Wales national wheelchair rugby league team

The Wales national wheelchair rugby league team represents Wales in wheelchair rugby league. They have competed at the World Cup, the European Championships and several tournaments within the British Isles, such as the Celtic Cup and Four Nations competitions.

Wales

Team information
Governing body	Wales Rugby League
Region	Europe
Head coach	Alan Caron
IRL ranking	5 (21 July 2025)[1]
Team results
First international
Wales 20–6 Scotland  Hull, England (7 July 2012)[2]
World Cup
Appearances	3 (first time in 2013)
Best result	3rd, 2013 Semi-final, 2021

History

In July 2012 Wales took part their first international competition, the Four Nations, a round-robin tournament between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.^[3][4] The tournament was held as part of preparations for the world cup taking place the following year.^[5] At the 2013 World Cup Wales progressed from the group stage with wins over Australia and Ireland and defeat to England. They lost their semi-final against France and finished third by defeating Australia in the third-place play-off.^[6] Wales were unsuccessful at the 2014 Four Nations and the 2015 European Championships where they lost all their matches.^[7][8]

In 2016 they joined Scotland and Ireland to compete in the Celtic Cup, which had been first contested the previous year^[9] but became an annual three-team round-robin from 2016.^[10] Wales won the tournament in 2016 and until 2023 were unbeaten in the Celtic Cup.^[9][11]

At the 2017 World Cup Wales finished bottom of Group A with losses to Australia, England and France. They then lost to Italy in the group play-offs but defeated Spain to take fifth place.^[12][13] At the 2021 World Cup Wales suffered their heaviest ever defeat by losing their opening match 6–154 to France.^[14] However, victories over the United States and Scotland meant Ireland progressed to the knockout phase of the tournament where they lost to England in the semi-final.^[15][16][17] Stuart Williams was one of the ten players named in the RLWC2021 Wheelchair Team of the Tournament.^[18]

In February 2024, Wales travelled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to play a two-match series against the United States in which were the first wheelchair internationals to be played in the Americas.^[19] Wales won both matches.^[20]

Squad

Wales squad for 2025 Celtic Cup

First team squad								Coaching staff
Jessica Booth – North Wales Crusaders Jodie Boyd-Ward – Leeds Rhinos Brogan Evans – North Wales Crusaders & Salford Red Devils Jonathan Gill – North Wales Crusaders Alex Powell – Hereford Harriers & Torfaen Tigers Lee Sargent – Cardiff Blue Dragons & Hereford Harriers Scott Trigg-Turner – Torfaen Tigers & Wigan Warriors Jakub Wasieczko – North Wales Crusaders Mark Williams – Torfaen Tigers & Wigan Warriors Stuart Williams – North Wales Crusaders								Head coach Alan Caron Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice-captain(s) Updated: 25 May 2025 Source(s): [21]

Competitive record

World Cup

World Cup Record
Year	Finish
2008	Did not enter
2013	3rd
2017	5th
2021	Semi-final

Celtic Cup

Celtic Cup results by year:  Wales

Opponent \ Year	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
Ireland	x	W	W	W	W	–	W	W	D	L	L
Scotland	x	W	W	W	W	–	W	W	W	L	W
Finish:	x	1	1	1	1	–	1	1	1	3	2

Source: ^[22][23]
Notes:

• 2015: Wales did not take part – Ireland and Scotland played each other twice^[24]
• 2020: The tournament was cancelled in 2020^[25]

Results and fixtures

Date	Score[a]	Opponent	Competition	Ref.
7 July 2012	20–60	Scotland	2012 Four Nations	[26]
7 July 2012	44–40	Ireland		[27]
8 July 2012	00–34	England		[28]
3 July 2013	104–600	Ireland	2013 World Cup Group stage	[6]
6 July 2013	25–16	Australia		[6]
9 July 2013	06–50	England		[6]
11 July 2013	30–71	France	2013 World Cup Semi-final	[6]
13 July 2013	16–14	Australia	2013 World Cup 3rd-place play-off	[6]
13 September 2014	10–58	Ireland	2014 Four Nations	[7]
13 September 2014	14–34	Scotland		[29]
14 September 2014	06–80	England		[7]
9 August 2015	29–46	Ireland	Friendly	[8]
24 September 2015	25–26	Scotland	2015 European Championship	[8]
25 September 2015	08–56	England		[8]
25 September 2015	05–52	France		[8]
26 September 2015	36–46	Ireland		[8]
30 April 2016	76–26	Ireland	2016 Celtic Cup	[30]
30 April 2016	92–22	Scotland		[31]
24 September 2016	42–18	Exiles[b]	2016 Four Nations	[30]
24 September 2016	41–28	Scotland		[33]
25 September 2016	14–56	England		[30]
25 September 2016	26–52	England	2016 Four Nations Final	[30][34]
29 April 2017	51–60	Ireland	2017 Celtic Cup	[12]
29 April 2017	71–00	Scotland		[35]
20 July 2017	24–72	Australia	2017 World Cup Group stage	[6]
22 July 2017	32–78	England		[6]
24 July 2017	010–118	France		[6]
25 July 2017	024–105	Italy	2017 World Cup Group stage play-off	[6]
27 July 2017	66–45	Spain	2017 World Cup 5th-place play-off	[6]
28 April 2018	112–410	Scotland	2018 Celtic Cup	[36]
28 April 2018	84–30	Ireland		[37]
27 April 2019	102–100	Scotland	2019 Celtic Cup	[38]
27 April 2019	109–800	Ireland		[39]
28 September 2019	90–12	Scotland	2019 Tri-Nations	[40]
28 September 2019	24–48	England		[39]
29 September 2019	40–54	England	2019 Tri-Nations Final	[41]
12 June 2021	96–16	Ireland	2021 Celtic Cup	[42]
12 June 2021	102–180	Scotland		[43]
26 June 2021	022–102	England	Friendly	[42]
16 October 2021	62–48	Ireland	Friendly	[42]
30 October 2021	70–34	Scotland	Friendly	[44]
7 May 2022	64–22	Ireland	2022 Celtic Cup	[45]
7 May 2022	116–600	Scotland		[46]
8 October 2022	67–52	Ireland	Friendly	[45]
29 October 2022	38–86	Australia	Friendly	[45]
4 November 2022	006–154	France	2021 World Cup Group stage	[45][14]
7 November 2022	50–32	United States		[45]
10 November 2022	70–36	Scotland		[45]
13 November 2022	022–125	England	2021 World Cup Semi-final	[45][17]
18 June 2023	30–30	Ireland	2023 Celtic Cup	[47]
18 June 2023	76–30	Scotland		[47]
14 January 2024	34–24	British Army	Test series warm-up game	[48]
2 February 2024	78–24	United States	Two match test series	[20]
3 February 2024	52–22	United States		[20]
8 June 2024	52–64	Scotland	2024 Celtic Cup	[20][49]
8 June 2024	32–68	Ireland		[20][50]
24 May 2025	62–54	Scotland	2025 Celtic Cup	[51]
24 May 2025	10–66	Ireland		[51]

Records and rankings

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

Wales historical IRL Wheelchair World Rankings

	Jun 2020	Dec 2021	Jun 2022	Dec 2022	Jun 2023	Dec 2023	Jun 2024	Dec 2024	Jun 2025
Ranking	3	3	3	4 (1)	3 (1)	3	5 (2)	5	5
References	[52]	[53][54]	[55][56]	[57]	[58]	[59][60]	[61]	[62][63]	[64][65]

• Biggest win: 116–6 v. Scotland (7 May 2022)^[2][45]
• Biggest defeat: 6–154 v. France (4 November 2022)^[14]

Honours

• Celtic Cup (7): 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023^[11]

Notes

1. Wales score given first
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^[32]