England Wheelchair rout Australia 86-18 to reach World Cup final
England's wheelchair rugby league team secured an emphatic victory over Australia to reach the World Cup final, where they will face France.
England Wheelchair secured an emphatic victory over host nation Australia, routing the Wheelaroos 86-18 to reach the Rugby League World Cup final, as reported by Sky Sports, Seriousaboutrl, and The Home of Rugby League. The defending champions delivered a dominant performance to book their place in the tournament decider, setting up a high-stakes rematch against France. The upcoming fixture is a repeat of a previous final meeting, with England having previously beaten France 28-24, as noted by Seriousaboutrl.
France advanced to the final by defeating Ireland 82-26, in a fixture featuring a number of Super League players including captain Joe Calcott, who is the brother of England star Jack Brown, according to Seriousaboutrl. Calcott got himself on the scoresheet in Ireland’s defeat, leaving Brown with a chance to face the French side after England handily defeated Australia. In what was expected to be their toughest game of the tournament so far, England raced into control early in the contest against the host nation.
Media additions
Mason Billington opened the scoring in the third minute with a try, finishing off an overhead pass from Joe Coyd. Billington also denied Dan Anstey with a crucial push into touch as Australia sought an immediate response. Rob Hawkins and Joe Coyd quickly followed with tries of their own, pushing England to a commanding 30-0 advantage before the host nation could respond. Diab Karim eventually got Australia on the scoreboard with a converted try, but England maintained complete authority with a 40-6 lead heading into the interval, according to Sky Sports and The Home of Rugby League.
The second half saw no relenting from the visiting side. Interchanges Jack Brown and Nathan Collins crossed the whitewash shortly after the restart, while Hawkins continued his prolific scoring run. Further tries from Chris Haynes and captain Lewis King cemented the victory. Local celebrations have already highlighted the squad's impact back home, with First Bus UK News reporting that Halifax operator First Bus named a single-decker vehicle after hometown player Rob Hawkins, following community recognition led by depot drivers.
Match Scoring Breakdown
| Player | Tries Scored |
|---|---|
| Rob Hawkins | 5 |
| Mason Billington | 3 |
| Joe Coyd | 2 |
| Jack Brown | 2 |
| Nathan Collins | 1 |
| Chris Haynes | 1 |
| Lewis King | 1 |
Billington collected the Player of the Match accolade after recording an impressive workload of tackle-breaks and hit-ups alongside his hat-trick, finishing with seven tackle-breaks and twenty hit-ups according to The Home of Rugby League.
Reflecting on the disciplined team display, England captain Lewis King emphasized unity within the squad.
King also noted the tight margins expected when facing the French side, stating that the team would remain focused on themselves rather than looking too far ahead."I don't want to put a number on it but we are proud of that performance, we were super disciplined in how we wanted to play. We had a game plan and we executed it. I am super proud."
Lewis King, England Captain, via Sky Sports
Jack Brown acknowledged the tactical shift required after managing structured phases throughout the tournament.
Brown added that the squad had preserved elements of their playbook for the decisive fixture and noted that they still have more to give."We were just so connected and Tom [Coyd] told us before the game to play without shackles,"
Jack Brown, England Player, via The Home of Rugby League
What to Watch Next
- England will face France in the final.
- The championship match takes place in Wollongong.
- The fixture is scheduled for Friday.
