Australia national wheelchair rugby league team

Wheelchair rugby league was introduced to Australia in 2004 when a French team travelled to Sydney, Australia. Four matches were played with each side winning twice as the Australians won the series on points difference. In 2006, wheelchair rugby league was given official recognition by the Rugby League International Federation.^[2]

In 2008, Australia was one of four teams that competed in the first Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup. It took place in Sydney, as part of the Festival of World Cups, which was held as a build-up event for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Australia defeated France 22–20 in the semi-final before losing 44–12 to England in the final.^[3][4] At the 2013 World Cup, Australia won their opening match 148–0 against Scotland.^[5] They lost to England in the semi-finals and finished fourth in the tournament after a narrow 16–14 defeat to Wales in the third-place play-off match.^[6][7]

The 2017 World Cup was intended to be part of the Festival of World Cups which was hosted by Australia in Sydney, but in late 2016 the wheelchair tournament was moved to France.^[8][9] To enable the Australian team to take part they received A$50,000 from the NRL towards their transport costs.^[10] Australia reached the semi-finals but were again defeated by England.^[11] Australia finished their campaign with a 58–45 win over Italy in the third-place play-off.^[12] In 2019, Australia hosted an England tour in which the two teams played a two-match Ashes Test series.^[13] A Wheelaroo Tour^[a] to England in October 2020 was planned but did not take place.^[14] At the 2021 World Cup, Australia reached the semi-finals where they lost 84–40 to France.^[15] In August 2023, it was announced that Australia were to play the United States in a three-match series in Las Vegas in 2024, however, the series was cancelled in November 2023.^[16][17] A proposed tour to Australia by France was also cancelled.^[18] In November 2024, Australia played a two-match series against New Zealand in Auckland. Australia achieved a 2–0 series win over the Wheel Kiwis who were making their international début.^[19]

The Australia squad for the 2025 wheelchair rugby league Ashes.^[20]

Player	State
Bayley McKenna	Queensland
Zac Schumacher	Queensland
Diab Karim	New South Wales
Peter Arbuckle	Queensland
Daniel Anstey	Queensland
Cory Cannane	New South Wales
Adam Tannock	Queensland
Brad Grove	New South Wales
Reserves
Dylan Gawthorne	Queensland
Liam Luff	New South Wales

World Cup Record
Year	Finish
2008	Runners-up
2013	4th place
2017	3rd place
2021	Semi-finalist

Date	Score[b]	Opponent	Competition	Venue	Attendance	Ref.
7 November 2008	26–34	England	2008 World Cup Group stage	Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen		[21][22]
10 November 2008	14–44	France		Betts Stadium, Sydney		[3]
12 November 2008	88–00	Barbarians[c]		Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen		[3]
14 November 2008	22–20	France	2008 World Cup Semi-final	Whitlam Centre, Sydney		[3]
17 November 2008	12–44	England	2008 World Cup Final	Betts Stadium, Sydney		[23][24]
29 June 2013	012–102	France	2013 World Cup warm-up match	Centre Sportif du Mont-Valérien, Nanterre		[25][26]
3 July 2013	148–000	Scotland	2013 World Cup Group stage	Medway Park, Gillingham		[5][27]
6 July 2013	16–25	Wales				[27][28]
9 July 2013	06–72	France				[27][29]
11 July 2013	10–81	England	2013 World Cup Semi-final			[6][27]
13 July 2013	14–16	Wales	2013 World Cup 3rd/4th play-off			[7][27]
18 July 2017	16–70	France	2017 World Cup warm-up match	Gymnase L'Olympie, Limoux		[30]
20 July 2017	72–24	Wales	2017 World Cup Group stage	Halle aux Sport, Carcassonne		[27]
22 July 2017	022–102	France		Complexe La Rijole, Pamiers		[27]
24 July 2017	26–80	England		Gymnase du Lac, Saint-Jory		[27]
25 July 2017	49–40	Spain	2017 World Cup Group play-offs	Gymnase du Cosec, Albi		[27]
26 July 2017	24–76	England	2017 World Cup Semi-final	Gymnase Compans Cafferlli, Toulouse		[27]
27 July 2017	58–45	Italy	2017 World Cup 3rd/4th play-off	Gymnase du Cosec, St-Orens		[27]
21 October 2019	28–84	England	Ashes Test series	Whitlam Leisure Centre, Sydney		[13][31]
23 October 2019	50–58	England		University of Wollongong, Wollongong		[13][31]
26 October 2022	?–?	British Army	2021 World Cup warm-up matches	Medway Park, Gillingham		[32]
29 October 2022	86–38	Wales		Cardiff Met University Cyncoed Campus, Cardiff		[33]
31 October 2022	129–100	Scotland		Medway Park, Gillingham		[34]
3 November 2022	08–38	England	2021 World Cup Group Stage	Copper Box, London	3,033	[35]
6 November 2022	76–18	Ireland			3,268	[36][37]
9 November 2022	52–32	Spain			3,847	[38][39]
13 November 2022	40–84	France	2021 World Cup Semi-final	English Institute of Sport, Sheffield	1,318	[15]
1 November 2024	98–40	New Zealand	Two match series friendly	Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland		[40]
4 November 2024	110–800	New Zealand				[19]
30 October 2025	28–56	England	Ashes Test series	Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, Gold Coast		[41]
2 November 2025	42–48	England				[42]

• 2026 World Cup – 30 October–13 November, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong^[43]
  •  New Zealand
  •  Scotland
  •  France
  • Knockout stage

IRL Wheelchair World Rankings v t e
Official rankings as of November 2025
Rank	Change	Team	Pts %
1		England	100
2		France	86
3		Ireland	63
4		Australia	62
5		Wales	46
6		Scotland	41
7		Spain	25
8		United States	23
9		New Zealand	5
10	1	Italy	0
Complete rankings at www.internationalrugbyleague.com

Australia historical IRL Wheelchair World Rankings

	Jun 2020	Dec 2021	Jun 2022	Dec 2022	Jun 2023	Dec 2023	Jun 2024	Dec 2024	Jun 2025	Nov 2025
Ranking	4	4	7 (3)	3 (4)	4 (1)	4	3 (1)	4 (1)	4	4
References	[44]	[45][46]	[47][48]	[49]	[50]	[51][52]	[53]	[54][55]	[56][57]	[58][59]

• Biggest win: 148–0 v. Scotland (3 July 2013)
• Biggest defeat: 12–102 v. France (29 June 2013)