Jack Brown

Jack Brown is an English wheelchair rugby league player born in Halifax, West Yorkshire. He currently plays for Halifax Panthers in the RFL Wheelchair Super League and the England national wheelchair rugby league team.

Background Jack Brown is an able-bodied wheelchair rugby league player. He was introduced to the sport by his younger brother Harry who began playing aged 11 after losing both his legs to meningitis. He would end up playing multiple club and international games with his brother. Brown hated sport as child, and credits his brother for his career stating "all the amazing things I’ve got to do in rugby, and some in basketball myself – it’s all down to Harry." Brown won the inaugural 2019 Super League title with Halifax. Later that year, he won the inaugural IRL Wheelchair Golden Boot in 2019. In 2020, he moved to Townsville. For the 2025 season, Brown returned home to Halifax Panthers, In June 2025, Halifax won the Challenge Cup with Brown named as player of the match in the final. Halifax's season continued to deliver with the team winning the League Leaders Shield and Super League Grand Final to complete the treble. Brown scored two tries in the final.

International Jack Brown represented England 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. He again represents England at the 2013 tournament. This saw England finish as runners-up, losing to France in the final, with Brown scoring once in the 2013 final. His first tournament as captain ended the same as 2013, again losing to France in the final. Brown scored a hat-trick in the 2017 final and finished the tournament as the top try-scorer with 15 tries in total. Brown lost his captaincy for the 2021 tournament to Tom Halliwell. Despite this, Brown has an outstanding tournament. He scored eight tries in England's semi-final in a 125–22 victory against Wales. In the final, England reclaimed the World title, with Brown scoring twice, beating France 28–24. Brown made team of the tournament and, with France's Mostefa Abbasi, was the joint top try-scorer with 17 tries. In 2023, Brown played in England's double header against France, losing the home leg but winning away having also scored in the second game. Brown returned to a leadership position with the England squad ahead of the 2025 Wheelchair Ashes, being awarded the vice-captaincy.

Coaching While in Australia, Brown was part of the Queensland state team coaching set up, and aided them in four back to back victories in the Wheelchair State Challenge between 2021 and 2024.

Personal life Brown worked as a welder for a mining company while in Australia.

Honours

Halifax Super League (and predecessor tournaments): Champions (4): 2015, 2016, 2019 Challenge Cup: Champions (5): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2025

England World Cup: Champions (2): 2008, 2021 Runner-up (2): 2013, 2017

Individual IRL Wheelchair Golden Boot Winners (1): 2019