Rugby League World Cup: England start wheelchair tournament with victory over Australia

England got their Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup campaign off to the perfect start with a 38-8 win over Australia.

Joe Coyd, Jack Brown and Nathan Collins scored two tries apiece as the hosts laid down an early marker at the Copper Box Arena in London.

England, 2008 winners and two-time beaten finalists, are favourites for the title along with holders France.

Lewis King scored on his World Cup debut while Collins added four goals.

The sport, which describes itself as "rugby league in wheelchairs", follows a lot of the principles of the running game and features a mix of crunching tackles, brilliant ball handling, tough defence, skill, athleticism and speed.

It also prides itself on its inclusivity with disabled and non-disabled players able to play on the same team at all levels while male and female players can also line up together.

• Fixtures, results and BBC coverage times

• Reasons to follow the wheelchair rugby league tournament

• Players to watch

In front of a record crowd for the sport of 3,033, Australia started stronger and moments after Diab Karim had a try disallowed, they forced a goal-line drop out and an error from Rob Hawkins allowed Karim in for the opening score.

England were patient as Australia dictated play and on 19 minutes, Coyd, the brother of coach Tom, got through.

The try, combined with the introduction of Brown, one of two World Cup winners from 2008 still playing for England, gave them a spark and moments later a sweeping move put Coyd in for his second try.

Brown and Seb Bechara then started to exert their influence on the game and with the Wheelaroos also conceding penalties, the momentum was with England.

Although they maintained their dominance with King and Collins adding to the scoring, there is plenty of room for improvement before their next game against Spain on Sunday.

"I think we blew a few cobwebs away out there. They are a special squad, these boys," player of the match Brown told BBC Sport.

"Australia showed some real class out there, but I think the England guys wanted it more.

"After two years of not playing with England, I was a bit worried about being able to gel with the guys but Tom installed confidence in me to trust the process and try to live up to the hype.

"We have never had anything like this at a World Cup before. It is a dream come true and is something really special."

A 'brutal' sport finds an enthusiastic audience

Nathan Collins is playing at his second World Cup for England

Although this is the fourth wheelchair competition, it is the first time that it is part of the Rugby League World Cup main event and those watching the game on BBC Two were impressed with what was on show.

"I've played Rugby League for years and taken some serious knocks. But this is brutal," said Adie Smith on Twitter.

"Turns out wheelchair rugby league is one of the most genuinely entertaining sports I've ever watched," said Elanor Banks while Nathan Mattick described it as "a fantastic advert for disability sport".

"How brilliant that rugby league is leading the way in inclusivity, men's, women's, physical disability and wheelchair World Cup at the same time," added @brayster72. "Not just a little northern sport"

And former Leeds Rhinos star Rob Burrow is another convert.

In the opening match of the eight-team tournament, also in Group A, Theo Gonzalez finished with 25 points as the Spanish defeated Ireland 55-32.

Although Phil Roberts, a World Cup winner with England in 2008, gave the Irish an early lead, the Spanish quickly took control of the match, scoring 30 unanswered points in the first half.

Ireland captain Peter Johnston Jr led his side with four tries and four goals, but the Spanish side ran out comfortable winners.