Author: Editor Prime

Day 4 of low point wheelchair rugby at The World Games began bright and early as each nation had its last chance to secure a victory, and for some, a World Games medal. The day started with an exciting matchup between Switzerland and USA – a rematch from the evening before. Switzerland got the tip, but USA’s Joel Rodriguez was the first to score. It was a back-and-forth battle in the first few minutes as teams exchanged goals. Two early turnovers by USA looked to give the advantage to Switzerland, but a standout offensive performance from Joel Rodriguez, Mike DeYoung, Ryan Engelby and Matt Milstead gave USA a 9-6 lead to end the first quarter. Adrian Moser and Christian Hahnel attacked the second quarter with two quick goals, narrowing the American’s lead to one. Switzerland continued to work and wear down the Americans, and the second quarter ended USA 17, Switzerland 16. Switzerland began the second half with possession and was able to get a quick try from Andreas Brandli to tie the match 17 all. USA had a turnover on the following possession allowing Switzerland to take the lead. Switzerland increased their defensive pressure in the full court which flustered the Americans and caused more turnovers. With three minutes to go in the third quarter, momentum began to shift to the Americans. Switzerland had multiple turnovers and a penalty, which allowed USA to tie it up 23 all with 1:15 to go in the third. Switzerland, as usual, remained calm and focused on its passing and recorded key tries from Patrick Gosteli and Andreas Brandli to take a 25-23 lead to end the third. In the fourth, the Swiss defense pinned Joel Rodriguez in the back court to force the other three Americans to handle the ball. This gave Switzerland an advantage, and they maintained their three-point lead. With less than two minutes to go, USA extended its defensive pressure and caused a 12 second violation followed by a quick try to make it a one-point game. Swiss followed up with a final try from Adrian Moser, and they were able to run out the clock and win 34-32.

It was anticipated to be a close bronze medal match with the speed of Canada’s offense against the precision passing and scoring of Germany. Germany got the tip, and Robert Teichmann was the first to score followed quickly by Canadian Patrice Dagenais. Tough full court defensive pressure from Germany caused Canada to call a timeout early. Both sides used their speed to press up in the full court but Germany was still able to connect their passes and make it across the try line. It was try for try and turnover for turnover through the first half of the quarter, but Germany ended with an 11-8 advantage. In the second quarter the German offense began to cross smoothly up court and convert multiple tries for Thomas Schuwje and Teichmann. The German defense locked down the Hirschfield/Dagenais offense and outscored the Canadians 11-6, taking a 22-14 lead into the half. The third began with a new look for the Canadians – Maxime Drolet-Gauthier, Eric Rodrigues, Hirschfield and Dagenais – but Germany stuck with their starting four. Turnovers continued to plague any offensive momentum the Canadians could create, and Germany claimed the victory and bronze medal with a 44-30 win over Canada.

The final match of the tournament saw undefeated Great Britain take on Japan. GB got the tip, and Myles Pearson was off to the races with the first try. Japan started with a slightly different line of Tomoaki Imai, Hidefumi Wakayama, Seiya Norimatsu and Kae Kurahashi. The British applied intense defensive pressure, and Japan struggled to inbound the ball and recorded a turnover before their first try. Nick Cummins was plastered on Seiya Norimatsu throughout each offensive possession which made it difficult for Japan to get in an offensive groove. Defense was the name of this game. Finally, Japan tallied its first try four minutes into the first quarter. Takayuki Norimatsu came in toward the end of the quarter to infuse some offense, but GB’s stifling defense had everyone on lockdown, and the quarter ended with GB up 7-4. Japan came out in the second quarter with a burst of speed and offense from Tomoaki Imai and Hidefumi Wakayama. Meanwhile, Nick Cummins and Myles Pearson continued to put on an offensive clinic and never allowed Japan to catch back up, ending the first half with a 16-11 lead. The third quarter started without the Norimatsu brothers, but Wakayama and Hitoshi Ogawa kept the offense moving. Pearson and Cummins answered every Japanese try with a British score and ended the third up 28-17. Takayuki Norimatsu and Team Japan gave a valiant effort in the fourth quarter to get back in the match, but the dynamic team play from Ryan Cowling, Daniel Kellett, Sam Dickinson and Nick Cummins was too much to overcome, and the match ended with an emphatic 35-23 gold medal win by Great Britain.

Day 4 Results

• Match 1: Switzerland 34, USA 32
• Match 2: Germany 44, Canada 30
• Match 3: Great Britain 35, Japan 23

• Canada 2-4
• Great Britain 6-0
• Germany 4-2
• Japan 4-2
• Switzerland 2-4
• USA 0-6

Day 3 of The World Games low point wheelchair rugby competition began with a North American battle as USA faced Canada. The Americans got the tip, but Canada scored the first three tries from Trevor Hirschfield and Patrice Simard. USA quickly rallied with back-to-back points from Jeremy Hannaford, but Canada’s pressure defense caused turnovers and timeouts to be called by the Americans. Still, the USA stayed in the match with solid halfcourt defense and clutch pass receptions and tries from 0.5 Matt Milstead. The quarter ended with Canada up 10-5. Canada came out into the second with an extra spark of energy. The Canadian duo of Hirschfield and Dagenais got into a rhythm, and Canada went into the half up 22-9. Canada rested Hirschfield in the third which gave USA a burst of offense, busting through Canada’s halfcourt defense and crossing the try line. It was not enough to overtake the Canadians though, and they finished with a 45- 28 victory.

Switzerland took on Germany in match 2 of the day. Both sides came out ready, displaying similar styles of play. Each possession was valuable, and both sides carefully protected the ball to prevent any turnovers. This created a methodical back-and-forth match where they exchanged try for try early in the first period. The speed of Germany gave them the advantage in the second quarter, and slowly they began to pull away ending the half 23-12. Switzerland was not to be deterred. Christian Hahnel and Adrian Moser kept the Swiss offense moving in the third while Germany continued its smooth transition, creating passing and scoring lanes for every member of the Germany squad. The young Swiss player Yves Langhard had a solid performance in the fourth quarter scoring three tries and blocking back-to-back German passes. Germany took the victory 41-23 over Switzerland.

Match 3 was a much anticipated matchup between Canada and Japan. Japan won the tip and Seiya Norimatsu was the first to score. Patrice Simard was able to sneak past the full court Japanese pressure and be the first to score for Canada. In fact, Japan’s laser focused defense on Hirschfield and Dagenais made way for Simard to score 6 tries in the first quarter. But that was no match for Seiya Norimatsu’s first-quarter performance which gave Japan an 11-7 lead. Midway through the second, Canada continued to chip away at the lead getting within two, but Takayuki came in with a boost of speed forcing Canadian timeouts and turnovers. The defensive pressure of Japan disrupted the usually secure passing of Canada, and Japan extended its lead to end the first half 23-14. Hirschfield and Dagenais came out hot to start the third, passing well, tallying tries and causing Japanese turnovers. But the Norimatsu brothers continued to score. Canada switched up its line in the fourth making way for Melanie LaBelle and Byron Green and was able to close the gap, but the clock ran out and Japan took the 38-33 win.

The afternoon exploded with nail-biting drama from the day’s final two matches. First up was Great Britain vs Germany. Britta Kripke was the first to score for Germany, but it was followed up with a quick try from GB’s Nick Cummins. Germany showed patience and used the clock to wear down the defense and score last second tries. They also forced turnovers and poor passes for GB early in the match to take a three-point advantage. Germany’s Thomas Schuwje was near unstoppable in the full and half court and always seemed to find his teammates with a pin-point pass to score. This gave Germany an 11-7 advantage to end the first quarter. Uncharacteristic turnovers for Germany at the start of the second quarter shifted the momentum toward the British. GB’s crossing in transition set up smooth picks and scores for Nick Cowling, and they began to turn up the defensive pressure. Costly turnovers never allowed them to take full advantage of their efforts, and the first half ended with a three point advantage for Germany, 18-15. The third quarter started with a German turnover and penalty, which allowed GB to cut the lead to one, 17-18. Another turnover from Germany tied up the match 19 all. Germany never gave up with the leadership of Christian Riedel, Thomas Schuwje and Robert Teichmenn and tied it back up in the fourth. In the final minutes, Great Britain pressed up hard in the back court causing turnovers and taking a two point lead. Myles Pearson came in blazing off the bench to score key tries in the final minutes and give GB the 38-32 victory over Germany.

In the final match of the day, Switzerland and USA looked to secure their first victory of the tournament. USA was the first to score, but Switzerland quickly followed with tries from Adrian Moser and Peter Roos. It took a few minutes for USA to get in its offensive groove, but solid crossing opened scoring opportunities for John Milstead, Ryan Engelby, Daniel Ortiz and Joel Rodriguez. Still, the balanced Swiss offense gave them a 10-5 lead to end the first quarter. The U.S. changed up its defense to start the second and pressed in the back court. This created multiple turnovers for Switzerland and cut their lead to two going into the half, 20-18. USA started the third quarter with a new line of Mike DeYoung, Zac Bradley, Daniel Ortiz and John Milstead. While the Swiss kept in their trusted four – Adrian Moser, Peter Roos, Patrick Gosteli and Christian Hahnel  – they showed a renewed energy and determination not let the match slip away. Switzerland caused multiple turnovers for USA and extended their lead 32-25 going into the fourth quarter. Adrian Moser was given a rest in the final quarter, giving way to Yves Langhard, Andreas Brandli and Peter Roos and Patrick Gosteli to secure the victory 40-30.

Tomorrow the medals will be awarded. Great Britain will look to secure a final win against Japan and claim gold, while Germany will take the disappointment from its lose to Great Britain and use it as motivation to claim the bronze over Canada.

Day Three Results

• Match 1: USA 28, Canada 45
• Match 2: Switzerland 23, Germany 41
• Match 3: Canada 33, Japan 38
• Match 4: Great Britain 38, Germany 32
• Match 5: Switzerland 40, USA 30

• Canada 2-3
• Great Britain 5-0
• Germany 3-2
• Japan 4-1
• Switzerland 1-3
• USA 0-4

Day Four Schedule

Sunday, July 17

All times are listed in UTC-6

• 8:30 Switzerland vs USA
• 10:15 Germany vs Canada
• 12:00 Great Britain vs Japan

Day 2 of the low point wheelchair rugby competition at The World Games started with Japan vs Switzerland. Like yesterday, Switzerland’s Adrian Moser was the first of the match to score. Team Japan was able to quickly get into its offensive groove, led by Takayuki and Seiya Norimatsu, and took an 8-4 lead after the first quarter. What Switzerland lacked in team depth they made up for in effort, especially on the defensive side of the court. Their full court pressure mixed with a half court zone defense kept them within striking distance throughout the match, and the first half ended with Japan up 17-8. The Norimatsu brothers took a rest in the third quarter making way for Hitoshi Ogawa and Hidefumi Wakayama who had fantastic offensive performances scoring 7 and 6 points respectively. Switzerland, as usual, never gave up and showed equal scoring abilities from the 0.5s to 1.5s. Still, Japan took the match in a 36-16 victory.

Match two featured Great Britain and USA. GB started off strong with their trademark speed and passing and jumped out to a 14-1 lead to end the first quarter. USA got into a tight zone defense to slow down GB’s offense, but the momentum remained with the British. In the second half, Great Britain’s Nick Cummins got a well-deserved rest while Daniel Kellett, Sam Dickinson, and Luke Wilson put their offensive abilities on display. For Team USA, Zac Bradley, John Milstead, Mike DeYoung and Jeremy Hannaford had a standout second half with clutch catches, tries and defensive stops. GB maintained control and secured a 47-12 victory.

Red and white covered the court for match three as Canada took on Switzerland. Both teams were looking to snag their first win of the tournament, and both came out with full court presses, making it difficult for either side to score. Christian Hahnel was the first to cross the try line for Switzerland midway through the first quarter, while the offensive duo of Trevor Hirschfield and Patrice Dagenais kept the scores coming for Canada. Quarter one ended with a 14-5 Canadian advantage. Canada’s depth was put on display in the second half as each athlete played solid minutes and contributed on both sides of the court. For Switzerland, the starting four of Christian Hahnel, Adrian Moser, Peter Roos and Patrick Gosteli played most of the match, but every athlete on the squad tallied a try. In the end, Canada came out on top 37-15.

The afternoon began with USA vs Germany in match four. As in previous matches, USA filled the box with a tight zone defense to slow down Germany’s offense. But Germany showed patience and was able to use the clock and diligently work to sneak past the try line. This allowed Germany to end the first quarter with a 17-4 lead. The American starting line of Jeremy Hannaford, Daniel Ortiz, Joel Rodriguez and John Milstead showed improved passing and composure in the second quarter, but the speed of Germany’s Thomas Schuwje shut down the American’s offensive momentum, and the half ended with Germany up 34-9. In the second half Florian Bongard teamed up with Niklas Braschoss for a breakout offensive performance, scoring a third of the team’s points and leading Germany to a 59-15 win.

Day two ended with the most anticipated match of the day – Japan vs Great Britain. Team GB came out of the huddle on fire, winning the tip and recording the first 4 points of the match from Myles Pearson, Nick Cummins and Daniel Kellett. The Norimatsu brothers were quickly subbed out, which provided opportunity for Hidefumi Wakayama to score Japan’s first try, but the stifling full court defense of GB made it tough for Japan to cross the goal line. GB continued its defensive strategy, pinning one or two of Japan’s high pointers in the back court and forcing the low pointers to handle the ball and score. At the end of the first, GB was up 5-12. The Norimatsu brothers stared the second quarter, providing momentum to Japan’s offense, but Great Britain continued to dominate both sides of the court and finished the first half with a 23-11 lead. Japan showed renewed energy in the third and fourth quarters, led by Hitoshi Ogawa and Hidefumi Wakayama, but it was not enough to overtake the defensive pressure from the British who ended the day with a 46-27 victory.

Tomorrow marks the final day of round-robin play and will determine Sunday’s matchups for the bronze and gold medal games. Great Britain looks like the team to beat, while Japan, Germany and Canada all have eyes on the podium. For USA and Switzerland, their biggest battle will come tomorrow afternoon when they face off and look to secure their first win.

Day Two Results

• Match 1: Japan 36, Switzerland 16
• Match 2: Great Britain 47, USA 12
• Match 3: Canada 37, Switzerland 15
• Match 4: Germany 59, USA 15
• Match 5: Great Britain 46, Japan 27

• Canada 1-2
• Great Britain 4-0
• Germany 2-1
• Japan 3-1
• Switzerland 0-3
• USA 0-3

Day Three Schedule

Saturday, July 16

All times are listed in UTC-6

• 9:00 USA vs Canada
• 11:00 Switzerland vs Germany
• 13:00 Canada vs Japan
• 15:00 Great Britain vs Germany
• 17:00 Switzerland vs USA

It was an exciting Day One of low point wheelchair rugby competition at The World Games. Competition started with a matchup between Japan and USA. The dynamic duo of brothers Seiya and Takayuki Norimatsu got Japan off to a strong start, and they never looked back defeating USA 50, 14. USA’s young squad never backed down and had a bright third quarter causing multiple turnovers for Japan. Joel Rodriguez had a strong offensive performance for Team USA and led the way in scoring.

Germany and Canada met in match number two of the day. It was close throughout. Trevor Hirschfield and Patrice Dagenais served up a one-two punch across the try line for Canada, and Germany showed fantastic team play as well. Their text book offensive transition set up picking angles and passing lanes, which resulted in tries for all of the players from the 1.5s to the 0.5s. Additionally, their full court defense caused key turnovers in the third and fourth quarters. Despite playing the same four athletes – Britta Kripke, Robert Teichmann, Thomas Schuwje and Christian Riedel – for almost the entire game, Germany had enough energy left in the tank to pull away in the fourth and take a 41-33 victory over Canada.

Game three was a matchup between European rivals Great Britain and Switzerland. While Switzerland’s 0.5 player Peter Roos was the first to score, GB quickly took control of the game with the offensive power of Myles Pearson and Nicholas Cummins. At the end of the second quarter, GB was up 27-9. Team Switzerland never gave up and never stopped pushing. 1.0 player Adrian Moser had a standout performance, playing almost the entire match and making important offensive and defensive plays. Still, Great Britain was too strong to overcome and won 51-17.

Match four turned the heat up in the chilly Birmingham Crossplex arena as Japan and Germany went head-to-head. It was a back-and-forth match from the start. Once again, Seiya and Takayuki Norimatsu led the way in scoring for Japan while Robert Teichmann and Thomas Schuwje were Germany’s offensive duo. Japan ended the first period with a 9-7 lead, but Germany came back in the second period, ending the first half with a 16-16 tie. Team Germany scored first to start the third, but it was quickly followed up by a Japan try. Two back-to-back turnovers by Germany allowed Japan to once again take the lead 19-17. Costly turnovers by Germany in the third and fourth periods and defensive stops by Japan allowed them to extend their lead and take a 35-30 victory.

The day ended with Canada taking on Great Britain. Both teams showed balanced play and scoring ability from 1.5s to 0.5s, and the first period ended in a 9 all tie. The speed and defensive pressure of Great Britain caused key Canadian turnovers in the second and allowed them to take a 21-16 lead going into the half. Defense was the name of this game. Both sides applied pressure in the full and half court making it difficult for either side to score. Once again, the speed of Myles Pearson and passing ability of Nicholas Cummins gave GB the advantage, and they cruised to a 42-30 victory to end the day.

Day One Results

• Match 1: Japan 50, USA 14
• Match 2: Germany 41, Canada 33
• Match 3: Great Britain 51, Switzerland 17
• Match 4: Japan 35, Germany 30
• Match 5: Great Britain 42, Canada 30

• Canada 0-2
• Great Britain 2-0
• Germany 1-1
• Japan 2-0
• Switzerland 0-2
• USA 0-2

Day Two Schedule

Friday, July 15

All times are listed in UTC-6

• 9:00 Japan vs Switzerland
• 11:00 Great Britain vs USA
• 13:00 Canada vs Switzerland
• 15:00 Germany vs USA
• 17:00 Japan vs Great Britain

Low point wheelchair rugby makes its debut at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA July 14-17. Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Switzerland and USA will compete to see who has the world’s best low pointers.

Canada, Great Britain and Japan come into the competition with experienced rosters packed with Paralympic talent, but that will not secure them the gold. Germany and Switzerland may not have the same storied resumes, but they have a history of producing top low pointers and are ready to assert themselves as leaders in the game. USA brings its very first low point team to Birmingham – a squad of fresh talent eager to compete in front of a home-nation crowd. It is going to be a thrilling four days of competition.

Currently, the games will not be live streamed, but you can follow World Wheelchair Rugby social media for score updates after each match, photos and daily recaps.

Schedule

All times are listed in UTC-6

Thursday, July 14

• 9:00 USA vs Japan
• 11:00 Germany vs Canada
• 13:00 Switzerland vs Great Britain
• 15:00 Japan vs Germany
• 17:00 p.m. Canada vs Great Britain

Friday, July 15

• 9:00 Japan vs Switzerland
• 11:00 Great Britain vs USA
• 13:00 Canada vs Switzerland
• 15:00 Germany vs USA
• 17:00 Japan vs Great Britain

Saturday, July 16

• 9:00 USA vs Canada
• 11:00 Switzerland vs Germany
• 13:00 Canada vs Japan
• 15:00 Great Britain vs Germany
• 17:00 Switzerland vs USA

Sunday, July 17

• 8:30 Fifth Place Match
• 10:15 Bronze Medal Match
• 12:00 Gold Medal Match

Inclusion – Developing disciplines of Wheelchair Rugby?

On the eve of wheelchair rugby being included in The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama I wanted to share my thoughts as well as wish the athletes competing all the best.

Developing disciplines is a topic that has been discussed in earnest within the International Federation that I’ve been aware of since 2012. As with all things, discussions have progressed and in 2015, I was part of a strategic planning session where it was addressed. So what do I mean, when I talk about “disciplines”.

As many of you know, the story started with a group of people creating a sport that after only a short period of maybe 10 years was introduced to the Paralympic Games. This discipline has grown and WWR now have 30 member nations with many more being developed. The Paralympic discipline will always be at the core of everything we do while ever I am in this role. It will be one of my strong messages that is passed on to whoever succeeds me in the future.

In 1993 I received a spinal injury due to an accident that altered my life in a direction that was never planned. This was how I was introduced to wheelchair rugby. I was in hospital in my home city of Sheffield and met both men and women who were playing a sport I had never heard of. The people were great and the sport was addictive – I was hooked straight away. I quickly realised sport was going to be part of my new life, it gave me a focus and the social benefit was evident straightaway. When I look back, I also realised how much it played a part in my rehabilitation back into the community.

In those early days, I remember there were lots of people who wanted to play wheelchair rugby whether they were family, friends or individuals with a disability that have come from other sports; or maybe new friends that I’d shared experiences with whilst in hospital.

I was surprised even then that for some people when they came into training they got a response – “you can train with us but unfortunately you can’t compete”. With the best will in the world, people were being offered to try other sports that maybe they could compete in.

Those people rarely stayed involved with Paralympic rugby because they couldn’t compete and without this aspiration, they looked for those alternative sports.

Why was this?, central to the answer is “classification”, a system to minimise the impact of impairment on sport performance that enables individuals to be able to compete at the highest level in a Paralympic Games, equitably. Wheelchair rugby has individuals competing with higher levels of impairment and the sport was originally created with those people in mind. This opportunity for many can be a lack of opportunity for others.  Developing other disciplines can be a solution to a fuller inclusive sport.

My thoughts today are not about classification but about how we provide opportunities into all forms of competition either nationally or internationally.

I started this article wishing athletes all the best in Alabama. The sport that is being played is not the Paralympic discipline but the “Low Point Game”. A term well understood in the rugby family but maybe not so much out there in the public domain. “Low pointers” as they are affectionately known were at the heart and the reason why the sport was created. A low point player has the least amount of function in the sport and plays a crucial role in the game, by defending and blocking to enable the scoring of tries. The low point game provides opportunities for this role as well as increasing their skills with ball handling.

Providing an opportunity to play internationally in the world-class multisport environment of The World Games was something I was keen to see take place. My thanks to many people for making this happen including the IWGA, Birmingham Organising Committee, Lakeshore Foundation and World Rugby.

What also excites me is the potential of Rugby 5s. A sport that was developed by a WWR member nation that recognised the need to expand the opportunities for people to play wheelchair rugby. The discipline of 5s has many of the key identifiable components of the Paralympic sport, but is there to attract people so that we reduce having to say to individuals, you can train but can’t compete.

Developing these disciplines will be a challenge for member nations and of course for many this may not be something they can focus on now – that’s ok. For those that want too, the benefits are there and we have seen Great Britain (who developed 5s) increase and improve their club structures so that more people are playing wheelchair rugby. It has had a positive impact on the Paralympic discipline as well with some athletes being able to play both disciplines.

Korea have recognised what I have discussed here and for many years have developed their own discipline. Following discussions between WWR and Korea last year, they trialed Rugby 5s and found that it was something they could introduce to benefit their national programme.

We have since heard of Rugby 5s developing in Poland with newly formed teams competing at the national level.

As international travel is starting to be more accessible during the Covid-19 Pandemic, I wonder, “where will the first international Rugby 5s competition take place?”

It only took ten years for the original discipline to become a global sport. Where will Rugby 5s be in the same amount of time?

My thanks to all those involved in making all disciplines of wheelchair rugby happen.

Kind regards Richard Allcroft

WWR President

Editor’s note – for more information and history of wheelchair rugby please visit

World Wheelchair Rugby –  https://worldwheelchair.rugby/about-the-sport/

The World Games 2022, Alabama – https://twg2022.com

IWGA – International World Games Association – https://www.theworldgames.org

Lakeshore Foundation – https://www.lakeshore.org

Richard Allcroft

WWR President

The draw for the 2022 Wheelchair Rugby World Championship competition took place on Thursday 7th July.

With less than 100 days to go before the first tip-off of the 2022 WWR Wheelchair Rugby World Championship in DGI Huset Vejle, the draw process allocated the 12 qualified teams into to Pools A and B.

The results of the draw are as follows :

Group A

Great Britain

United States

France

New Zealand

Germany

Switzerland

Group B

Japan

Australia

Canada

Denmark

Brazil

Colombia

You can view the draw via: https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F2022wrwc%2Fvideos%2F1197555857451038%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0

It’s so good to be back! After a 4-year hiatus, six of the world’s top Wheelchair Rugby teams returned to the Richmond Olympic Oval for the ninth Canada Cup.

A New Champion

Reigning world champions Japan became the third team to lift the Canada Cup after defeating Canada 57-56 in a thrilling overtime classic. Neither team led by more than two tries in an exciting and back and forth final that excited spectators at the Richmond Olympic Oval and had big plays from both sides.

Four-time Paralympian Trevor Hirschfield (1.0) forced the overtime when he completed a three-way passing play at the buzzer to tie the score 52-52. With only 12 seconds left in regulation, Mike Whitehead pushed down the court and tossed the ball to Zak Madell who found Hirschfield parked on the goal line to tie the game as the clock winded down. 

Japan’s Yukinobu Ike used his height to win the crucial overtime tip-off as the teams traded tries. Tournament MVP Shinichi Shimakawa was the hero of the match, making a stunning hit on the baseline with 0.4 seconds on the clock to prevent Canada from scoring and seal the victory for Japan who now take over the #1 spot in the World Wheelchair Rugby Rankings.

Denmark take the bronze

Thanks to a 52-50 victory over the defending Paralympic champions Great Britain, Denmark finished on the Canada Cup podium for the first time giving the world a preview of what to expect from the next World Championships hosts. The rising European star Leon Jorgenson (3.0) paired effectively with Sebastien Frederiksen (3.5) to lead the Danes to their first medal outside of Europe.

Great Britain finished in 4^th and gave valuable minutes to a number of emerging young talents like Faye West (3.5) and Ollie Mangion (3.0) in the bronze medal match and throughout the week as they continue to integrate newer players into their team post-Tokyo.

Depth and development for Australia and France

Australia and France rounded out the Canada Cup field and got to put their secondary lines to the test. With Sebastien Verdin absent for France and Chris Bond missing for Australia, both teams came into the Canada Cup aiming to work on different lines than their established hi-lows.  Australia may have played the most exciting game of the round-robin phase when they outlasted Denmark 65-64 in overtime.

Wrapping up and looking ahead

While the ever-changing Covid-19 climate created challenges for hosting and participating countries, the 2022 Canada Cup teams and fans enjoyed four exciting days of hard-hitting, fast-paced and world-class Wheelchair Rugby.

Tournaments like the Canada Cup wouldn’t be possible without the help of many incredible staff, volunteers and sponsors. Special thanks to the Government of Canada, Government of British Columbia, Richmond Sport Hosting, Molten, Sheraton, Marriott and Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotels, Richmond Olympic Oval, IBEW Local 258 and host organisations Wheelchair Rugby Canada and BC Wheelchair Sports.

All six Canada Cup teams will be back in action at the World Wheelchair Rugby Championships this October in Vejle, Denmark. We’re excited to watch as the top 12 teams battle for the world title. The Canada Cup will be back in 2024!

Awards

Best in Class:
0.5 Eric Rodrigues (Canada)
1.0 Jake Howe (Australia)
1.5 Kaare Momme Nielsen (Denmark)
2.0 Gavin Walker (Great Britain)
2.5 Rodolphe Jarlan (France)
3.0 Leon Jorgenson (Denmark)
3.5 Zak Madell (Canada)

Fan Favorite: Kylie Grimes (Great Britain)
MVP: Shinichi Shimakawa (Japan)

Final Standings
1. Japan (5-1)

2. Canada (5-1)

3. Denmark (3-3)

4. Great Britain (2-4)

5. Australia (2-3)

6. France (0-6)

Jackie Patatas, Wheelchair Rugby Program Manager, BC Wheelchair Sports Association – jackie@bcwheelchairsports.com

Nathan Bragg, BC Wheelchair Sports Association Communications Coordinator – communications@bcwheelchairsports.com

WWR is delighted to announce that the 2023 Asia-Oceania Championship will be hosted by Japan Wheelchair Rugby Federation in, Tokyo. 

Confirmation of the dates will be announced  later this year.

Teams will compete in what is a direct qualifier for the Paris Paralympic Games in 2024.

Richard Allcroft, WWR President said:

“It’s great to see wheelchair rugby returning to Japan after the unique experience of the Paralympic Games in 2021. The sport has been developing in the Asia region and it’s great to see some of our newer developing nations competing on the international stage.

Japan have consistently performed at the top and are always considered to be medal contenders. They were proudly crowned as World Champions in 2018 and bronze medallists at the Tokyo Paralympics.

It is the first time we have seen a Championship occurring in the region since the pandemic began in 2020 and I know that Japan will deliver an exciting event.

Make sure to come along and get tickets for our exciting sport. We’re here to win, not to inspire.”

Kathy Newman WWR Head of Competitions stated:

“I am pleased to see Japan hosting the 2023 WWR Asia Oceania Championship.  Japan has a rich history of hosting international events and we are looking forward to working with the Organizing Committee.  Japan has high standards hosting events and we are sure this event will meet our expectations”.

And from the Japan Wheelchair Rugby Federation (JWRF):

“The JWRF is very excited that “Tokyo” has been awarded the bid to host the 2023 WWR Asia-Oceania Championship.

Japan has a long history and experience of hosting WWR events including such events as our first Oceania Championship in 2003 through to the World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge in 2019.

The JWRF will prepare for a great tournament and welcome our zone members.

We look forward to seeing you all in “Tokyo” in 2023. “

For further information please contact Kathy Newman (knewman@iwrf.com)

We often hear from members they would like us to circulate bid documents earlier.  We continue to improve the bid documents and changes occur each time we issue bids. We would like to encourage all of you to think long term when it comes to your hosting plans. WWR provides the competitions calendar well in advance of the events. Please take a look at the calendar and proactively submit applications to host Championship or Regional events – you don’t need to wait for the bid documents to be circulated for you to consider submitting a bid. You can always communicate with the CWG well in advance to get more information so you can plan your hosting strategy early on.

There are so many benefits to hosting that you can take advantage of. Here are a few examples:

• Norway has just been awarded the rights to host the 2022 WWR European Qualification Championship.  Part of their bid included the opportunity for them to access funding to purchase a new hardwood floor. With their successful bid they will now have a floor available for future events.
• Great Britain won the bid the host the 2023 WWR European Championship in Wales.  The Welsh Rugby Union is a partner in the delivery of this event and they have made a long-term commitment to developing new clubs and increasing participation committed to creating 5 new wheelchair rugby clubs in Wales.
• Opportunity to host educational sessions to build capacity for your members and in your region.
• Local community support provides some crowd based home team advantage.
• Opportunity to reduce overall team costs to compete in these events.
• Opportunity to upskill or train new local officials and volunteers.