Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup: 'We'll get better' says Leeds Rhinos and England's James Simpson

England are ready for an assault on the summit of wheelchair rugby league, Leeds Rhinos star James Simpson says.

They go into Sunday’s semi-final against Wales at the English Institute of Sport, in Sheffield, in fine form, having won all three of their games so far in the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup. But Simpson insisted: “We are not at our best yet.”

He said: “We have been building and [coach] Tom Coyd said if the final is Everest, we are only just reaching base camp.

“We are not there yet, we know we have stuff to work on and we don’t want to be peaking yet, we want to be doing that next Friday.

“It is difficult not to have one eye on the final, but we’ve got a semi-final to get through first and Wales have players who will take advantage.”

Wales’ squad includes Leeds’ powerhouse Jodie Boyd-Ward and Simpson warned: “It is knockout rugby and anything can happen.

“Look at what the USA did to Scotland, anything goes. Every Celtic nation wants to beat England, in any sport.

“Wales have absolutely nothing to lose and I feel like they are going to throw absolutely everything at us.

“If we get a good roll on and then start to lose focus and think it’s in the bag, I think that’s where we’ll suffer and they will take their chances and try to get one over on us.”

The tournament has attracted record crowds and next Friday’s final at Manchester Central is already sold out.

“On and off the pitch, it has been amazing,” Simpson said of the competition which has been a huge hit with television viewers.

“Getting into the Copper Box and being on that big stage has been incredible. The reaction we’ve been getting on social media and having so many people seeing the games, for us as players it has been years and years in the shadows and it is suddenly booming.

“We are ready, we want to get stuck into the semi-final, get a few things nailed and hopefully launch into the final next Friday.”

Australia face defending champions France in Sunday’s other semi-final.