England Crowned Winners of Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup 2022

England won the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup on home soil, beating France in the final held in Manchester on Friday 18 November with a crowd of almost 5000 in attendance.

The UK hosted the 2022 Rugby League World Cup competition wheelchair games taking place at Copper Box Arena London, EIS Sheffield, and Manchester Central. Teams from eight countries – England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, USA, and Australia – have been going head-to-head in matches since 3 November.

After a year delay, the competition was highly anticipated amongst fans. The quadrennial world cup was postponed last year after New Zealand and Australia pulled out due to “player welfare and safety concerns” around the pandemic and travel restrictions.  

Final Match Report

After France beat Australia 84-40 and England beat Wales 125-22 in the semi-finals, it was time for the two top nations to battle it out for the world title. The score board buffered throughout the final match, never more than eight points apart.

It was never going to be a clear-cut match between England and France as both stood a strong chance of being titled the World’s best heading into the competition. Reigning champions of the 2013 and 2017 competitions, France invented wheelchair rugby league in 2000. England became the first ever Wheelchair World Cup champions in 2008.

France finished the first half with a 14-12 lead thanks to scores from Lionel Alazard and Mostefa Abassi and a penalty from Nicolas Clausells but tries from England’s Lewis King and Jack Brown soon put England eight points ahead when the second half began.

France fought back to level the score board at 22-22, which soon became 24-24 with penalties from England’s Nathan Collins and France’s Clausells. It looked like the match was heading into extra time until English captain and man of the match Tom Halliwell came through with a late try to secure his nation a 28-24 win just three minutes before the final whistle, which he celebrated gleefully.

23-year-old Leeds Rhinos player Halliwell said: "We've all been working for this for five years. Everyone has been trying to get better and better. Tonight's performance put it to where we're at. We're the world's best.

"It was written in the stars, a home World Cup in front of these fans. At half-time, we said we'd win this game by four points."

He continued: "This is just the beginning for wheelchair rugby league. It is amazing and I am grateful and happy to be a part of it and I can't wait to see it grow into what it can be.

"Lifting the trophy is probably the best feeling in the world. I've been working so hard for for the past five years and it is so good knowing the hard work has paid off.

"This tournament has been ground-breaking and shows what rugby league is all about."

French match official Laurent Abrial has garnered a lot of controversy following is actions during the final match. Abrial disallowed an English try and was seen visibly remonstrating with his colleagues in the awarding of England’s winning try. The secondary referee was not happy when a decision went against France, which ended in him being booed by the crowd.

Footage has emerged showing Abrial arguing and appearing to gesticulate to spectators. Criticism directed towards Abrial has spread across social media, with some accusing him of showing favouritism towards his home country and throwing a ‘tantrum’. He had to be spoken to several times by his colleagues and his performance is now under investigation.    

The Growth of Wheelchair Rugby League

Just a few years ago wheelchair rugby league was being played in empty sports halls and car parks. The points on the board were not England’s only focus during this tournament; as a nation, they also committed to raising the profile of wheelchair rugby league.

2022 is the first time that the wheelchair competition has been part of the main Rugby League World Cup tournament.This inclusion has given the sport an opportunity to grow, and grown it has over the past few weeks with attention to the sport heightening game by game. The crowd of 4,526 who gathered to watch the final broke world records for the sport.

An emotional Tom Coyd, England's head coach explains that the public have played a key role in building this very exciting time for the sport, stating: "I cannot fathom what's happening for this sport right now."

"Wheelchair rugby league is going to explode. Get down to your nearest club and play it. This could be you next.

"Get in a chair - disabled, non-disabled, male, female - just come down, play this game, and this could be you in a few years."