England will defend their Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup title against France in Wollongong on Friday, with a family at the heart of the team chasing a second successive crown. Head coach Tom Coyd and his younger brother Joe, one of England's leading players, are aiming to repeat the triumph they shared in Manchester four years ago. The final kicks off at 08:45 GMT on Friday at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Australia. It is the fourth World Cup final in a row between England and France, and England's fifth successive appearance in the final, the latest chapter in a rivalry that has produced three tight finishes. ## A family affair in Wollongong Tom Coyd has been in charge of England for six years, and coaching his younger brother is something he describes as both the hardest and most rewarding part of the job. Joe Coyd, a star winger, scored 12 tries on the way to England's last tournament success in 2022, and he has been central again in Australia. "Coaching my brother is the hardest thing I've ever done from a work perspective," Tom said. "But it's also the most rewarding." His brother agrees. "Having my brother and my dad alongside me sort of just sort of nudges it on a bit further," Joe said. "I know I'm in a very lucky and privileged place to be able to do the things that we get to do alongside my family." The family connection does not stop there. Their father, Martin Coyd OBE, is the general manager of the wheelchair side, and he has been in camp with the squad in Australia. As well as his duties as a Rugby Football League board member, he has been repairing wheelchair parts and getting his hands dirty in preparation, something his sons say sets the standard for the whole group. ## Record semi-final win over Australia England reached the final in emphatic style, beating hosts Australia 86-18 in Tuesday's semi-final in Wollongong. The game was all but over by half-time, with England leading 40-6, and the final score was a record points total for England against their Australian rivals. Rob Hawkins scored five tries in a 30-point performance, while Mason Billington claimed a hat-trick and was named player of the match. Joe Coyd also crossed, putting England 30-0 ahead after 24 minutes, and further tries came from Jack Brown, Nathan Collins, Chris Haynes and captain Lewis King. France booked their place in the final by beating Ireland 82-26 in the other semi-final. England's route to the final has been emphatic throughout the tournament. They opened with a 98-18 win over Wales on 30 October, then beat the United States 134-0 on 3 November and Ireland 68-32 on 6 November, before the semi-final win over Australia. ## France stand in the way of history A second successive World Cup win would be a landmark for England, and it is a feat only France have managed before. England beat France 28-24 in the last World Cup final in Manchester in 2022, but France have won two of the last three meetings since then, including a 32-28 win to retain the Fassolette-Kielty trophy in November 2024. Tom Coyd expects another game decided by fine margins. "That's World Cup and Test match football, isn't it - and France have been, you know, one of the leaders of the game internationally since it began," he said. "It's knockout sport, isn't it? Anything can happen on the day." Captain Lewis King struck a similar note after the semi-final, as reported by [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/13610543/rugby-league-world-cup-england-wheelchair-score-record-points-total-against-home-nation-australia-to-reach-final). "When we meet France, it is always down to the finer details and margins, so I won't be thinking about France, we will be focused on us," he said. England are the defending champions, but they know France have the pedigree and the recent results to make Friday a genuine contest. For the Coyd family, and for the whole England squad, the prize is a place in the history of the sport, and a second world title in a row. The full preview is on [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/13610977/wheelchair-rugby-league-world-cup-tom-and-joe-coyd-looking-to-take-england-to-successive-world-cup-titles-as-france-await-in-final).