Adam Rigby
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| Born | July 1992 England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Adam Rigby is an English wheelchair rugby league player and referee who plays for Wigan Warriors in the RFL Wheelchair Super League. He is a former England international, having retired internationally in May 2025.[1][2][3]
Background
[edit]Adam Rigby is a disabled wheelchair rugby league player who was born with hereditary spastic paraplegia affecting joint mobility in his hips, knees, and ankles. As such he is a full time wheelchair user.[4]
Career
[edit]
Club
[edit]Rigby scored for Wigan in the club's inaugural Grand Final appearance in 2023, defeating Leeds Rhinos 50–42 to win the club's first title.[5] The following year he score two tries in his first Challenge Cup Final, a 81–18 defeat to Catalans Dragons in 2024.[6][7]
International
[edit]Rigby made his England debut in 2007 and represent them the following year at the inaugural Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in 2008. England reached the final, beating Australia 44–12 in the final, finishing the tournament as champions.[8] He again represents England at the 2013 tournament. This saw England finish as runners-up, losing to France in the final.[9] Rigby missed the 2017, but returned for 2021.[10] Rigby played throughout the tournament,[11][12] but did not feature in the final which saw England reclaimed the World title, beating France 28–24.[13] In November 2024, Rigby was made captain for what would be his final game before international retirement, a 58–28 victory over Spain.[14][15]
Officiating
[edit]Rigby began officiating low level reserve wheelchair rugby league games during his a few seasons before his international retirement, though persued referring senior games following his final international match. The day after his international retirement, Rigby was appointed as one of four match officials for the 2025 Celtic Cup, becoming the first wheelchair bound person to referee a senior international.[4]
Honours
[edit]Wigan
[edit]- Super League:
- Champions (1): 2023
- Challenge Cup:
- Runner-up (1): 2024
England
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Coyd pays tribute to retiring Rigby".
- ^ "Adam Rigby to retire from International Rugby League".
- ^ "Wigan's Adam Rigby 'honoured and privileged' after being named England Wheelchair captain". 20 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Rigby to create officiating history at Wheelchair Celtic Cup".
- ^ "Wheelchair Super League Grand Final: Wigan Warriors beat Leeds Rhinos in thrilling final". BBC Sport. 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Wheelchair Challenge Cup final: Catalans Dragons 81-18 Wigan Warriors". June 2024.
- ^ "Warriors beaten in Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". June 2024.
- ^ "Rugby League Europe Federation". 28 December 2009. Archived from the original on 28 December 2009.
- ^ "England 40 v 42 France".
- ^ "Rugby League World Cup 2021: Official wheelchair squads". National Rugby League. 3 October 2022.
- ^ "England's Adam Rigby hopes the World Cup will help the wheelchair game progress as he looks ahead to the semi-finals". 11 November 2022.
- ^ "England's Adam Rigby discusses how he started playing wheelchair rugby league as he hopes for a growth in participation". 16 November 2022.
- ^ "Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup final: Tom Halliwell late try secures trophy for England". BBC Sport. 18 November 2022.
- ^ "England Wheelchair squads announced to play France & Spain".
- ^ "'He is richly deserving of the honour of captaining his country' - Wigan star to lead England Wheelchair against Spain". 18 November 2024.