England Wheelchair scored a record points total against rival Australia to rout their opponents 86-18 and reach their fifth successive Rugby League World Cup final.
The game was all but over at half-time as England held a 40-6 lead, with Rob Hawkins leading the charge for his side with a stunning 30-point performance in his side’s dominant victory.
The win means the defending World Cup champions will face France in the final in Wollongong on Friday, with a chance to claim their third World Cup title.
Joe Coyd got in on the act in the first half
Mason Billington – who picked up Player of the Match – opened the scoring in just the third minute of the contest with a try, before Hawkins added two of his own and back Joe Coyd got in on the act to put England in firm control with a 30-0 lead after just 24 minutes.
Diab Karim eventually got the host nation on the scoresheet with a converted try, but their joy was short-lived after Billington went over twice to seal his hat-trick before half-time.
Interchanges Jack Brown and Nathan Collins scored three tries between them in the opening 10 minutes of the second half before Hawkins struck twice more to put England out of reach.
Karim and Dan Antsey went over for consolations just after the hour mark, but tries from Chris Haynes and the captain Lewis King put the finishing touches on a sensational victory for the two-time World Champions.
‘I’m looking forward to Friday!’
Nathan Collins (r) is congratulated by Billington on his try
England Wheelchair rugby league captain Lewis King:
I don’t want to put a number on it but we are proud of that performance, we were super disciplined in how we wanted to play. We had a game plan and we executed it. I am super proud.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity (to be captain) and I don’t want to take putting this badge on as an opportunity because you don’t know how many times you will get to do it.
“I am excited for the opportunity. The culture of this team is teammates we are like brothers. I am looking forward to Friday.
“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.”