Rob Hawkins, a key player for England's wheelchair rugby league team, has an extraordinary story of resilience. Over a decade ago, he responded to what he thought was an advertisement for wheelchair basketball, but it turned out to be wheelchair rugby league. That serendipitous mistake set him on a path to becoming one of the sport's brightest stars.

A Life-Changing Turn

Before his illness, Hawkins was an active and athletic young man. But at 14, he was struck down by chronic fatigue syndrome, which left him bedbound for 18 months and forced him to miss two years of high school. Simple tasks like going to the toilet required walking frames or family assistance. Yet, Hawkins was determined to find a way back to sport.

"I saw something on television about wheelchair basketball so we tried looking for our local club, and what we thought was Halifax wheelchair basketball," Hawkins told BBC Sport. "When we went to a session it turned out it was wheelchair rugby league instead. I thought I'd give it a try and see what I thought. I jumped into a chair for about 20 minutes before my body probably wouldn't let me continue any more and I just kept wanting to go back and get better."

That initial 20-minute session sparked a passion that has driven him ever since. "When I found out that I could play internationally it kind of drove my competitiveness back out that I didn't have since before the condition," he added.

Rising to the Top

Now 25, Hawkins has become a pivotal figure for England. He was instrumental in their triumph at the 2021 World Cup in Manchester and has since been named International Wheelchair Player of the Year, winning the IRL Golden Boot in 2024 and 2025. He is also the reigning Super League Wheels of Steel winner, awarded to the best player in the competition.

Despite his success, Hawkins still manages the effects of his condition. "There are still times where I just need that extra rest," he said. "There are days where I still go down and I do just rest all day long. The thing that I've just learned over the years is effectively just trying to pace myself as much as I can."

He even finds a silver lining in his struggle: "It feels weird to say - I'm happy I've had this condition because it's taught me and seemed to show me a different aspect of life where I've actually connected with people that I might not have done previously."

World Cup Glory in Sight

Hawkins is now focused on helping England defend their World Cup title. The team has been in imperious form, with victories over Wales (98-18), the USA (134-0), and Ireland (68-32) to top Pool A. They face hosts Australia in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Wollongong (08:45 GMT).

Australia, who finished second in their pool after a loss to France, will provide a stern test, but Hawkins is embracing the challenge. "I'm excited for the pressure," he said. "We know they have been bringing a decent crowd in and that it is going to be a difficult game with the atmosphere and with the team that we're facing, but we also know that we are confident to basically go and do our game and stick to our game plan as well."

The team has a unique motivational tool: a ladder in their team room that they spray paint gold after each win. "We're just taking that one step up the ladder every time - we're just looking forward to facing Australia," Hawkins added.

England are aiming to become the first nation to lift the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup three times. With Hawkins in their ranks, they have every reason to believe.