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England reached their fifth consecutive Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup final after overwhelming host nation Australia 86-18 in Wollongong, though player Rob Hawkins insists the side has yet to reach its peak.
Dominant Semi-Final Victory
England scored 15 tries in Tuesday’s semi-final clash, with Hawkins contributing 30 individual points through five tries and five conversions. His standout moment came when he chased down a long punt from teammate Nathan Collins, outpacing Australian defender Adam Tannock to ground the ball just inside the dead-ball line.
When asked by BBC Sport about his athletic finishes, Hawkins attributed them to spontaneity. “It’s just off-the-cuff stuff when needed,” he said. “Some of the kicks were cautious!”
Collins praised his teammate’s efforts following the win. “He makes my bad kicks look good!” Collins told BBC Sport. “It is great to have him there to sweep up. He’s great to play with and against.”
Eyes on France Final
Despite the decisive victory against Australia, Hawkins believes England still have room to improve ahead of Friday’s final. “Wouldn’t say we are 10 out of 10 yet, there are still good a good few things to look at,” he said to BBC Sport. “Today was a six or seven. Hopefully the best is to come on Friday.”
England will face France at 08:45 GMT on Friday at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong. It will mark the fourth consecutive World Cup final between the two nations, who are the only teams to have won the tournament. England defeated France 28-24 in the 2022 final in Manchester, while France won previous finals in 2017 (38-34) and 2013 (42-40).
Collins noted that England must maintain their discipline under head coach Tom Coyd. “We’ve got to do what we did today, stick to the process Tom has put in front of us,” Collins said. “It looks like a good game, but there is still plenty to do.”
Personal Journeys and Officiating Focus
Collins, who was born with dwarfism, transitioned to wheelchair rugby league after being told he was too small for running rugby. He made his England debut at age 16 and is now preparing for his third World Cup final at age 26.
“It has given me a lease of life,” Collins said of his involvement in the sport. “I have met so many amazing people along the way.”
The upcoming final follows past controversy from the 2022 final, in which French referee Laurent Abrial received a suspension after making gestures toward the crowd following an overruled call. Addressing past refereeing issues, Hawkins told BBC Sport, “The referees will make a decision on the day, we are just there to play the game. Our win overshadowed the decisions made. The officiating at this World Cup has been superb.”
