Wheelchair rugby league explained: history, rules, England v France rivalry and Leeds Test ticket details

The First Direct Arena hosts England against France in a rematch of last year’s World Cup final which was won by the hosts thanks to a last-gasp try from captain and Leeds Rhinos star Tom Halliwell.

The skills on show at the 2022 tournament wowed television viewers and a world record crowd of 4,526 watched the decider in Manchester. Essentially rugby league in a wheelchair, with broadly the same rules as the ‘running’ version of the game, the sport is becoming known for its huge collisions, thrills and frequent spills, which often see players tipped out of their chair in contact. Here’s a guide to the fast-growing sport.

History

Wheelchair rugby league was developed in France in 2004. Last year was the sport’s fourth World Cup and the first to be staged alongside the men’s and women’s tournaments in the running version of the game.

Though the sport was played domestically before that, Wheelchair Super League began in 2019 and this year featured six clubs, Leeds Rhinos, London Roosters, Wigan Warriors, Halifax Panthers, Hull FC and Warrington Wolves.

Rhinos are the 2023 league leaders, but lost to Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup final and against Wigan in the Grand Final. Leeds have won the league leaders’ shield four times and Super League once. They have also been Grand Final runners-up three times and were Challenge Cup winners in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Halifax are the sport’s other dominant force with have two Super League titles and four Challenge Cups.

Wheelchair rugby league rules

The sport shares many of its laws and terminology with the running game. Matches are played over two 40-minute halves, on a 46-metre by 20m pitch and teams are made up of five players on the field at any one time.

Tries are worth four points, scored by placing the ball on the ground over the goal line, or - in the case of players with limited mobility - tapping the ball on the wheel of their chair. Conversions or penalties are worth two points, with one for a drop goal. Kicks are made by punching the ball, using the fist. Teams are allowed six tackles, before having to hand over possession.

What are wheelchair rugby league tags for?

Each player wears two tags, one on each shoulder. A tackle is made when a defender removes a tag from the ball carrier’s shoulder. Tags must be replaced - using spares carried on each player’s knees - before an attacker can play-the-ball.

Who can play wheelchair rugby league?

Anyone. The sport is open to disabled and non-disabled players and men and women can play on the same teams. Sides must include three disabled players on the pitch at all times.

That has caused tension between England and France, who believe the involvement of non-disabled players makes the sport overly physical and deters those with disabilities.

Who are the players to watch out for on Sunday?

England’s Seb Bechara, who plays for French club Catalans, holds the wheelchair Golden Boot award and Test teammate Jack Brown is a former winner.

England’s squad includes three Leeds players, Tom Halliwell, Nathan Collins and Super League young player of the year Josh Butler. Lewis King, of London Roosters, was this year’s Wheels of Steel winner as Super League’s best player.

The French squad features three members of the Catalans team who beat Rhinos in this year’s World Cup final, including Jeremy Bourson who scored 15 tries in five games at last year’s World Cup.

When is the Test and are tickets available?

England face France at Leeds’ First Direct Arena on Sunday, with a 3.15pm kick-off. The match will be shown live on BBC 2, but tickets are available priced £10 for adults, £7.50 concessions and £5 under-16s.