Here’s what you might have missed overnight at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England.
England broke a 14-year drought to claim the 2021 Wheelchair World Cup title after defeating France 28-24 on Saturday morning (AEDT) in Manchester.
After narrow defeats to France in 2013 and 2017, England claimed back the World Championship in front of a record home crowd thanks to a 78th minute try by 23-year-old skipper Tom Halliwell.
Match: France v England
Final -
home Team
France
away Team
England
Venue: Manchester Central, Manchester
The main takeaways
- With the scores locked and golden point beckoning it was Leeds Rhino Tom Halliwell who crossed the line in the 78th minute to hand the hosts their first World Cup since 2008.
- France opened the scoring in the second minute of the match through Lionel Azard.
- France led by two points at half-time but struggled to find momentum in the second term.
- A world record crowd of 4526 was on hand in Manchester.
The 2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup Champions
Star performers
Tom Halliwell took home the player-of-the-match award after a stunning World Cup Final performance. Not only did the 23-year-old skipper seal the championship with his match-winning try but laid on an earlier try and also finished with 11 tackle breaks. Jack Brown was also a standout with two tries, an assist and 12 tackle breaks in his 55-minute performance. Meanwhile, Nicolas Clausells ripped in for France with two try assists, 30 hit ups and 116 metres with the ball.
Halliwell awarded player of the match
Recap
- Match report: England claim World Cup title after defeating favourites France
- Key injuries: Nil
Match Highlights: France v England
