Joe Coyd scored a match-winning strive with two minutes remaining to finish a 2-0 Ashes collection victory for England on the Gold Coast, however solely after a compelling problem from Australia which confirms them as real contenders for subsequent 12 months’s Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup.
England and France have dominated the World Cup because the first Wheelchair competitors in 2008, however the Wheelaroos have accelerated their improvement with a give attention to internet hosting the 2026 competitors, they usually led the reigning world champions for almost all of this thrilling second Take a look at earlier than taking place 48-42.
Australia had been good worth for a 30-18 half-time lead however Jack Brown instigated an England fightback with a second half efficiency that was dazzling even by his personal excessive requirements, scoring two tries himself and laying on one other two for Lewis King, the London Roosters wing who ended with a hat-trick in his second Take a look at as England captain.
Even then, the Wheelaroos remained stage at 42-42 thanks largely to an excellent particular person efficiency from Zac Schumacher, till Mason Billington supplied a cool ultimate cross to ship Coyd over for the winner.
England scored 9 tries to seven however an impeccable goalkicking show from Bayley McKenna, who additionally scored two tries for a private tally of twenty-two factors, threatened to punish the world champions for his or her failure to transform three of these tries.
In distinction to the primary Take a look at, when England had shot to a 16-0 lead, it was the Wheelaroos who began strongly, with Diab Karim opening the scoring inside two minutes.
England responded with Coyd’s intelligent kick organising a primary strive for Rob Hawkins, and Finlay O’Neill then put them forward with end in the suitable nook after slick dealing with from Coyd and King.
The Aussies pulled stage once more by McKenna, and though England regained an 18-12 lead when Hawkins scored his second from Nathan Collins’ audacious flicked cross, by half-time the house workforce had been effectively in management by tries from Adam Tannock, Dan Anstey and McKenna’s second.
England coach Tom Coyd introduced on Billington at half-time and he made an prompt influence, combining with Hawkins to arrange Brown’s first strive – the primary of six within the second half, ending with Joe Coyd’s clincher.