England beat France 50-38 to claim record third Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup

England won the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup for a record third time on Friday, defeating France 50-38 in Wollongong. BBC Sport reported that Joe Coyd scored four of England’s nine tries as the team secured consecutive titles, adding the 2026 trophy to their successes in 2008 and 2022.

Watch the highlights:

The final required England to recover from a substantial first-half setback. They opened a 10-0 lead before France scored 22 unanswered points to move 12 ahead. England then fought back, with Rob Hawkins and Jack Brown scoring before half-time. That response reversed the momentum after France had taken control around the half-hour mark, according to the BBC’s account.

Head coach Tom Coyd credited his players’ progress and praised captain Lewis King’s composure during difficult passages. He told BBC Sport that England had deliberately avoided framing the campaign around protecting their previous title, instead emphasising an attacking approach. Joe Coyd, the coach’s younger brother, described a group whose confidence came from preparation and mutual trust rather than motivational speeches.

England had reached the final by beating hosts Australia 86-18 on Tuesday. The Rugby Football League’s semi-final report recorded five tries for Hawkins and three for Mason Billington, who was named player of the match. England led 40-6 at the interval, while Brown scored twice early in the second half as they extended their advantage and secured another meeting with France.

Hawkins also entered the final with a major individual award. The RFL confirmed he had won the IRL Wheelchair Golden Boot for a third consecutive year, following his awards in 2024 and 2025. The Halifax Panthers player became only the second person across the men’s, women’s and wheelchair game to receive the honour three times. Joe Coyd was also on the shortlist.

Friday’s match was the fourth consecutive World Cup final between England and France. England had won their previous final 28-24 in Manchester in 2022, when then-captain Tom Halliwell scored the decisive try three minutes from time. This victory delivered England’s first back-to-back titles and moved them ahead of every other nation with three championship wins.