Wheelchair rugby league is a wheelchair-based version of rugby league football, one of two recognised disability versions of the sport. It was developed by French rugby league player, coach, and official, Wally Salvan in 2004. Unlike other wheelchair sports, people without disabilities are allowed to compete in top-level competition.[1] The sport is also unique in the fact that men and women of any age can play against each other in top-level competition.

History

From its inception in 2004, until very recently, the top level of the sport was played no differently to other levels of the game. All matches took place in community sports halls, including international games, often with no-one in attendance.[2] However, following the 2021 World Cup (played in 2022), where the competition was given equal prominence with the men's and women's game,[3][4] the popularity of the sport, both during and after the tournament, exploded. Games of the 2021 tournament, and following matches, have since been played in major areas in countries such as Australia, France, and the United Kingdom, often with several thousand in attendance. In the year following the 2021 World Cup, participation of the sport also rose by 71%.[2]

Geography

There are only nine countries with national wheelchair rugby league teams registered with the International Rugby League.

IRL Wheelchair World Rankings
Official rankings as of December 2023
RankChangeTeamPts %
1 SteadyEngland England100
2 SteadyFrance France88
3 SteadyWales Wales59
4 SteadyAustralia Australia48
5 SteadyIreland Ireland42
6 SteadyScotland Scotland31
7 SteadySpain Spain22
8 SteadyUnited States USA19
9 SteadyItaly Italy0
Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT

Rules

The game shares many features with the regular rugby league:

  • Use of a size 4 rugby ball
  • Ball may only be passed backwards
  • Each team retains possession for six tackles, after which there is a hand-over
  • A modified version of the play-the-ball is used after a tackle
  • Same offside rules as rugby league
  • The 2006 rules[5]

The game then sees its own particular rules:

  • Five players in each team[6]
  • All kicks – penalties, drop outs and conversions – are taken with the fist
  • Matches are generally played on a handball court with dimensions of 40×20 metres
  • Indoor rugby posts are put in place for conversions, drop kicks and penalty kicks
  • In professional competition a maximum of two 'able bodied' players are allowed on the pitch per team

International competitions

World Cup

The inaugural Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup was held at indoor venues in Sydney, Australia in 2008.

The 2013 Wheelchair RL World Cup was held in Gillingham, England in July. It saw a tightly fought game with big collisions culminate in a victory for France.

The 2017 World Cup was held in the south of France in July. The holders, France, triumphed over a strong England side in another tightly fought contest.

The 2021 World Cup (played in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) took place in England with 8 teams, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, USA and Australia. For the USA this was to be their first major tournament. England defeated France 28–24 in the final in Manchester with an attendance of 4,526, the largest in the sport's history.[7] Also, in a world first, all matches were broadcast by the BBC.

World Cup summaries

Year Host nation(s) Teams Final result
Winner Score Runner-up
2008 Sydney, Australia 4 England England 44–12 Australia Australia
2013[8] Gillingham, England 6 France France 42–40[9] England England
2017 France 7 France France 38–34 England England
2021 England 8 England England 28–24[10] France France

European Championship

The Wheelchair Rugby League European Championship was first held in 2015 as a one off tournament. It is expected to occur every four years from 2023.

European Championship summaries

Year Host nation(s) Teams Final result
Winner Score Runner-up
2015 Gillingham, England 5 England England 28–24 France France

Celtic Cup

The Celtic Cup has been held annually since 2015 and features the three Celtic nations of the British Isles – Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

Titles

Fassolette-Kielty Trophy

The Fassolette-Kielty Trophy is a challenge competition between England and France, and is played for during all non-tournament tests.

Titles

Domestic competitions

Australia ARL[11]
  • Wheelchair NRL
  • Wheelchair State Challenge
France FFR[12]
United Kingdom RFL[13]
Scotland SRL[14]
Wales WRL[15]
Multi national

List of Clubs

England and Wales

The British domestic league is one of the more established in the world with over twenty teams from across the country taking part. They feature in the RFL Wheelchair Super League, Championship League and then regional development leagues. Teams in Britain include:[13]

Super League
  • Halifax Panthers
  • Hull FC
  • Leeds Rhinos
  • London Roosters
  • Warrington Wolves
  • Wigan Warriors
Championship
  • Bradford Bulls
  • Mersey Storm
  • North Wales Crusaders
  • Rochdale Hornets
  • Sheffield Eagles
Regional Development
  • Argonauts
  • Bedford Tigers
  • Gravesend Dynamite
  • Hereford Harriers
  • Medway Dragons
  • Torfaen Tigers
  • Wakefield Trinity
  • Woodland Warriors
  • York Knights

France

As with the running variant of the sport, most of the French wheelchair rugby league teams are situated in the south of the country. A list of clubs include:[12]

  • Aingirak
  • Avignon
  • Catalans Dragons
  • Montauban
  • Saint Jory
  • Toulouse Olympique

Scotland

Unlike the running game, the Scottish league is not integrated into the British rugby league system, however the teams have played in the all Great Britain Wheelchair Challenge Cup.

  • Dundee Dragons
  • Edinburgh Giants
  • Glasgow RL

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Scottish clubs are not intergrated into the British system but still participate in the Challenge Cup.
  2. ↑ A separately run league outside of the British system. Welsh clubs participate in the Wheelchair Super League and Wheelchair Championship as their primary competition.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nswrl.com.au/article.php?id=828
  2. 1 2 Bower, Aaron (2023-11-06). "Wheelchair rugby league is booming: it can open up new doors for the sport". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  3. ↑ "Nations Confirmed For Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup 2021". Able Magazine. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  4. ↑ Heppenstall, Ross (21 October 2019). "2021 Rugby League World Cup: Female and wheelchair players to receive same fees as male counterparts for first time". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  5. ↑ The 2006 rules Archived 2007-08-29 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "Wheelchair rugby league". RFL. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009.
  7. ↑ Bower, Aaron (18 November 2022). "England edge Out France to win Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup". The Guardian.
  8. ↑ "FOWC 2013". www.rlfowc2013.com. Archived from the original on 2013-03-31.
  9. ↑ "Match Report: Wheelchair World Cup Final". European Rugby League. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "England beat France to win Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup - reaction". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  11. ↑ "Wheelchair Rugby League – A Game For All". November 21, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Championnats Fauteuil".
  13. 1 2 "Wheelchair Rugby League". Rugby League. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  14. ↑ "Scotland Rugby League Herald New Era".
  15. ↑ "Finals places up for grabs on Sunday - Wales Rugby League (WRL)". September 29, 2023.
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