Limerick duo selected for 2026 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup

James McCarthy of Clareview and Maurice Noonan of Ballingarry will represent Ireland at the 2026 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in Australia.

The tournament features a fast, physical and tactical game played on a 40 m × 20 m court with five players per side using sports wheelchairs, and teams may be mixed gender. It is McCarthy’s second World Cup appearance and Noonan’s first.

Ireland, a rapidly developing nation in the sport, currently sit third in the world rankings behind England and France and have secured three consecutive Celtic Cup titles.

Both players recently featured for Munster, winners of the Inter‑provincial Wheelchair Hurling Championship.

In Group A, Ireland will face Wales on 3 November, England on 6 November and the United States, with the opening match at WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, scheduled for Friday at 2 am Irish Time. The other group comprises Australia, France, New Zealand and Scotland, with semi‑finals and finals slated for mid‑November. All fixtures will be broadcast live on Premier Sports.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: Dipak Chettri / Pexels.