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| England (70) 125 |
| Tries: Bechara 4, Coyd 4, Hawkins 2, Brown 8, King, Collins, Roberts, Simpson Goals: Hawkins 7, Collins 10, Roberts Drop: Roberts |
| Wales (6) 22 |
| Tries: Triggs-Turner, Preece, Williams, Caron Goals: Preece, Higgins 2 |
England set up a Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup final showdown against holders France on Friday in Manchester with a huge win over Wales.
Jack Brown came in off the bench and finished with eight tries as Tom Coyd’s side dominated from start to finish.
It is the third tournament in a row that the sides have met in the final, with France winning both.
Earlier, Jeremy Bourson scored five tries as the world ranked number one team beat Australia 84-40.
England had faced the Welsh at the two previous World Cups in 2013 and 2017, winning both games comfortably, and also running out 102-22 victors in June 2021.
And the tone was set from the start when England-born but France-based Seb Bechara, one of those who featured in the 2017 tournament, used his power and speed to find early gaps in the Welsh defence for a seven-minute hat-trick.
Joe Coyd, who came into the game as his side’s leading try scorer, found his touch before Scott Trigg-Turner put the Welsh on the scoreboard, but Coyd responded to quickly go over twice more and complete his hat-trick.
Things were already looking bleak for the Welsh and it got worse as coach Coyd brought both Brown and Wayne Collins off the bench midway through the half and both immediately stamped their authority on the game.
Brown, one of two England players, along with Adam Rigby, who were part of the victorious 2008 side, showed his class with the Welsh defence unable to get near him and he raced through to complete his hat-trick before half-time.
Rob Hawkins, Lewis King, Nathan Collins and James Simpson added to the try tally as Bechara, Coyd and Brown were all rested for the latter stages of the game of the second half
Wales’s Alan Preece was sinbinned late in the game leaving his side with four players on court and Hawkins had the final say with his second try as England look to Friday’s decider.
Earlier, Bourson scored a 17-minute hat-trick while Mostefa Abassi added four for the French.
Hopes were high that the Australian Wheelaroos could challenge the French, who had scored 350 points in their three pool games, but they made the worst possible start with Florian Guttadoro scoring after 35 seconds and Lionel Alazard converting.
Although Brad Grove quickly responded to make it 6-4, France, led by Bourson, quickly took control.
They continued to rack up scores in the opening 40 minutes and punished errors made by the Australians on their way to a 54-10 half-time lead.
Australia, who lost 38-8 to England in their opening game, tried to make life difficult for the world’s number one side, and an improved second-half display made the scoreline more respectable at full-time.
By Elizabeth Hudson
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