England began their Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup title defence with a commanding 98-18 victory over Wales in Wollongong on 30 October 2026. The two-time champions scored 18 tries to Wales' three, with Rob Hawkins crossing for 11 tries and adding four conversions for a personal tally of 52 points.
Key Performers
Nathan Collins contributed four tries and converted nine of 11 attempts, while Joe Coyd, Jack Brown and Mason Billington also touched down for England. Hawkins acknowledged the win was a "decent start" but admitted the side "were not playing to our standards" and aimed to use the match as a "stepping stone" toward peak form.
Wales kept the contest close for the first 20 minutes, with tries from Stuart Williams and Sid Ramsey narrowing the gap to 18-12. England then surged, posting 28 unanswered points to lead 46-12 at half-time and adding a further 10 tries in the second half. Ramsey claimed his second try in the 71st minute as a consolation.
Group A Round-Up
In the other Group A fixture, Ireland set a new international points record by thrashing the United States 110-10. Joseph Calcott scored seven tries and Cian Horgan added six as Ireland surpassed their previous best of 92 points against Scotland.
Upcoming Fixtures
England face the United States on 3 November (07:30 GMT), while Ireland meet Wales earlier the same day (05:00 GMT).
