The official competition draw for the 2023 WWR European Championship will be held at the iconic location of Cardiff Castle at 5.30pm, Monday 12 December, before tickets go on sale on Tuesday 13 December. Held on Welsh soil for the first time, the Principality Stadium – home of Welsh rugby – will play host to the championship from 3-7 May 2023. The Championship is supported with UK Sport investment from The National Lottery and by various partners including WWR, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, Welsh Rugby Union and the Welsh Government. As one of Wales’s leading heritage attractions, Cardiff Castle will provide a spectacular backdrop for the draw that determines which teams will go head-to-head in the opening pool stages of the tournament.
Performing the official draw for the event in the Cardiff Castle will be Richard Allcroft, World Wheelchair Rugby President and a special guest. Also in attendance will be Great Britain’s Stuart Robinson MBE and Great Britain Head Coach Paul Shaw MBE, as well as Justin Frishberg, representing the French team as current defending European champions and Jane Hutt, Welsh Minister for Social Justice. Players from local wheelchair rugby clubs will also act as flagbearers for each of the eight countries competing at the event; Great Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Israel and Czech Republic.
The format of the draw will consist of the eight competing nations being drawn into two pools. Nations will be paired based on their world rankings, with the lowest ranked pair being drawn first into separate pools. This continues until the final pair, when host nation Great Britain, represented by GB Head Coach Paul Shaw, selects the pool they wish to join.
Following the draw, on Tuesday 13 December tickets for the event will go on sale, with email subscribers enjoying an early bird offer of 10% off ticket prices.
Speaking ahead of the draw, Event Director Chris Walker commented: “We’re delighted that Cardiff Castle is the venue to host the official competition draw for our event. As an instantly recognisable Welsh location with over 2000 years of history, it is fitting that we start our European Championship story here before heading to the Principality Stadium next May, an equally iconic location that we feel privileged to bring wheelchair rugby to.
“We really hope that this is just the start – that rugby-loving Welsh fans will really get behind this spectacular sport for what is set to be an incredible event held for the first time in Wales.”
Jane Hutt, Minister for Social Justice, added: “It is fantastic that the 2023 WWR European Championship will be held in Wales and the official draw brings us one step closer to the showpiece event.
“We have given our full backing to this tournament and wish it the best of success. Fans will be in for a treat when the action starts and we hope it encourages many to take up the sport.”
Richard Allcroft said: “I’m looking forward to wheelchair rugby coming to Wales in May 2023. Wales has a strong history with rugby and I’m confident that we will be welcomed to Cardiff by the Welsh people.
“If you haven’t seen Paralympic wheelchair rugby being played before, you are in for a treat. It’s a competitive and full contact sport and the best athletes in Europe will treat you to a great show; what a great opportunity to see the sport showcased in the national stadium of Wales.”
The competition draw will be live streamed via the Channel 4 YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQkwXtAdFsA.
Further information on tickets, which go on sale Tuesday 13 December, can be found here: https://wreuro23.com/tickets/.
Find out more about the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship here: https://wreuro23.com/.