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England vs Ireland Wheelchair World Cup: brothers Jack Brown and Joe Calcott face off for top spot

Brothers and Halifax teammates Jack Brown and Joe Calcott meet as England and Ireland contest top spot in their Wheelchair World Cup group.

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Jack Brown playing for England in wheelchair rugby league

Brothers Jack Brown and Joe Calcott will put their Halifax Panthers partnership aside when England face Ireland for top spot in their Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group on Friday.

Both countries have already secured semi-final places after beating Wales and the USA. Their meeting in Wollongong will decide who finishes first, with an added family rivalry for two club teammates.

Brown and Calcott prepare for England vs Ireland

Brown, who represents England, expects a competitive encounter with his brother.

“I get to have a slog against my brother, but I think he’s going to be putting a target on my back,” he told the Rugby Football League.

Calcott acknowledged the difficulty of facing England but pointed to Ireland’s improvement over recent seasons. For Friday’s match, the brothers will be opponents before returning to the same side at club level.

Coyd wants England to keep improving

England enter the match after beating the USA 134–0 to book their semi-final place.

Head coach Tom Coyd was encouraged by how his team played, rather than simply the size of the winning margin. All ten squad members have now appeared and scored during England’s opening two matches, giving him competition for places ahead of the knockout stage.

Finlay O’Neill was named player of the match against the USA after scoring two tries and landing 15 of his 16 conversion attempts. Coyd praised his control of the team despite his limited international experience.

In his post-match assessment, Coyd said England would need their strongest performance of the tournament against Ireland. Securing qualification has left the group winners’ position still to be settled.

England vs Ireland Wheelchair: kick-off time and how to watch

The match takes place at WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong on Friday 6 November. Kick-off is at 6am GMT, which is 5pm local time.

UK viewers can watch live on Premier Sports. The RFL match centre and the international fixture listing confirm the 6am UK start.

MatchEngland vs Ireland
CompetitionWheelchair Rugby League World Cup, group stage
DateFriday 6 November 2026
VenueWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
UK kick-off6am GMT
UK broadcasterPremier Sports
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