Rugby

 

 

Some of the disabilities that participate in this sport are:

 

• Amputees
• Dwarf
• Hearing Impairment
• Learning Disabilities
• Cerebral Palsy
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Spina bifida
• Full use of their upper limbs
• A disability affecting all four limbs
• Limited mobility in their lower limbs

 

The sport of rugby has various adaptations of the game to enable a variety of disabilities to participate.

 

The RFU do occasionally organise sessions of Tag Rugby for those with Learning Disabilities.

 

There are two wheelchair adaptations of the game:

 

Wheelchair Rugby

This is the version, which is a Paralympic Sport and was initially created for people who had broken their necks. However as the sport has developed it is now open to anyone with a four limb impairment that can push a manual chair.

 

The sport is very different than traditional rugby with the main differences being it is played on a basketball court, it uses a volleyball, the ball can be passed in any direction you have 40 secs to score from the moment you throw the ball into play and there are no scrums or line outs. The only real similarity is that you are allowed full contact with the chairs, however not with each other.

 

Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby

Are you up for a challenge? Fancy a nail-biting, seat-gripping, full contact wheelchair sport? Well...you've come to the right place. Wheelchair rugby's not nicknamed 'murderball' for nothing you know!

It's open to men and women - whatever your age.  If you have upper and lower limb disabilities and a thirst for action, then maybe it's about time you gave wheelchair rugby a shot.

And there are loads of opportunities to play your part on the sidelines too. We need coaches, officials and people who can give us a hand in our clubs across the UK click here to find your local club.

We're always on the lookout for new people - whether it's to play or to give us a helping hand. From players and coaches to mechanics and nursing support, we need more people to help our sport grow.

You can get involved as little or as much as you want - you can volunteer a couple of hours a week, play in our Coloplast League or sponsor GBWR. And in return - on court or on the sidelines - we can promise that you'll be part of an exciting and supportive sporting community which is making a real difference to the lives of its players and the wider disability community.

Visit the home of wheelchair rugby at http://www.gbwr.org.uk

You can also call or email us to find out more.

Contact us by email: involved@gbwr.org.uk

Or call us on: 020 8831 7645"

 

Wheelchair Tag Rugby League

Wheelchair Tag Rugby League is quite unique in that it offers both disabled and non disabled players of both sexes and a wide age range the opportunity to compete both with and against each other on a level playing field created by the use of wheelchairs and some slight adaptations of the rules of Rugby League.

 

The sport is unique in wheelchair sports in that it is faithful to the rules of Rugby League;

 

Five players in each team score tries in exactly the same way as Rugby League.

 

Conversions are scored by punching the ball from a tee over mini-RL posts.

Tackles are made as in tag RL by taking the attached tag or flag.

 

Five tackles are followed by handing over the rugby ball to the opposition.

Offside, knock-on and in touch applies as per Rugby League.

 

This version of the game is generally open to those with less of an impairment than those that play wheelchair rugby.

 

For more information about rugby select one of the links below:

 

Wheelchair Rugby

Wheelchair Tag Rugby League

www.englandrl.co.uk then select England, then England Wheelchair