais des Sports de Toulon | |
| 28 September 2019 | Wales | 48–24 | 2019 Tri-Nations | Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, Wrexham | |
| 28 September 2019 | Scotland | 136–1 | 2019 Tri-Nations | Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, Wrexham | |
| 29 September 2019 | Wales | 54–40 | 2019 Tri-Nations | Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, Wrexham | |
| October 2019 | North Queensland | 62–12 | 2019 tour of Australia | | |
| October 2019 | Queensland | 104–12 | 2019 tour of Australia | | |
| 21 October 2019 | Australia | 84–28 | 2019 tour of Australia | Whitlam Leisure Centre, Sydney | |
| 23 October 2019 | Australia | 58–50 | 2019 tour of Australia | University of Wollongong, Wollongong | |
| 25 October 2019 | New South Wales | 86–20 | 2019 tour of Australia | | |
| 26 June 2021 | Wales | 102–22 | Friendly | English Institute of Sport, Sheffield | |
| 10 November 2021 | France | 24–49 | Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 13 November 2021 | France | 26–39 | Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Medway Park, Gillingham | |
| 19 June 2022 | France | 62–48 | Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | National Basketball Centre, Manchester | |
| 3 November 2022 | Australia | 38–8 | 2021 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Copper Box, London | 3,033 |
| 6 November 2022 | Spain | 104–12 | 2021 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Copper Box, London | 3,268 |
| 9 November 2022 | Ireland | 121–0 | 2021 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage | Copper Box, London | 3,847 |
| 13 November 2022 | Wales | 125–22 | 2021 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final | English Institute of Sport, Sheffield | 1,318 |
| 18 November 2022 | France | 28–24 | 2021 Rugby League World Cup final | Manchester Central, Manchester | 4,526 |
| 5 November 2023 | France | 34–43 | Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Leeds Arena, Leeds | 2,373 |
| 25 November 2023 | France | 34–18 | Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Palais des Sports, Marseille | |
| 26 October 2024 | France | 66–33 | Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Robin Park Arena, Wigan | |
| 21 November 2024 | Spain | 58–28 | Friendly | Nantes | |
| 23 November 2024 | France | 28–32 | Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy | Saint-Lô | ~2,000 |

## Records and statistics

IRL Wheelchair World Rankingsvte :
| Official rankings as of December 2024 ||||
| Rank | Change | Team | Pts % |
| 1 | | England | 100 |
| 2 | | France | 96 |
| 3 | 1 | Ireland | 55 |
| 4 | 1 | Australia | 52 |
| 5 | | Wales | 47 |
| 6 | | Scotland | 38 |
| 7 | 1 | Spain | 27 |
| 8 | 1 | United States | 25 |
| 9 | | New Zealand | 5 |
| 10 | 1 | 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