The Friday Wrap: Wheelchair World Cup

Celebrations are sure to linger into the evening with Scotland winning their first World Cup match at their fourth tournament since debuting in 2013. 

“This team is all debutants bar one, so we all started playing after the last World Cup,” captain Olivia Fulton told NRL.com. 

“That teamwork and sense of purpose got us over the line today. We’ve been building against France and then Australia... gaining experience, learning lots, and really putting it together. 

“As a group we all have each other’s backs and that shows on the pitch. We know each one of us is doing the best job we can. 

“It’s our responsibility now as players to get out there on social media and when we get back home to show that we’ve done this. People need to know what a great sport wheelchair rugby league is.” 

Things were tight early with two tries apiece, but then the Bravehearts piled on four straight to take a 32-12 lead in half-time. 

Chief among the points was Calum Davidson with two tries and four conversions.  

He took his personal tally to 30 by full-time with another double and three more goals to claim the Player of the Match medal. 

Pool A: Wales 92 bt USA 18

The Welsh Dragons were on fire posting their half-century of points by half-time (54- 0). 

Perhaps they were spurred on by sound technicians at WIN Entertainment Centre playing Tom Jones hits during breaks in play, especially ‘It’s Not Unusual’ when they hit double-figures (10) for tries scored. 

Maybe the Wheel Hawks weren’t Jones fans as they scored three times - a double by captain Mackenzie Johnson - in the opening 13 minutes of the second half to put a little respect into the scoreline (64-18). 

But the damage had been done with all the unanswered Welsh tries in the first half.  

Goalkicker Andrew Higgins won Player of the Match with his 10 conversions and two tries helping Wales restore some pride after losses to England and Ireland. 

“What was good is that we were a bit more composed – we weren’t rushing to try to make something happen,” skipper Stuart Williams told NRL.com. 

“We were patient and able to take some time to create the plays we wanted.” 

Wales toured the USA after the 2022 World Cup, playing several friendlies. 

“We know the USA quite well and they’re a young team in the scheme of things,” Williams said. 

“At half-time I told our guys to make sure you give them some encouragement, but they came out like a storm so I said, ‘OK stop being nice to them’.” 

Pool A: England 68 bt Ireland 32

Ireland hadn’t lost a game coming into Round 3 and they showed why by holding the world champions scoreless after 20-minutes (14-0), after tries to Peter Johnston and Toby Burton-Carter. 

The Wolfhounds took the lead out to 20-4 before a flurry of three tries gave England the lead in the 35th minute for the first time in the match (22-20), which remained the half-time score.  

Interested onlookers in the stands for the opening 40 minutes were the coaching staff of the Wheelaroos, assessing their semi-finals opponents. 

England started to gallop away with the game in the second half scoring seven tries – three to Joe Coyd who took Player of the Match - before Ireland responded. 

But the Wolfhounds did score the last in the 78th minute with a spectacular speed push by centre Jack Mangan, who followed a kick 40 metres downfield, got the bounce and scored. 

“There’s always something to work on but we definitely had belief tonight,” Irish captain Joseph Calcott said. 

England skipper Lewis King replied: “We have massive respect for Ireland, who came out strong – great game. 

“We found our groove and a way to win in the second half.” 

England are two-time world champions (2008, 2022) aiming for a third – but that’s also the goal of the French (winners in 2013 and 2017). 

Pool B: France 69 bt Australia 34

It was a rough start for Australia conceding an eight-point try with Zac Schumacher penalised for pushing Damien Dore after he’d scored. Florian Guttadoro missed the conversion from the sideline but landed the penalty from right in front. 

France shot out to 18-0 but on the back of maintaining possession, the Wheelaroos replied with three straight themselves including a sublime dummy by skipper Bayley McKenna to score under the posts, to level it up 18-all. 

Some ill-discipline crept in for the Australian side and France capitalised to post a slender 30-22 half-time lead. 

The French brought their power game to the fore in the second half, scoring five tries in a row to put the result out of reach. 

“They’ve got wisdom as well as size – they are always working on improvements,” Australia’s Cory Cannane said, adding Australia had not played the French since 2022. 

“But we had an Ashes series against England two years ago and we proved and we can go right with them. So we’ll go through the video from tonight because we’re definitely not done here. 

“Our destiny is still in our hands.”