England began their Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup title defence on October 30, 2026, by crushing Wales 98-18 in Wollongong, driven by 52 points from Rob Hawkins and 34 points from Nathan Collins before a group-stage match against the United States.

The reigning champions opened their tournament campaign with a massive 18-try performance against Wales at the Wheelchair World Cup in Wollongong. Despite the lopsided final score, the holders did not have it entirely their own way from the opening whistle, facing fierce resistance from a Welsh side featuring players such as Mark Williams, Jodie Boyd-Ward, Stuart Williams, Matthew Turner, and Sid Ramsey, alongside substitutes like McCabe, Gill, and Berriman.

Wales Tests the Champions Before England Pulls Away

Wales kept pace with the world champions during a competitive opening quarter. Tries from Stuart Williams and Sid Ramsey kept the contest close at 18-12. England quickly slammed the door on any upset hopes by rattling off 28 unanswered points to secure a commanding 46-12 half-time advantage.

The second half brought more of the same relentless pressure. England added 10 more tries after the break, while Ramsey managed a consolation score for Wales in the 71st minute to finish with two tries for the match, alongside a try and goal from Matthew Turner.

Rob Hawkins and Nathan Collins Dominate the Scoreboard

Halifax Panthers player Rob Hawkins led all scorers with an extraordinary 52-point individual haul built on 11 tries and four conversions. Leeds Rhinos star Nathan Collins matched that offensive intensity by crossing for four tries and kicking nine goals from 12 conversion attempts to finish with 34 points.

Today’s performance was a decent start for the team. It wasn’t the best match we could have played. We definitely felt like we were not playing to our standards, giving away silly errors and giving away points. We’re building so we can peak at the right time. Today was a stepping stone really.

Rob Hawkins

England deployed a squad featuring Collins, Hawkins, Coyd, Brown, and King in the starting lineup, supported by substitutes O’Neill, Billington, and Norfolk.

Group A Standings and Upcoming November Fixtures

Elsewhere in Group A, Ireland set a new international scoring record by thrashing the United States 110-10 behind 20 tries—including seven from Joseph Calcott and six from Cian Horgan.