There's the 2025 Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup on Saturday, before the Future of England Match on Sunday!
It’s already been quite a week in Rugby League, with the historic knighthood of Sir Billy Boston following the drama of Betfred Challenge Cup Finals Day.
But for England head coach Tom Coyd MBE and everyone else involved in Wheelchair Rugby League, this is the most significant weekend so far in 2025.
On Saturday at Robin Park in Wigan, Coyd will send out a London Roosters team including his younger brother Joe for their first appearance in the Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final, as they take on a formidable Halifax Panthers team including the current holder of the Golden Boot as the world’s best player, Rob Hawkins, and one of his predecessors, Jack Brown.
Then on Sunday, Coyd will be at the University of York in his England role, as 16 players aiming to earn places on this autumn’s trip to Australia – including five from Halifax and two of his Roosters – take part in the Future of England Match (kick-off 1230pm, free entry).
Coyd and his staff have already selected eight players for the 2025 National Performance Squad – including Brown, Hawkins, Joe Coyd and his Roosters team-mate Lewis King – and none of those eight will be involved in the Future of England Match.
But for Mason Billington and Jason Owen of the Roosters, and the Halifax quintet of Jordan Holt, Nathaniel Wright, Nathan Holmes, Finlay O’Neill and their player coach Wayne Boardman, this is a busy weekend.
The Panthers-Roosters clash means a fresh feel for the 2025 Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final, as it is Halifax’s first Final appearance since the last of their four wins in 2018, and for the Roosters this is the biggest day yet since their formation in 2022.
They will be wearing a new kit to mark the occasion, and have sold 60 supporters T-shirts in their Kent heartland – and in addition to Owen, Billington, Joe Coyd and their captain King, their squad includes Casper Wass from the England Junior Pathway as well as his father Matt, and another England international Freya Levy.
The Panthers include the Ireland internationals Joe Calcott and Tom Martin as well as their host of England stars, as they aim to bounce back from the disappointment of losing the 2024 Betfred Wheelchair Super League Grand Final to Leeds Rhinos.
Tickets for the 2025 Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final at the Robin Park Sports Centre in Wigan are still available for just £11 here.
There will be live coverage on BBC Sport from 2pm.
Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup squads:
London Roosters squad: Lewis King (c), Freya Levy, Joe Coyd, Matt Wass, Casper Wass, Mason Billington, Jason Owen, Jack Linden
Halifax Panthers squad: 1 Wayne Boardman, 11 Jack Brown, 5 Joe Calcott, 2 Rob Hawkins, 6 Nathan Holmes, 8 Jordan Holt, 36 Tom Martin, 14 Finlay O'Neill, 12 Nathaniel Wright
Future of England teams:
Red:
Mason Billington (London Roosters)
Wayne Boardman (Halifax Panthers)
Ewan Clibbens (Leeds Rhinos)
Chris Haynes (Sheffield Eagles)
Jordan Holt (Halifax Panthers)
Tristan Norfolk (Hull FC)
Stephen Reilly (Sheffield Eagles)
Nathaniel Wright (Halifax Panthers)
Green:
Luis Domingos (Castleford Tigers)
Josh Edwards (Hull FC)
Nathan Holmes (Halifax Panthers)
Martin Lane (Sheffield Eagles)
Thomas Oates (Batley Bulldogs)
Finlay O’Neil (Halifax Panthers)
Jason Owen (London Roosters)
Joe Winks-Simmonds (Sheffield Eagles)
