Wheelchair Rugby League Ashes: England fight back to win first Test

Rob Hawkins scored a hat-trick as England fought back with five unanswered tries in the final 23 minutes to beat Australia in the first Wheelchair Rugby League Ashes Test.

The world champions trailed 28-26 on Queensland’s Gold Coast before their late rally – with Halifax Panthers’ Hawkins scoring twice in the final three minutes.

Hawkins, the reigning international wheelchair player of the year, finished with a tally of 20 points, landing four conversions to add to his tries.

England had led 16-0 inside the first eight minutes, with Leeds Rhinos pivot Nathan Collins grabbing the opener from close range before London Roosters’ Wheels of Steel winner Joe Coyd surged through for the second, and Hawkins produced a burst of speed to add the third.

But Zac Schumacher responded for Australia, and after captain Lewis King had restored England’s 16-point lead by touching down in the corner from a fine Collins pass, Dan Anstey then added a second for the hosts.

Schumacher scored again just after half-time to trim England’s lead to 22-18, and although Collins nudged the tourists clear once more, they soon trailed – with Anstey’s second followed by a brilliant long-range try from Corey Cannane.

But England found the response they needed as Collins produced a fine pass to send London Roosters wing Mason Billington clear down the left to score, and landed his fourth conversion of the day to take his personal total to 16 points.

Then Finlay O’Neill marked his Test debut with an England try following a brilliant piece of play from his Halifax Panthers club-mate Jack Brown.

Seb Bechara then surged clear down the right for England’s eighth try, before Hawkins’ double took England past 50 points.

The teams meet again on the Gold Coast for the second and final Test on Sunday (05:00 GMT).