Ireland national wheelchair rugby league team

The Ireland national wheelchair rugby league team represents Ireland in wheelchair rugby league. They have competed at the World Cup, the European Championships, the Celtic Cup and Four Nations competitions.

Ireland

Team information
Governing body	Rugby League Ireland
Region	Europe
Head coach	Damian McCabe^[1]
IRL ranking	5th
Team results
First international
England 34–12 Ireland Hull, England (7 July 2012)
World Cup
Appearances	2 (first time in 2013)
Best result	5th, 2013

History

In July 2012 Ireland took part their first international competition, the Four Nations, a round-robin tournament between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.^[2][3] The tournament was held as part of preparations for the world cup taking place the following year.^[4] At the 2013 World Cup Ireland lost their matches against Wales and England. A win against Scotland was not enough to progress to the semi-finals, but they defeated Scotland in a play-off to take fifth place.^[5] Ireland finished second at the 2014 Four Nations.^[6] In 2015 Ireland played Scotland in the first Celtic Cup which was contested over two matches^[7] but became an annual three-team round-robin with the addition of Wales in 2016.^[8][9] At the 2015 European Championships their only group stage win was against Wales, but with a play-off win over Scotland they took third place in the tournament.^[10][11] In 2016 Ireland were unable to travel with a full team for the Four Nations so their place was filled by a mixed team of Irish, Welsh and English players known as the Exiles.^[12] At the 2021 World Cup Ireland were not initially selected to take part but were brought in to replace Norway who had withdrawn from the tournament.^[13] Ireland were knocked out at the group stage after losses to Spain and Australia^[1] before suffering a record defeat (0–121) in their final match against England.^[14]

Squad

Ireland squad for 2021 World Cup

First team squad								Coaching staff
Toby Burton-Carter (vc) Tom Martin Rick Rodgers Stephen Campbell Paddy Forbes Kenneth Maloney		Scott Robertson Peter Johnston (c) Phil Roberts James McCarthy Oran Spain Nash Jennings						Head coach Damian McCabe Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice-captain(s) Updated: 3 October 2022 Source(s): ^[15]

Competitive record

World Cup

World Cup Record
Year	Finish
2008	Did not enter
2013	5th
2017	Did not enter
2021	Group stage

Celtic Cup

Celtic Cup Record^[Note 1]
Year	Opponent		Finish	Ref.
	Scotland	Wales
2015	W / W	—	1st	^[7]
2016	D	L	2nd	^[16]^[17]
2017	W	L	2nd	^[18]^[19]
2018	W	L	2nd	^[20]^[21]
2019	L	L	3rd	^[22]^[23]
2020	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic			^[24]
2021	W	L	2nd	^[25]^[26]
2022	W	L	2nd	^[27]^[28]
2023	W	D	2nd	^[29]^[30]

Results

Date	Opponent	Score	Competition	Ref.
7 July 2012	England	12–34	2012 Four Nations	^[31]
7 July 2012	Wales	4–44		^[32]
8 July 2012	Scotland	14–8		^[33]
3 July 2013	Wales	6–104	2013 World Cup Group stage	^[5]
6 July 2013	England	6–36		^[5]
9 July 2013	Scotland	26–6		^[5]
13 July 2013	Australia	36–14	2013 World Cup 5th place play-off	^[5]
13 September 2014	Wales	58–10	2014 Four Nations	^[6]
14 September 2014	England	2–54
14 September 2014	Scotland	60–10		^[34]
18 April 2015	Scotland	52–28	2015 Celtic Cup	^[35]
25 May 2015	Scotland	80–48		^[7]
9 August 2015	Wales	46–29	Friendly	^[10]
24 September 2015	Scotland	16–32	2015 European Championship	^[36]
24 September 2015	France	8–100		^[37]
25 September 2015	England	16–66		^[38]
26 September 2015	Wales	46–36		^[10]
26 September 2015	Scotland	20–16	2015 European Championship 3rd place play-off	^[36]
30 April 2016	Wales	26–76	2016 Celtic Cup	^[16]
30 April 2016	Scotland	58–58		^[39]
29 April 2017	Scotland	26–16	2017 Celtic Cup	^[19]
29 April 2017	Wales	6–51		^[18]
28 April 2018	Scotland	68–36	2018 Celtic Cup	^[21]
28 April 2018	Wales	30–84		^[20]
27 April 2019	Wales	8–109	2019 Celtic Cup	^[22]
27 April 2019	Scotland	42–52		^[23]
12 June 2021	Scotland	52–32	2021 Celtic Cup	^[26]
12 June 2021	Wales	16–96		^[25]
16 October 2021	Wales	48–62	Friendly	^[25]
7 May 2022	Wales	22–64	2022 Celtic Cup	^[27]
7 May 2022	Scotland	38–35		^[28]
18 June 2022	Scotland	52–22	Friendly	^[28]
8 October 2022	Wales	52–67	Friendly	^[27]
3 November 2022	Spain	32–55	2021 World Cup Group stage	^[40]
6 November 2022	Australia	18–76		^[41]
9 November 2022	England	0–121		^[14]
18 June 2023	Scotland	58–24	2023 Celtic Cup	^[30]
18 June 2023	Wales	30–30		^[29]

Records

IRL Wheelchair World Rankings v t e
Official rankings as of December 2023
Rank	Change	Team	Pts %
1		England	100
2		France	88
3		Wales	59
4		Australia	48
5		Ireland	42
6		Scotland	31
7		Spain	22
8		United States	19
9		Italy	0
Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT

• Biggest win: 60–10 v. Scotland (14 September 2014)^[34]
• Biggest defeat: 0–121 v. England (9 November 2022)^[14]

Honours

• Celtic Cup: (2015)^[7]

Notes

1. The first Celtic Cup took place in 2015 between Scotland and Ireland. Wales joined in 2016 to create a three-team tournament.^[8]

References

1. "Awesome Australia soar past Ireland". RLWC2021. 6 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
2. "England win Wheelchair Four Nations". European Rugby League. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
3. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2012". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
4. "Hull hosts Wheelchair Rugby League 4 Nations". European Rugby League. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
5. "Wheelchair World Cup". rugbyleague.wales. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
6. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2014". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
7. "Scotland 48–80 Ireland". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
8. "Celtic Cup". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
9. "Wales set sights on sixth straight Celtic Cup". Everything Rugby League. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
10. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2015". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
11. "Ireland seal third–place at Wheelchair Rugby League European Championships". The Irish Post. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
12. "Exiles Wheelchair 62v24 SCOT Wheelchair". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
13. Pavitt, Michael (7 March 2022). "Ireland replace Norway in Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup line-up". Inside the Games. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
14. "England Wheelchair 121-0 Ireland Wheelchair". RLWC2021. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
15. "Rugby League World Cup 2021: Official wheelchair squads". NRL.com. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
16. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2016". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
17. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2016". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
18. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2017". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
19. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2017". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
20. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2018". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
21. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2018". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
22. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2019". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
23. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2019". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
24. "The Wheelchair Rugby League Celtic Cup returns to Scotland". Scotland Rugby League. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
25. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2021". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
26. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2021". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
27. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2022". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
28. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2022". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
29. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2023". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
30. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2023". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
31. "Ireland 34–34 England". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
32. "Wales 44–4 Ireland". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
33. "Ireland 14–8 Scotland". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
34. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2014". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
35. "Scotland 28–52 Ireland". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
36. "Wheelchair Fixtures: 2015". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
37. "Ireland 48–80 France". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
38. "Ireland 16–66 England". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
39. "IRE Wheelchair 58v58 SCOT Wheelchair". Scotland Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
40. "Spain 55–32 Ireland". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
41. "Australia 76–18 Ireland". European Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2022.