THE PRINCESS OF WALES TO HOST RECEPTION FOR WORLD CUP WINNING ENGLAND WHEELCHAIR RUGBY LEAGUE TEAM
Hampton Court Palace
Thursday 19th January 2023
The Princess of Wales, Patron of the Rugby Football League, will host a reception for the England Wheelchair Rugby League team in recognition of their success at the recent Rugby League World Cup.
England’s Wheelchair Rugby League team were crowned World Champions in November after a dramatic 28-24 victory over France in the Rugby League World Cup Final at Manchester Central. The win marked England’s first World Cup triumph since the inaugural Wheelchair tournament which was held in Australia in 2008.
The Princess of Wales will meet with members of the squad and coaching team to pass on her congratulations for their historic win, and discuss their experiences during the tournament and plans for future competitions.
Her Royal Highness will also hear about the impact that the Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair competitions being played concurrently during the World Cup, a breakthrough moment in the tournament’s history, has had on the sport. The Wheelchair Final attracted a capacity crowd of 4,500, a new record for Wheelchair Rugby League, and was watched by a seven-figure broadcast audience.
Wheelchair Rugby League was founded in France in 2004. The sport is open to all, including those with or without disabilities, with men and women playing on the same team.
