The Wales national wheelchair rugby league team represents Wales in wheelchair rugby league. They have competed at the World Cup, the European Championships and several tournaments within the British Isles, such as the Celtic Cup and Four Nations competitions.
History In July 2012 Wales took part their first international competition, the Four Nations, a round-robin tournament between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The tournament was held as part of preparations for the world cup taking place the following year. At the 2013 World Cup Wales progressed from the group stage with wins over Australia and Ireland and defeat to England. They lost their semi-final against France and finished third by defeating Australia in the third-place play-off. Wales were unsuccessful at the 2014 Four Nations and the 2015 European Championships where they lost all their matches.
In 2016 they joined Scotland and Ireland to compete in the Celtic Cup, which had been first contested the previous year but became an annual three-team round-robin from 2016. Wales won the tournament in 2016 and until 2023 were unbeaten in the Celtic Cup.
At the 2017 World Cup Wales finished bottom of Group A with losses to Australia, England and France. They then lost to Italy in the group play-offs but defeated Spain to take fifth place. At the 2021 World Cup Wales suffered their heaviest ever defeat by losing their opening match 6–154 to France. However, victories over the United States and Scotland meant Ireland progressed to the knockout phase of the tournament where they lost to England in the semi-final. Stuart Williams was one of the ten players named in the RLWC2021 Wheelchair Team of the Tournament.
In February 2024, Wales travelled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to play a two-match series against the United States in which were the first wheelchair internationals to be played in the Americas. Wales won both matches.
Squad Squad selected for the 2026 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in Australia.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cjy5zvnv9p3vo
Player Club (RFL) Club (WRL)Stuart Williams Edinburgh Giants North Wales CrusadersJodie Boyd-Ward Leeds Rhinos Andrew Higgins Midlands Hurricanes Lee Sargent Midlands Hurricanes Cardiff Blue DragonsJonathan Gill North Wales CrusadersFionn McCabe North Wales CrusadersMartin Turner North Wales CrusadersGareth Ramsey Sheffield Eagles Sid Ramsey Sheffield Eagles Matthew Turner Wigan Warriors North Wales CrusadersMark Williams Wigan Warriors South Wales Jets John Berriman York RLFC
Competitive record World Cup World Cup RecordYearFinish 2008 20133rd 20175th 2021Semi-final
Celtic Cup
Results
DateScoreOpponentCompetitionRef.7 July 201220–62012 Four Nations7 July 201244–48 July 20120–343 July 2013104–62013 World Cup Group stage6 July 201325–169 July 20136–5011 July 201330–712013 World Cup Semi-final13 July 201316–142013 World Cup 3rd-place play-off13 September 201410–582014 Four Nations13 September 201414–3414 September 20146–809 August 201529–46Friendly24 September 201525–262015 European Championship25 September 20158–5625 September 20155–5226 September 201536–4630 April 201676–262016 Celtic Cup30 April 201692–2224 September 201642–18Exiles2016 Four Nations24 September 201641–2825 September 201614–5625 September 201626–522016 Four Nations Final29 April 201751–62017 Celtic Cup29 April 201771–020 July 201724–722017 World Cup Group stage22 July 201732–7824 July 201710–11825 July 201724–1052017 World Cup Group stage play-off27 July 201766–452017 World Cup 5th-place play-off28 April 2018112–412018 Celtic Cup28 April 201884–3027 April 2019102–102019 Celtic Cup27 April 2019109–828 September 201990–122019 Tri-Nations28 September 201924–4829 September 201940–542019 Tri-Nations Final12 June 202196–162021 Celtic Cup12 June 2021102–1826 June 202122–102Friendly16 October 202162–48Friendly30 October 202170–34Friendly7 May 202264–222022 Celtic Cup7 May 2022116–68 October 202267–52Friendly29 October 202238–86Friendly4 November 20226–1542021 World Cup Group stage7 November 202250–3210 November 202270–3613 November 202222–1252021 World Cup Semi-final18 June 202330–302023 Celtic Cup18 June 202376–3014 January 202434–24 British ArmyTest series warm-up game2 February 202478–24Two match test series3 February 202452–228 June 202452–642024 Celtic Cup8 June 202432–6824 May 202562–542025 Celtic Cup24 May 202510–6622 November 202524–22UK Armed ForcesFriendly14 March 202642–24UK Armed ForcesFriendly23 May 202638–502026 Celtic Cup23 May 202650–46
Upcoming fixtures 2026 World Cup – 30 October–13 November, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
Knockout stage
Records and rankings
+ Wales historical IRL Wheelchair World Rankings Jun2020 Dec2021 Jun2022 Dec2022 Jun2023 Dec2023 Jun2024 Dec2024 Jun2025 Nov2025 Aug2026Ranking (1) (1) (2) References Biggest win: 116–6 v. Scotland (7 May 2022) Biggest defeat: 6–154 v. France (4 November 2022)
Honours Celtic Cup (7): 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Notes
References
External links