Wheelchair Rugby League: Luis Domingos, Portuguese basketball player turned English rugby league international

Domingos passed the healthcare course too – and over the next few years, he spent time in Spain with second-tier club Basquetme Ferrol and Servegest Burgos, then followed his friend and mentor Bartolo to Portugal to join BC Gaia, while earning international caps for the country of his birth.

“Spain is the biggest league in the world,” Domingos said. “It’s the NBA for wheelchair basketball.

“I played alongside two of the best players: Mateusz Filipski – known as the Steph Curry of wheelchair basketball. He can shoot from everywhere. He’s a good leader, an amazing human being. And I played alongside Lee Fryer, one of the most exciting young players in England.”

But Domingos wanted to return to England to study, so he began studying business administration at the University of Huddersfield, and is scheduled to graduate next summer.

He maintained his fitness by playing wheelchair basketball for a team in Wakefield, who shared training facilities with the Castleford Wheelchair Championship rugby league team. A friend urged him to sign up with Cas – and things accelerated from there.

In April, he scored the winning try as they beat North Wales Crusaders to win the Wheelchair Challenge Cup, for League Two clubs. In June, he was called up to the 17-man England squad.

Then, in August, he made the bottom 10 to travel to Australia, where he qualified for a call-up on residency grounds. Their domestic season concluded last month when Castleford beat Rochdale in the Wheelchair Championship grand final.

“It’s amazing to be part of the Ashes,” he said. “England is a family. I feel proud to be part of this family.

“I think my experience with Portugal will help me deal with the pressure. I can use some of the things I learned in professional settings to achieve this.

“For now, I’m enjoying this. Everything happens for a reason, and you know, if you try to understand why, it won’t be the case. Whatever happens tomorrow, I’m not sure. I hope it’s something good, but I’m living for today.”