FINLAY O’NEILL has reflected on a dream England international debut – just two years after taking up wheelchair rugby league.

The Halifax Panthers star scored a key try as Tom Coyd’s world champions began their two-match Wheelchair Ashes series in Australia with a 56-28 victory on Thursday.

O’Neill initially played rugby league for King Cross Park in Halifax, but after suffering an injury turned to the wheelchair version of the sport in 2023.

A key figure in the Panthers’ 2025 trophy treble, the 20-year-old won the Wheelchair Super League Young Player of the Year award.

His rise continued with a place in the England squad for the Ashes and, after appearing in tour games against New South Wales and Queensland – scoring a try in the latter – he made an impression against Australia.

O’Neill’s 67th-minute score sparked a late flurry in a previously tight contest as England took a 1-0 lead in the series, which concludes on Sunday.

“It was an amazing feeling scoring that try, especially as it was an important one which gave us a two-score lead,” he reflected.

“But everything about the tour has been fantastic. Experiencing Australia, being part of the England squad, getting picked in the Test team, being presented with my England shirt by (former Leeds Rhinos coach) Brian McDermott, singing the national anthem – although that was a bit weird, because the music didn’t work so we had to sing it ourselves!

“That game was definitely a level up on anything I’ve played before. Australia have some great players and we were under pressure when they went ahead in the second half, but the five of us on the pitch got together and talked about how it was down to us to get things right.

“It was a great feeling to come off the pitch at the end knowing we’d done that.”

The second Test, which like the first is being played at Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, kicks off at 6am UK time on Sunday and can be watched at NRL.com.