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 (21 July 2025)[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 the 2025 Wheelchair Ashes.^[13]

Player	Club
Seb Bechara	Catalans Dragons
Mason Billington	London Roosters
Wayne Boardman	Halifax Panthers
Jack Brown	Halifax Panthers
Nathan Collins	Leeds Rhinos
Joe Coyd	London Roosters
Luis Domingos	Castleford Tigers
Rob Hawkins	Halifax Panthers
Lewis King	London Roosters
Finlay O’Neill	Halifax Panthers

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	Score[a]	Opponent	Competition	Venue	Attendance	Ref.
2007	?–?	France	Friendly	Harrow, London		[9]
7 November 2008	34–26	Australia	2008 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage[14]	Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen		[15][16]
10 November 2008	72–40	Barbarians[b]		Mount Druitt, Sydney		[17]
12 November 2008	26–18	France		Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen		[18][19]
14 November 2008	66–00	Barbarians[b]	2008 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final	Whitlam Centre, Sydney		[20]
17 November 2008	44–12	Australia	2008 Rugby League World Cup Final	Betts Stadium, Sydney		[21][22]
28 August 2009	36–38	France	Friendly	Brunel University, London		[18][23]
16 October 2010	34–44	France	Friendly	Cahors	1,060	[24]
8 October 2011	34–32	France	Friendly	Leigh Sports Village, Leigh		[25]
7 July 2012	34–12	Ireland	2012 Four Nations[26]	Hull		[27]
8 July 2012	50–00	Scotland				[28]
8 July 2012	34–00	Wales				[29][30]
27 August 2012	22–43	France	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Medway Park, Gillingham	700	[31][32]
3 July 2013	20–28	France	2013 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage	Medway Park, Gillingham		[33][34]
6 July 2013	86–80	Ireland				[33][35]
9 July 2013	50–60	Wales				[33][36]
11 July 2013	81–10	Australia	2013 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final			[33][37]
13 July 2013	40–42	France	2013 Rugby League World Cup Final			[38]
9 May 2014	46–64	France	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Kindarena, Rouen	2,700	[39][40]
13 September 2014	104–140	Scotland	2014 Four Nations[41]	Medway Park, Gillingham		[42]
September 2014	54–20	Ireland
14 September 2014	80–60	Wales				[43]
23 September 2015	56–26	France	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Medway Park, Gillingham		[44]
24 September 2015	24–26	France	2015 Rugby League European Championship Group Stage	Medway Park, Gillingham		[45]
25 September 2015	56–80	Wales				[46]
25 September 2015	66–16	Ireland				[47]
25 September 2015	102–000	Scotland				[48]
26 September 2015	28–24	France	2015 Rugby League European Championship Final			[6]
24 September 2016	90–10	Scotland	2016 Four Nations[49]	Mayfield Sports Centre, Rochdale		[50]
24 September 2016	94–00	Exiles[c]				[50]
25 September 2016	56–14	Wales				[52]
25 September 2016	52–26	Wales				[53]
20 July 2017	31–71	France	2017 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage	Halle aux Sport, Carcassonne		[33]
22 July 2017	78–32	Wales		Complexe La Rijole, Pamiers		[33]
24 July 2017	80–26	Australia		Gymnase du Lac, Saint-Jory		[33]
26 July 2017	76–24	Australia	2017 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final	Gymnase Compans Cafferlli, Toulouse		[33]
28 July 2017	34–38	France	2017 Rugby League World Cup Final	Parc des Expositions, Perpignan		[33]
21 June 2019	31–25	France	Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Gymnase M. Guigou, Apt		[54][55]
23 June 2019	46–50	France		Palais des Sports de Toulon		[56]
28 September 2019	48–24	Wales	2019 Tri-Nations[57]	Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, Wrexham		[58]
28 September 2019	136–100	Scotland				[59]
29 September 2019	54–40	Wales				[60]
October 2019	62–12	North Queensland	2019 tour of Australia			[61][62]
October 2019	104–120	Queensland				[61][62]
21 October 2019	84–28	Australia		Whitlam Leisure Centre, Sydney		[63][61]
23 October 2019	58–50	Australia		University of Wollongong, Wollongong		[63][61]
25 October 2019	86–20	New South Wales				[62]
26 June 2021	102–220	Wales	Friendly	English Institute of Sport, Sheffield		[64]
10 November 2021	24–49	France	Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy[65]	Medway Park, Gillingham		[66]
13 November 2021	26–39	France				[67]
19 June 2022	62–48	France	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	National Basketball Centre, Manchester		[68]
3 November 2022	38–80	Australia	2021 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage	Copper Box, London	3,033	[69]
6 November 2022	104–120	Spain			3,268	[70]
9 November 2022	121–000	Ireland			3,847	[71]
13 November 2022	125–220	Wales	2021 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final	English Institute of Sport, Sheffield	1,318	[72]
18 November 2022	28–24	France	2021 Rugby League World Cup final	Manchester Central, Manchester	4,526	[73]
5 November 2023	34–43	France	Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy[74]	Leeds Arena, Leeds	2,373	[75]
25 November 2023	34–18	France		Palais des Sports, Marseille		[76]
26 October 2024	66–33	France	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Robin Park Arena, Wigan		[77]
21 November 2024	58–28	Spain	Friendly	Nantes		[78]
23 November 2024	28–32	France	Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy	Saint-Lô	~2,000	[79]

Upcoming fixtures

• 2025 England wheelchair rugby league tour of Australia:^[80]
  • New South Wales, 24 October 2025
  • Queensland, 27 October 2025
  •  Australia, 30 October 2025
  •  Australia, 2 November 2025

Records and statistics

IRL Wheelchair World Rankings v t e
Official rankings as of July 2025
Rank	Change	Team	Pts %
1		England	100
2		France	96
3		Ireland	60
4		Australia	52
5		Wales	49
6		Scotland	41
7		Spain	27
8		United States	25
9	1	Italy	0
Complete rankings at www.internationalrugbyleague.com

England historical IRL Wheelchair World Rankings

	Jun 2020	Dec 2021	Jun 2022	Dec 2022	Jun 2023	Dec 2023	Jun 2024	Dec 2024	Jun 2025
Ranking	2	2	2	1 (1)	1	1	1	1	1
References	[81]	[82][83]	[84][85]	[86]	[87]	[88][89]	[90]	[91][92]	[93][94]

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. England score given first
2. The Barbarians/Pacific Islands were a replacement team due to New Zealand withdrawing from the 2008 World Cup^[15]
3. 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]