England thrash Wales to begin World Cup defence
England opened their defence of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup with a 98-18 win over Wales in Wollongong. The two-time champions scored 18 tries to Wales’ three, though England’s Rob Hawkins said the team had made errors and was not yet playing to its standards.
Wales stayed close during the opening 20 minutes, with tries from Stuart Williams and Sid Ramsey making it 18-12. England then scored 28 unanswered points before half-time and added 10 more tries in the second half; Hawkins scored 11 tries and kicked four conversions for 52 points, while Nathan Collins scored four tries. In the other Group A match, Ireland beat the United States 110-10, a national international points record; England next play the US on 3 November.
In short
- England began their title defence with a 98-18 win over Wales.
- Rob Hawkins scored 52 points, including 11 tries.
- Ireland set a national record with a 110-10 victory over the US.