What sort of a game could win the nickname “murderball”? The answer is that it’s one that matches the speed of rugby with the finesse of pinpoint wheelchair control – and it’s playing this month in the Copper Box at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The Great British Wheelchair Rugby team is set to take on the world at the BT World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge. Team GB go into the competition having recently won gold medals at Prince Harry’s Invictus Games tournament.
Wheelchair rugby is also known as murderball as it is high-impact, fast-paced, tactical and furious! Wheelchair Rugby was one of the hot tickets for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and the BT World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge is set to bring back the passion, skill and energy of London 2012 to the Olympic Park.
Team GB will take on the top teams from across the world – gold medallists Australia, silver medallists Canada and bronze medallists USA alongside New Zealand; South Africa; Japan and France.
David Pond, Chief Executive Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby commented, “Our aim is to provide the GB team with an opportunity to play the best in the world a year out from Rio as well as provide a world class event for the public and the many Rugby World Cup visitors to England. Alongside the event we will be teaming up with London partners to host a community festival on Sunday, 11th October which we hope will attract anyone interested in having fun in a chair.”
Suzi Williams, BT Group Marketing and Brand Director, said: “Disability sport doesn’t just inspire us all to be the best we can be, it’s also about world class athletes and competition at the highest level. That’s why I couldn’t be more delighted with our new partnership with Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby. We’re looking forward to working with GBWR, creating more possibilities than ever before for people to engage with, be inspired by, and have a go at the sport.”
Competing nations have been divided into two groups and will battle it out for top position in each group before the play offs on Thursday and a thrilling battle for medals on the Friday.
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GROUP A – USA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA GROUP B – AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE
Monday 12 October – Evening Session USA v Canada GB v France
Tuesday 13 October Day session New Zealand v South Africa Australia v Japan USA v New Zealand Evening session GB v Australia USA v South Africa
Wednesday 14 October Day session Australia v France Canada v South Africa Japan v France Evening session Canada v New Zealand GB v Japan
Thursday 15 October Day session B3 v A4 A3 v B4 Evening session A2 v B1 A1 v B2
Friday 16 October Day session Classification 7th-8th Classification 5th-6th Evening session Bronze medal match Gold medal match
•For more information about Great British Wheelchair Rugbuy, go to: www.gbwr.org.uk
•The BT World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge takes place at the Copper Box Area, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 12-16th October and tickets are on sale now from www.wwrc15.com.
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