Sharks, ladders and a four-year plan – how England won World Cup

England beat France 50-38 in Wollongong to win the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup for a third time, becoming the first nation to reach that milestone. The victory also secured back-to-back titles, following their 2022 win, and reflected coach Tom Coyd’s effort to instil an attacking, forward-looking mindset rather than frame the tournament as a defence of the trophy.

England had scored 386 points and conceded 68 across the group stage and semi-finals. In the final, they led 10-0 before France scored 22 unanswered points; tries from Rob Hawkins and Jack Brown helped England recover by half-time, and the team went on to win. Captain Lewis King’s calm leadership and Joe Coyd’s four tries were among the key contributions.