Wheelchair Rugby League

A brief overview of the game includes:

• There are five players on each side
• The object of the game is to score tries
• Conversions are scored by kicking, via a volleyball style punch, the ball over the mini-posts from a tee
• Tackles are made in the same way as Tag Rugby by pulling off the attached tag
• Six tackles is the maximum, often followed by a kick (punch) and a change of possession
• Offside, knock-on and in-touch apply just like in the running version of the game
• Everything in the running game is included, apart from scrums, 10 metres become 4 metres, we play for 80 minutes and are immediately recognisable and faithful to the laws of Rugby League

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There are currently 24 Wheelchair Rugby League Clubs in the United Kingdom.

Training takes place at a community or foundation club level. Competitions regularly take place in a festival environment including multiple short games in one venue.  Players can continue at a community level, play in national leagues, or aspire to play at a representative level. This would involve a higher-level competitive playing opportunity with fixtures several times every year.

Please use the Rugby League Club Finder tool to find your nearest club

Find a Club

In 2022, for the first time, the wheelchair competition was part of the Rugby League World Cup main event. Wheelchair rugby league is genuinely the most inclusive sport of all – not solely a disability sport, as non-disabled people are welcome to compete as well, and both men and women, all ages, can play in the same team.

The Rugby League Wheelchair World Cup 2022 was contested by eight teams from 3-18 November 2022, with games taking place at the famous Copper Box Arena in London, The English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and the final, won by England, 28-24 versus France at Manchester Central.

Congratulations to the 2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Champions, ENGLAND! 

England win the World Cup (rugby-league.com)

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