2013 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup

Gillingham

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World Cup venue in England

In July 2009, it was announced that the 2013 Rugby League World Cup would be held in the United Kingdom.^[4][a] The 2013 World Cup took place in October and November with the 2013 Festival of World Cups being held in July as part of the build-up to the main tournament. This was played at several venues in England and included world cups for armed forces, police, students, women, and wheelchair rugby league.^[6]

The venue for the wheelchair competition, Medway Park Sports Centre in Gillingham, was built in the 1970s, but was part of a larger sports complex that had officially reopened in July 2011 following a £11 million redevelopment.^[7][8][9] It had hosted inaugural Fassolette-Kielty Trophy match between England and France in August 2012, with an estimated attendance of 700,^[10] though the venue was reported to have a capacity of only 500.^[11] The world cup was part of the Medway Festival of Sport which included more than 50 events taking place over a three-month period. ^[12]

A year before the tournament took place the teams had not been confirmed, but it was suggested that it "would include teams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, New Zealand, Australia, England, France and, most surprisingly, Malta".^[11][b] In February 2013, when the launch event for the Festival of World Cups took place, it was reported that five teams would take part in the wheelchair tournament.^[7] A week later, when Australia first announced their squad, they listed six teams taking part: Australia, England, France, Malta, Scotland and Wales.^[16] By April, when the draw for the competition was made, the six teams taking part included Ireland instead of Malta.^[12]

Group A

•  Australia: Coach: Steve Hewson

•  France: Coach: Sylvain Crismanovic

•  Scotland

Group B

•  England: Coach: Mark Roughsedge

•  Ireland

•  Wales

Source:^[18]

A pre-tournament match took place between France and Australia on 29 June in Nanterre.^[17]

29 June 2013

France	102–12	Australia

Centre Sportif du Mont-Valérien, Nanterre

The teams were divided into two groups and each played three matches in the group stage: one against each of the two teams in their group and one against a team from the other group. The top two in each group progressed to the semi-finals.^[12]

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	France	3	3	0	0	254	28	+226	6	Semi-finals
2	Australia	3	1	0	2	170	97	+73	2
3	Scotland	3	0	0	3	4	328	−324	0

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	England	3	2	0	1	156	42	+114	4	Semi-finals
2	Wales	3	2	0	1	135	72	+63	4
3	Ireland	3	1	0	2	40	192	−152	2

Group A

3 July 2013

Australia	148–0	Scotland
Tries: Attard (8), Engles (5), Stone (3), Voncina (2), Ryan (2), Groves (3), Begnato, Castillo (2) Goals: Engles (8), Ryan, Bagnato (13)	ERL

Medway Park, Gillingham Player of the Match: Rick Engles (AUS)

Group B

3 July 2013

Wales	104–6	Ireland
Tries: Dennett (5), Lane (3), Knight (4), Craig (2), Hill (2), Turner (3) Goals: Craig (13/19)	ERL	Goals: Clarke (3/3)

Medway Park, Gillingham

Inter-group

3 July 2013

England	20–28	France
Tries: Jack Brown (2), Wharton, Greenhalgh Goals: Heggie (2/5)	ERL	Tries: Nicolas Claussells (2), Dany Delawaere, Gilles Claussells Goals: Guane (1/1), Plaza (5/5)

Medway Park, Gillingham

Group A

6 July 2013

France	154–2	Scotland
Tries: Alazard (6), Massatt (4), Morais (4), Bonnet (4), Ducos (5), Denwelaere (2), Gilles Clausells Goals: Plaza (8), Gilles Clausells (11), Denweleare (2), Morais (4)	ERL	Goals: Stewart

Medway Park, Gillingham

Group B

6 July 2013

England	86–8	Ireland
Tries: Coyd (6), Wharton, Heggie (2), Kenny, Stevenson (4), Greenhalgh (2) Goals: Rigby (9), Stevenson (2)	ERL	Goals: Clarke (4)

Medway Park, Gillingham

Inter-group

6 July 2013

Wales	25–16	Australia
Tries: Jon Dunn (3), Knight Goals: Craig (4) Drop goals: Knight	ERL	Tries: Begman, Engles, Attard Goals: Engles, Begnato

Medway Park, Gillingham Referee: Richard Johnson

Group A

9 July 2013

France	72–6	Australia
Tries: Denwelaere (3), Nicolas Claussells (5), Guane (2), Gilles Claussells (2), Plaza Goals: Guane (2), Plaza (7), Gilles Claussells	ERL	Tries: Attard Goals: Engles

Medway Park, Gillingham

Group B

9 July 2013

Wales	6–50	England
Tries: Craig Goals: Craig	ERL	Tries: Greenhalgh, Jack Brown (6), Heggie (2) Goals: Heggie (6), Stevenson

Medway Park, Gillingham

Inter-group

9 July 2013

Ireland	26–6	Scotland
Tries: McCabe, Vicky Irwin, Gardner, Boyd-Ward Goals: Clarke (5)	ERL	Tries: Probst Goals: Stewart

Medway Park, Gillingham