England retained the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup with a 50–38 victory over France in Wollongong on Friday, November 13. Joe Coyd scored four tries, Jack Brown added three and Robert Hawkins contributed two as England claimed the title for the third time.
The scoreline followed a final with repeated changes of momentum at WIN Entertainment Centre. France recovered from an early deficit to lead before England regained the advantage, then had to withstand another French challenge after the interval.
England vs France: The Final in Numbers
| Match detail | Result |
|---|---|
| Competition | 2026 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup final |
| Venue | WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, Australia |
| Full-time | England 50–38 France |
| Half-time | England 28–22 France |
| England try scorers | Joe Coyd four; Jack Brown three; Robert Hawkins two |
| France’s leading try scorer | Dany Denuwelaere, three |
England’s victory added to their titles in 2008 and 2022. France won the competition in 2013 and 2017, meaning the two countries have shared all five editions. They also contested the previous final, which England won 28–24.
That history gave Friday’s meeting a familiar setting, but the scoring pattern made it a contest in its own right. England’s early lead did not last, and France’s response ensured the defending champions had to recover control rather than simply protect an advantage from the opening minutes.
Coyd Starts Quickly, France Respond
Coyd supplied England’s first two tries as the champions moved 10–0 ahead inside the opening ten minutes. His finishing immediately put France under pressure and gave England the start they wanted.
France answered through Jeremy Bourson before Leo Hivernat crossed to bring the teams level at 10–10. Damien Doré and Florian Guttadoro also scored during a productive first-half spell, turning the early direction of the match around.
The sequence demonstrated the danger of treating the opening score as a guide to the whole final. France had enough attacking variety to recover quickly, with several players contributing to the turnaround rather than relying on a single scorer.
England then found a response of their own. Coyd completed his first-half hat-trick and Hawkins crossed as the champions worked their way back. A game that had begun with England on top was now demanding a second effort from them before the break.
Brown’s Finish Changes the Half-Time Picture
One of the final’s defining moments came just before the interval. Brown chased a Hawkins kick and grounded it to put England ahead, with the conversion taking the half-time score to 28–22.
The finish combined the precision of the kick with Brown’s pursuit and control. It also changed the practical challenge awaiting the teams after the break: England could restart with a lead, while France needed another response.
A six-point difference left little room for either side to relax. France had already shown how quickly they could overturn a deficit, and England had just demonstrated the same ability. The first half therefore ended with the result still open despite the champions’ late surge.
Brown’s contribution would extend beyond that single highlight. He finished with a hat-trick, giving England another reliable source of points alongside Coyd and Hawkins.
England Find the Decisive Second-Half Scores
Denuwelaere remained a major threat for France, scoring three second-half tries. His finishing kept the challengers involved and prevented England from treating their interval lead as a settled advantage.
Hawkins added his second try, Coyd took his total to four and Brown crossed twice more. England ultimately scored nine tries to France’s seven, with their three try scorers sharing the full attacking return.
The distribution matters to the story of the final. Coyd provided the early breakthrough, Brown delivered the finish immediately before half-time and further scores came when France were still pressing. England had answers at different stages rather than depending entirely on their fast start.
Coyd was named player of the final. Hawkins also received his Golden Boot trophy, adding an individual honour to the team’s successful defence of the world title.
Two Dominant Semi-Finalists Meet a Tougher Test
Both finalists had reached the decider with convincing semi-final victories. England beat Australia 86–18, while France defeated Ireland 82–26. Those results established their attacking strength but did not make Friday’s contest straightforward for either team.
England had won all three group matches before their semi-final. France also topped their pool with three victories. The final therefore brought together teams accustomed to controlling games, with neither able to sustain that same comfort against the other.
For readers catching up on other international action, GDU’s recent weekend sports roundup covers a separate programme of rugby, tennis and Formula One. Friday’s wheelchair final adds another major championship result to the month.
Australia Take Third Place
Australia finished third after beating Ireland 70–24 in the earlier placing match. That result gave the hosts a positive finish following their semi-final defeat to England.
The central outcome in Wollongong, however, belonged to England. France again made the final competitive, but Coyd’s four tries and Brown’s hat-trick helped the champions turn a changing contest into a successful title defence. England leave with a third world crown and consecutive victories over their closest World Cup rivals.
