Adam Rigby

{{Short description|English wheelchair rugby league player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use British English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox rugby league biography | name = Adam Rigby | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | fullname = | birth_date = July 1992 | birth_place = [[England]] | death_date =  | death_place = | height =  | weight =  | position = | club1 = [[Wigan Warriors Wheelchair|Wigan]] | year1start = | year1end = present | appearances1 = | tries1 = | goals1 = | fieldgoals1 = | points1 = | teamA = [[England national wheelchair rugby league team|England]] | yearAstart = 2007 | yearAend = 2025 | appearancesA = | triesA = | goalsA = | fieldgoalsA = | pointsA = | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|[[Wheelchair rugby league]]}} {{Medal|Country|{{ENG}}}} {{Medal|Competition|[[Rugby League World Cup|World Cup]]}} {{Medal|Gold|[[2008 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2008 Australia]]|}} {{Medal|Silver|[[2013 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2013 England]]|}} {{Medal|Gold|[[2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2021 England]]|}} }}

'''Adam Rigby''' is an English [[wheelchair rugby league]] player and referee who plays for [[Wigan Warriors Wheelchair|Wigan Warriors]] in the [[RFL Wheelchair Super League]]. He is a former [[England national wheelchair rugby league team|England]] international, having retired internationally in May 2025.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/63788/coyd-pays-tribute-to-retiring-rigby | title=Coyd pays tribute to retiring Rigby }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2025/05/15/adam-rigby-to-retire-from-international-rugby-league/ | title=Adam Rigby to retire from International Rugby League }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby-league/wigans-adam-rigby-honoured-and-privileged-after-being-named-england-wheelchair-captain-4875618 | title=Wigan's Adam Rigby 'honoured and privileged' after being named England Wheelchair captain | date=20 November 2024 }}</ref>

==Background== 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.<ref name="IRLmay25">{{cite web | url=https://www.intrl.sport/article/425/rigby-to-create-officiating-history-at-wheelchair-celtic-cup | title=Rigby to create officiating history at Wheelchair Celtic Cup }}</ref>

==Career== [[File:England wheelchair rugby league team celebrating at Old Trafford.jpg|thumb|right|Rigby (not in view) with the [[England national wheelchair rugby league team]], celebrating their [[2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2021 World Cup]] victory at [[Old Trafford]] in 2022]]

===Club=== Rigby scored for Wigan Warriors in the club's inaugural Grand Final appearance in [[2023 RFL Wheelchair Super League|2023]], defeating [[Leeds Rhinos Wheelchair|Leeds Rhinos]] 50–42 to win the club's first title.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/67118747 | title=Wheelchair Super League Grand Final: Wigan Warriors beat Leeds Rhinos in thrilling final | work=BBC Sport | date=15 October 2023 }}</ref> The following year he scored two tries in the [[Wheelchair Challenge Cup|Challenge Cup]] Final, a 81–18 defeat to [[Catalans Dragons Wheelchair|Catalans Dragons]] in 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/clwwnj47xlro | title=Wheelchair Challenge Cup final: Catalans Dragons 81-18 Wigan Warriors | date=June 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/06/01/warriors-beaten-in-wheelchair-challenge-cup-final/ | title=Warriors beaten in Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final | date=June 2024 }}</ref>

===International=== Rigby made his [[England national wheelchair rugby league team|England]] debut in 2007 and represent them the following year at the inaugural [[Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup]] in [[2008 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2008]]. England reached the final, beating [[Australia national wheelchair rugby league team|Australia]] 44–12 in the final, finishing the tournament as champions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rlef.eu.com/news.php?id=979|title=Rugby League Europe Federation|date=28 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228102154/http://www.rlef.eu.com/news.php?id=979 |archive-date=28 December 2009 }}</ref> He again represents England at the [[2013 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2013 tournament]]. This saw England finish as runners-up, losing to [[France national wheelchair rugby league team|France]] in the final.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://europeanrugbyleague.com/fixtures/508 | title=England 40 v 42 France }}</ref> Rigby missed the 2017, but returned for [[2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2021]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/09/19/rugby-league-world-cup-2021-official-wheelchair-squads/|title=Rugby League World Cup 2021: Official wheelchair squads|date=3 October 2022|website=National Rugby League}}</ref> Rigby played throughout the tournament,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby-league/rugby-league-world-cup-england-wheelchairs-adam-rigby-hopes-the-tournament-will-help-the-sport-progress-3914055 | title=England's Adam Rigby hopes the World Cup will help the wheelchair game progress as he looks ahead to the semi-finals | date=11 November 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby-league/wheelchair-rugby-league-world-cup-adam-rigby-hopes-for-a-growth-in-participation-as-england-prepare-for-final-with-france-3919482 | title=England's Adam Rigby discusses how he started playing wheelchair rugby league as he hopes for a growth in participation | date=16 November 2022 }}</ref> but did not feature in the [[2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup final|final]] which saw England reclaimed the World title, beating [[France national wheelchair rugby league team|France]] 28–24.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63684590|title=Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup final: Tom Halliwell late try secures trophy for England|work=BBC Sport |date=18 November 2022}}</ref> In November 2024, Rigby was made captain for what would be his final game before international retirement, a 58–28 victory over [[Spain national wheelchair rugby league team|Spain]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/63286/england-wheelchair-squads-announced-to-play-france-&-spain | title=England Wheelchair squads announced to play France & Spain }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby-league/wigan-warriors-star-to-captain-england-wheelchair-for-international-clash-4871828 | title='He is richly deserving of the honour of captaining his country' - Wigan star to lead England Wheelchair against Spain | date=18 November 2024 }}</ref>

===Officiating=== Rigby began officiating championship wheelchair rugby league games throughout 2024 before his international retirement in 2025. Shortly after his international retirement, Rigby was appointed as one of four match officials for the 2025 [[Celtic Cup (wheelchair rugby league)|Celtic Cup]], becoming the first full time wheelchair user to referee a senior international game.<ref name="IRLmay25" />

==Honours==

===Wigan=== *'''[[RFL Wheelchair Super League|Super League]]:''' **'''Champions (1):''' [[2023 RFL Wheelchair Super League|2023]] *'''[[Wheelchair Challenge Cup|Challenge Cup]]:''' **'''Runner-up (1):''' 2024

===England=== *'''[[Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|World Cup]]:''' **'''Champions (2): ''' [[2008 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2008]], [[2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2021]] **'''Runner-up (1): ''' [[2013 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup|2013]]

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rigby, Adam}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1992 births]] [[Category:English rugby league players]] [[Category:Wheelchair rugby league players]] [[Category:21st-century English sportsmen]]