All eyes are on Paris this week as the 2024 Paralympic Games get underway and Irish fans get ready to indulge themselves in another fortnight of wall-to-wall sport.
One of the things that makes the Paralympics so breathtaking are the variations of the usual mainstream sports that we are normally accustomed to seeing on our screens throughout the year.
Without doubt, wheelchair rugby is set to be one of the most exciting sports that will feature at this year’s Games.
This version of rugby is equally fast paced as it is aggressive, earning it the nickname ‘murderball’. Don’t fret if you are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of it as here is your step by step guide to wheelchair rugby at the Paris Games.
What is wheelchair rugby?
As the name suggests wheelchair rugby is played in specially designed manual wheelchairs and combines elements of rugby, handball, and basketball.
Wheelchair rugby is a mixed contact sport meaning both male and female players all play in the same discipline.
Participation requires that competitors have a degree of paralysis in all four limbs. Teams are made up of four players apiece with games lasting 32 minutes consisting of four eight-minute quarters that are jam packed with action.
The objective of the sport is to carry the ball over the opposition try-line to score a try which earns your team a point.
Players must throw the ball or dribble at least once every ten seconds. Much like rugby union, participants are not permitted to pass the ball forward
Where does wheelchair rugby come from?
The sport was first developed in Winnipeg, Canada in 1977 as an alternative to the ever-popular wheelchair basketball.
Demonstrations of wheelchair rugby first took place at the 1996 Paralympics ultimately leading to the sport becoming a medal event at the Sydney Games in 2000.
In the five times the sport has featured at the Paralympics so far, Australia and the United States have both won twice with Team GB bringing home the gold last time out in Tokyo.
This year’s Games
Eight teams will participate in the Paris Games over the span of a five-day period. Great Britain are among the favourites and are out to retain their gold, while the US and Australia are expecting to challenge for top honours.
Events will take place in the stunning Champ de Mars Arena which played host to the judo and wrestling competitions during the Olympics.
A second chance
There are a number of things which viewers should look out when they are sitting down to watch the action.
As special and as entertaining as wheelchair rugby is to watch, it also offers a unique second chance at sport for those actually competing.
Belfast man David Ross was paralyzed from the neck down at the age of 18 after a scrum collapsed and he sustained severe spinal cord injuries.
Now 29, he has the opportunity to represent GB for the first time in their gold medal charge in Paris.
Ross has spoken before about the opportunity that his new sport brings, telling the BBC that ‘sport had to become part of my life again’ since taking up wheelchair rugby.
Mixed participation
Another aspect which adds to the excitement and intrigue of wheelchair rugby is the fact teams can comprise of both men and women.
While the sport is male dominated at the top, female participation has been on the rise.
Kylie Grimes is the most famous female star in the game playing a role in the Team GB gold medal-winning team at Tokyo 2020 and the 2022 World championships.
Key terminology
While wheelchair rugby is based around rugby union not all of the rules and terminology are the same. Here’s some of the key terms to keep an eye out for:
Key: The key is a restricted zone which only three defenders can enter and attackers can enter for no longer than 10 seconds.
Time-outs: Similarly to basketball, teams can call timeouts; these are an essential part of the sport and can be used tactically or to regroup. Each team has four 30 second time-outs and coaches have two 60-second time-outs that they can call upon.
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Shocks: Otherwise known as collisions, they are an essential part of the game and have been key to it earning its nickname ‘murderball’.
