ENGLAND COMMUNITY LIONS, the holders of the Physical Disability Rugby League World Cup, have announced a 20-player squad as they prepare to defend the trophy in Australia later this year.
It comprises: Steve Bates, Dan Bell, Scott Gobin, Nick Leigh, Tommy Pouncey, Harvey Redmonds, Chris Young, Sam Zeller (all Leeds Rhinos), Corey Davies (Hull FC), Chris Cocks, Nick Kennedy (Castleford Tigers), Connor Lynes (Hull KR), John Clements, Darren Dean, Adam Fleming, Ben Nicholson, Callum Parkinson (Wakefield Trinity), Aaron Atkin, Jamie Barnett (Warrington Wolves), Chris Bibby (Wigan Warriors).
Fundraising, under the banner ‘The Road to Australia’, has been gathering pace for several months and Chris Godfrey, the RFL’s national inclusion manager, said: “The Road to Australia is about so much more than preparing for a World Cup. The journey represents the power of inclusive sport to change lives.
“Our PDRL England Community Lions embody what our sport stands for: resilience, teamwork and opportunity for all and the support from players, volunteers and our wider Rugby League community ensures that every athlete has the chance to compete on the international stage, regardless of background or circumstance.
“We at the RFL are incredibly proud of this squad and the journey they are on, and we encourage everyone to get behind them as they look to defend their title in Australia.
“We are also incredibly proud to continue our partnership with Medequip into 2026 as a valued partner of the PDRL Community Lions and sponsors of the ground-breaking PDRL Origin tournament, the Medequip Cup.
“The support of this partnership plays a pivotal role as the PDRL England Community Lions build towards the 2026 World Cup.
“Medequip’s support, and that of new partners Chadwick Lawrence, is vital in helping us maximise this opportunity and enables us to showcase the sport on the world stage whilst driving long-term impact.
“There are also further opportunities to be part of supporting the team reach their goals and drive further growth in the sport and I would urge all interested to get in touch.”
Castleford Tigers’ Nick Kennedy arguably set the template last June when he launched his own fundraising campaign – ‘TRi/Y for England’ – as, in the RFL’s own words, “an extraordinary endurance challenge”.
The RFL added: “Importantly, the launch of the 2026 Disability Inclusion Strategy brings with it a significant scale of new fundraising opportunities.
“These efforts, underpinning the World Cup journey, reflect the collective commitment across the Rugby League community to ensuring that the chance to represent England on the international stage is accessible to all.
“From contributing to fundraising initiatives, to supporting your local PDRL teams throughout the season, the RFL encourages everyone who can to support the PDRL England Community Lions on their Road to Australia.
“For any enquiries, please contact Chris.Godfrey@rfl.co.uk.”
England won the inaugural 2022 PDRL World Cup by beating New Zealand 42-10 in the final at Warrington. They have remained unbeaten since, including a 40–6 victory over Wales in 2024.