The Wheelchair National Performance Squad has named three rhinos.

The England head coach, Tom Coyd MBE, has named an expanded National Performance Squad ahead of this Saturday’s Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final. This squad consists of three uncapped players from Essex, Kent, and East Yorkshire as well as three members of the Wigan Warriors team, who will play the Catalans Dragons at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. The match will be televised live on BBC Sport at 130pm.

Wigan’s strong start to the season has rewarded Jack Heggie, Martin Lane, and Adam Rigby. This has earned them a spot in the Challenge Cup Final, and on Saturday, June 8, they will be heading to Wembley Stadium for Challenge Cup Finals Day. The following day, June 9, will see the first NPS meeting of 2024 at Medway Park in Kent.

They will be joined by Sebastien Bechara MBE, the Nottingham-born Catalans Dragons stalwart who will be on the opposing side in this Saturday’s Final, and who is one of two members of the NPS based overseas – alongside Jack Brown, the former Halifax Panthers star who now works in North Queensland and plays for the Cowboys.

The three uncapped players are Mason Billington and Jason Owen of London Roosters, and Hull FC’s Tristan Norfolk – who all impressed in last Sunday’s “Future of England” event in York, part of the National Development Programme which is aiming to increase the depth of talent available to Coyd, and to uncover future stars.

Tom Coyd said: “Due to the growing depth of talent in our sport the National Performance Squad (NPS) for 2024 has been the toughest selection so far in my tenure as coach of England Wheelchair. 

“With Test matches set to be announced for this autumn but also a World Cup looming in 2026, our objective was to name a squad with plenty of big game experience and also a mix of exciting potential. 

“Our focus during this first phase of the season has been with the National Development Programme, involving multiple development days with a group of players who did not play for England in 2023 but who showed great promise for the future. The NDP culminated last Sunday in York with ‘The Future of England’ exhibition match, where 16 players competed in Test Match conditions in front of a capacity crowd to prove their character and ability under intense pressure. 

“I am delighted that we have been able to select seven players from the NDP, of whom three are potential England debutants in Mason Billington, Tristan Norfolk and Jason Owen. Mason has only recently discovered the sport thanks to the establishment of Brentwood Eels’ Wheelchair team, while Jason was the stand-out player in The Future of England match. 

“Making a return to the NPS are four experienced players who have previously represented England in major tournament finals – Jack Heggie, Martin Lane and Adam Rigby, who have been integral to the outstanding form of Challenge Cup finalists Wigan Warriors, as well as Nathan Holmes from Halifax Panthers. 

“The nine players who represented England in 2023 also re-earn selection to the NPS for this season, through strong form for their respective clubs in the Challenge Cup and preseason matches.

“The first NPS session will take place on Sunday 9 June at Medway Park, the day following the Women’s and Men’s Challenge Cup finals. We are very excited to get going with this fresh squad as we continue to build towards the autumn Test matches and beyond. We will also continue to monitor all England-eligible players who may present themselves in the Super League and Championship as the 2024 season gets underway in the coming weeks.”

Seb Bechara MBE                        Catalans Dragons

Mason Billington                          London Roosters

Wayne Boardman                        Halifax Panthers

Jack Brown                                    North Queensland Cowboys

Josh Butler                                     Leeds Rhinos

Nathan Collins                             Leeds Rhinos

Joe Coyd                                         London Roosters

Tom Halliwell OBE                       Leeds Rhinos

Rob Hawkins                                 Halifax Panthers

Jack Heggie                                   Wigan Warriors

Nathan Holmes                            Halifax Panthers

Lewis King                                      London Roosters

Martin Lane                                   Wigan Warriors

Tristan Norfolk                              Hull FC

Jason Owen                                   London Roosters

Adam Rigby                                   Wigan Warriors

Head Coach                                  Tom Coyd MBE

The 2024 Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final, which will pit the defending champion Catalans Dragons against the first-time finalists Wigan Warriors, will be live on BBC Sport on Saturday, June 8 at 130 p.m.