ENGLAND have won the World Cup.

Their Physical Disability Rugby League side won the inaugural tournament on Sunday night, beating New Zealand 40-12 in the final at Warrington Wolves’ Halliwell Jones Stadium.

One of their youngest squad members was 19-year-old Harvey Redmonds, who is from Bingley and plays for Leeds Rhinos PDRL.

He had a stroke when he was born, before being diagnosed with cerebral palsy down his left side at the age of two.

Redmonds did not think top-level sport was a serious option for him until he got involved with Rhinos, and he admitted his experiences there and at the World Cup have been life-changing.

The teenager told the T&A: “It’s the pinnacle of my career winning this World Cup, as it would be for anyone.

“This tournament will spread the word that you can play rugby league with a disability, and will open doors for so many people.

“It was so huge for me, and for my family to share in the moment.”

An emotional Redmonds said: “If it wasn’t for PDRL, I don’t know where I’d be at mentally.

“I struggled with that during Covid, but the PDRL lads at Leeds took me in and made me feel welcome.

“I’ve had so many messages since Sunday, people telling me they’d had a rubbish month but seeing us win the World Cup made their October, things like that, and that means a lot to me.

“I’m in a really good place right now and I honestly feel on top of the world.”

He was joined in the England camp by some familiar faces, including his England captain and Leeds team-mate Scott Gobin.

Former Beckfoot School pupil Redmonds said: “There were seven of us from Rhinos in the England squad.

“It felt massive to be there with them, and I got emotional last Tuesday, just because the whole experience was so overwhelming for me.

“I couldn’t have asked for more from Scott, because he put his arm around me and just told me I fully deserved to be part of it all.

“And to make four appearances at the tournament, to score a try, and to captain my country for 10 minutes of the final while Scott was off the field, I couldn’t have asked for much more.”

Still only 19, Redmonds hopes his international career goes on for many years to come as well.

He said: “I hope the talent pool in PDRL continues to grow, and I certainly think it’s only going one way, which is in the right direction.

“On a personal level, I hope to play in the next three or four PDRL World Cups at least, as I’ll always want to help out my country.”

Captain Gobin, born with no lower right arm, scored two tries in the showpiece, and the Drighlington ARLFC and Rhinos PDRL star told the T&A what it was like to skipper England to World Cup glory.

He said: “It was a fantastic experience on Sunday, really amazing.

“I think overall it was a pretty good tournament, with it being the first PDRL one ever, though there was the odd teething problem.

“The biggest was the group game between Wales and New Zealand, when the result had to be reversed in favour of New Zealand, even though Wales won 28-26.

“The game is 11-a-side, and the players are classified as A, B and C, with A being the most mobile and physically strong, by the socks they wear.

“You need to have 3As, 5Bs and 3Cs on the pitch at any one time, and a couple of Welsh lads had the wrong socks on, so they had to forfeit the game.

“It was a round-robin group, with us three and Australia, with all of those games held at Victoria Park in Warrington.

“Wales and Australia had their third-place play-off there too, but us and New Zealand got to play the final at Warrington’s actual Super League stadium, The Halliwell Jones.

“The group games were played during the week, and we just expected friends and family to turn up and watch, but the stand was always full, which was great.”

Discussing balancing playing able-bodied rugby league with Bradford-based Drighlington and PDRL with Leeds, 30-year-old Gobin admitted: “I only got to play a couple of games for Drig last season because I was so focused on this World Cup.

“Because I’ve played able-bodied rugby league since I was five, and have been at Drig for years, everyone just accepts me, so it doesn’t feel weird having my disability when the others don’t.

“I imagine it might be more difficult for a disabled player who isn’t used to that coming into the able-bodied game though.”

England’s PDRL World Cup success was masterminded by ex-Hull and Hull Kingston Rovers player, and former England international, Shaun Briscoe.

Gobin said: “Shaun has been fantastic for us, and he’s got experience at that top level, having been an England international.

“He knows the sport so well, and approaches tactics in a calm and methodical manner.

“He also talks through things with everyone, and I can’t thank him enough for all he’s done.”