Hawkins included among five World Cup winners in England wheelchair squad
Rob Hawkins is one of five World Cup winners named in England's 10-player Wheelchair Rugby League squad that will attempt to defend the trophy in Australia this autumn. Hawkins scored four tries as Halifax Panthers beat Leeds Rhinos 64-24 in Sunday's Wheelchair Super League Grand Final.
Hawkins finished the Wheelchair Super League season as the competition's top try-scorer with 70. He will travel to the World Cup with Halifax team-mates Jack Brown, who scored six tries in the Grand Final, and Finlay O'Neill. Both Hawkins and Brown were part of the England side that defeated France dramatically at Manchester Central in November 2022 to win the World Cup.
Five members of the selection are World Cup winners from that 2022 squad: Rob Hawkins, Jack Brown, Lewis King, Joe Coyd and Nathan Collins. Lewis King will captain England down under.
King and Joe Coyd are team-mates at London Roosters, while Nathan Collins and Tristan Norfolk both represent Leeds Rhinos. The squad also includes Mason Billington from London Roosters and the Sheffield Eagles pair Luis Domingos and Chris Haynes.
England open the wheelchair tournament against Wales on Friday, 30 October (04:30 GMT), then play the USA on Tuesday, 3 November (07:30 GMT) and Ireland on Friday, 6 November (06:00 GMT), aiming to secure a spot in the following Tuesday's semi-finals.
The wheelchair competition will be staged at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre and will run alongside the men's and women's tournaments; the wheelchair final is scheduled for Friday, 13 November (08:30 GMT).
England head coach Tom Coyd - who led the side to their World Cup success in Manchester four years ago - said: "Every player understands what it means to wear the England shirt and the responsibility that comes with it. "Yesterday's brilliant Wheelchair Super League Grand Final was a testament to the special community that we are privileged to represent on the world stage."
England's wheelchair squad will fly out to Australia on 22 October. England squad: Mason Billington (London Roosters), Jack Brown (Halifax Panthers), Nathan Collins (Leeds Rhinos), Joe Coyd (London Roosters), Luis Domingos (Sheffield Eagles), Rob Hawkins (Halifax Panthers), Chris Haynes (Sheffield Eagles), Lewis King (London Roosters), Tristan Norfolk (Leeds Rhinos), Finlay O'Neill (Halifax Panthers).