Disability History Month in Preston: UCLan lecturer helps lead England wheelchair rugby league team to World Cup win

Dave Banks, who delivers the performance analysis modules on UCLan’s sports coaching degree, showed it is very much of a case of ‘do as I do’, after he used the performance analysis he usually teaches his students to help coach the England wheelchair rugby league team to World Cup victory in November.

The married father of two first started doing performance analysis for the Wigan Warriors in 2000, before working on the international stage with teams from Papua New Guinea and Australia. Dave left the club rugby world to join UCLan in 2020, but just prior to the Covid pandemic, was offered a chance to work with the England wheelchair rugby league team alongside his lecturing.

Dave said: “I knew nothing about disability sport, the equipment, the rules – this was all new to me. But once the Covid restrictions lifted, I could begin my fact-finding mission. And once I attended my first training session with the team – just wow. I was blown away and totally hooked. The bravery and skill of the players is phenomenal; I knew it was something I wanted to be part of.”

It is Dave’s job to capture information about training and matches – looking at what works and what does not from the team’s perspective, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition - and then passing that information to coaches and players, so that they can adapt and improve.

Dave commented: “It’s an incredibly inclusive sport, and watching these players, you’re struck by their ability, not any disability. I suppose the only time it’s ever really hit me is when we were trying to organise a group trip – I was suddenly struck by just how many places and venues are not wheelchair-friendly! It really brought it home to me the things that those with disabilities – seen and unseen – deal with day in, day out. And it gives me even more respect for the incredible attributes they display on the pitch.”

The World Cup was hosted by England, and the team’s campaign for the trophy kicked off with a tense win against Australia. After a series of comfortable victories (against Spain, Ireland, and Wales), they made it through to the final, which was attended by 5000 people – an astounding number compared to the 100 or so who watch club games – where Dave’s team won against France in the final minutes.

Dave said: “The atmosphere was absolutely electric, it was almost overwhelming to see so many people watching. It was everything that the team deserved, and it made their journey to get there worth every second.

“It was such a sweet moment, that win, and I keep pinching myself: but after our celebration planned in the new year, we’ll get straight to planning for the 2025 World Cup! I am really proud to call many of the people on the team my friends now, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve next together.”

Dave has since held a Q&A session for students to share more about the lessons he has learnt over his career, hoping to show that - given wheelchair rugby is still a relatively new sport - performance analysis is a transferable skill that can be applied to a wide range of sports, not just those considered more mainstream.

When asked if the England team will pay UCLan a visit anytime soon, Dave answered: “Perhaps! They did run a training session here earlier in the summer, and I’d love to get more of the team down again to showcase their skills and the sport itself. It feels like we’re really building some momentum now, especially given it’s Disability History Month, so we want to keep that going.”