Match-winner Tom Halliwell says England’s thrilling Rugby League World Cup win will be ground-breaking for the wheelchair game, having been inspired to glory by his hero Rob Burrow.
Halliwell was the hero with two tries, including the clincher three minutes from time, as England beat the defending champions France 28-24 in front of a world record crowd of 4,526 in Manchester.
“This is ground-breaking,” Halliwell told The Sportsman. “This is the first World Cup of its kind and it has really shown what rugby league is about. It enables everyone to come together and it is inspiring.
“Wheelchair rugby league is the best game in the world, every player has a different story. We just need to get more people involved and create a legacy - we just want a future generation to play this sport and take it to the next level.”
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Head coach Tom Coyd echoed the thoughts of his Player of the Match, believing this triumph on the big stage can propel the sport to a new audience.
“It’s going to explode now, isn’t it?” he said. “Let’s get rugby league out of the heartlands, let's take it to America, let’s get it around the globe. This wheelchair product no one has ever seen before and it’s so exciting.”
Leeds Rhinos star Halliwell told The Sportsman before the game of his desire to win the World Cup for his idol Rob Burrow, wearing the iconic number seven shirt in his honour.
He did just that, with Burrow himself tweeting in awe of Halliwell after the game.
“My try sort of recreated his from the Grand Final [in 2011],” Halliwell said. “Except his was from 40 metres out and mine was not!
“Those are such kind words and it means a lot but I can’t rest now. I have to work hard now as this is just the beginning for wheelchair rugby league and I’m very grateful to be a part of this sport. I can’t wait to see this sport grow into what it can be and I’m forever in debt to wheelchair rugby league for the platform to play with family and friends.
An angry France coach Sylvain Crismanovich repeated his calls afterwards for the game to prioritise paraplegic athletes, feeling teams like England are preferring able-bodied athletes like Jack Brown and therefore gaining an advantage.
“The game was much too physical,” he said, before claiming perhaps he was to blame for selecting too many disabled players in his team. He added that he was “very worried” by the direction the game was being taken in, saying it is no longer “a wheelchair game for wheelchair people”.
“We need to look again at the rules. A decision has been taken to prioritise the show rather than the athletes involved.”
Another note of controversy arose when a French official demonstrated angrily with the main British referee after he had had a call overruled, and he continued to cause a scene for the remainder of the game. He was booed during the post-match presentations.
The French coaching staff apologised on his behalf.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
