England staged an incredible comeback to secure a 56-28 victory over Australia in the first Wheelchair Rugby League Ashes Test, with Rob Hawkins scoring a hat-trick and Nathan Collins grabbing two tries.
The world champions were trailing 28-26 on Queensland's Gold Coast before their late rally, sparked by Hawkins' double in the final three minutes. The England captain, who finished with a tally of 20 points, including four conversions to add to his tries, led his team back into contention after an eight-minute lead had been lost.
In contrast, Australia had dominated the early stages, scoring two tries and conceding just one as England struggled to find their footing. Zac Schumacher's doubles in the second half narrowed the deficit before Collins secured the decisive blow with a stunning pass to send Billington down the left flank for a try.
Finlay O'Neill then marked his Test debut with an England try, while Seb Bechara and Hawkins added further scores in a remarkable 23-minute turnaround that transformed the match in England's favour. The hosts had led 16-0 inside the first eight minutes before Australia fought back to level the score at 28-28.
England's win marked a significant milestone for wheelchair rugby league, with the sport continuing to grow in popularity and participation worldwide. The teams will meet again on Sunday for the second and final Test.
The world champions were trailing 28-26 on Queensland's Gold Coast before their late rally, sparked by Hawkins' double in the final three minutes. The England captain, who finished with a tally of 20 points, including four conversions to add to his tries, led his team back into contention after an eight-minute lead had been lost.
In contrast, Australia had dominated the early stages, scoring two tries and conceding just one as England struggled to find their footing. Zac Schumacher's doubles in the second half narrowed the deficit before Collins secured the decisive blow with a stunning pass to send Billington down the left flank for a try.
Finlay O'Neill then marked his Test debut with an England try, while Seb Bechara and Hawkins added further scores in a remarkable 23-minute turnaround that transformed the match in England's favour. The hosts had led 16-0 inside the first eight minutes before Australia fought back to level the score at 28-28.
England's win marked a significant milestone for wheelchair rugby league, with the sport continuing to grow in popularity and participation worldwide. The teams will meet again on Sunday for the second and final Test.
!! i mean i was like totally rooting for england they had me on the edge of my seat when australia was ahead 28-26 i was so worried they were gonna lose but then rob hawkins came in and scored those hat-tricks 
nathan collins too was AMAZING how he got that try with that insane pass to billington 
i'm still trying to process everything what a comeback! i also love that finlay o'neill made his test debut like wow so much excitement 
just watched that Wheelchair Rugby League Ashes Test match between England & Australia and I'm totally blown away by England's comeback! 
Rob Hawkins is a GENIUS 
, scored a hat-trick in the last 3 minutes alone! 
How did they keep calm under pressure like that? 
Nathan Collins' try at the end was CRAZY 
Now I'm hyped for the second Test match on Sunday 
, gotta see if Australia can bounce back! 
. That hat-trick for Hawkins is gonna go down as one of the most memorable moments in Wheelchair Rugby League history 
. Australia was giving them some serious grief at first, but England dug deep and came out on top 
. Can't wait to see what Sunday's match brings! 
. rob hawkins is a total game changer, scoring that hat-trick and leading his team to victory 
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That pass was so precise, I would've been so nervous if I were on the opposing team.
. This is a huge win for wheelchair rugby league, it's amazing to see it growing and people taking notice.
can't believe they made the game take 23 minutes to "unwind". I mean, I get that it's a high-intensity sport and all, but still... 
also, what's with the lack of defensive coverage for those tries?! Australia was getting burned left and right 
. And don't even get me started on the conversions... Rob Hawkins is a great player and all, but 4 conversions in a game? That's just excessive 
rob hawkins is a beast 
nathan collins scored two tries too 
the team from england led 16-0 at first but then they rallied and turned the game around 
. It's such an inspiring sport for people with disabilities, and it's awesome to see more teams participating 
. Can't wait to see how the rest of this Ashes series goes – England on fire! 
️ is this a thing where you use wheelchairs or what? 
i wanna watch more of it but can't find any vids online lol
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. australia had them on the ropes, but england's squad showed some serious grit and determination 
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it's not every day you see a team turn the tables like that 
can't wait to see what sunday brings 
And that hat-trick was insane! Nathan Collins grabbing two tries and sending Billington down the flank for that try... talk about a highlight reel moment! 
they really brought their A game (or should i say wheelchairs?) and now we get to see them take on australia again this sunday