WR5s Summer League Preview

On Sunday, we welcome ten teams to Stoke Mandeville Stadium as we reach the midway point in our brand-new Wheelchair Rugby 5s Summer League. The 5s Summer League is the variant tournament, established to give those players not necessarily classifiable for the Paralympic version a chance to play at a competitive level. The tournament kicked off last month in Aylesbury with the ten sides split into the Red and Blue conferences. Dorset Destroyers and Stoke Mandeville Maulers top their respect...
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2018 Lord’s Taverners Junior Wheelchair Rugby National Championship Preview

This weekend, Stoke Mandeville Stadium will play host to the 2018 Lord’s Taverners Junior Wheelchair Rugby National Championship. It is the second tournament since the partnership with Lord’s Taverners began, and five teams from across the UK will be travelling to Aylesbury for the national title. Exeter Hawks, coached by Westcountry Hawks veteran Adam Simmons, won the competition last year in an exciting final with Ospreys. Hawks will be again joined by runners-up Ospreys, as well ...
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The Japanese Experience

Photo credit: Megumi Masuda In my first career (wheelchair rugby has unwittingly become my second!), I was privileged to travel the world and experience the wonders of other countries and their peoples. Despite having visited many places around the globe I never visited Japan and my only experience of its people was working alongside the Japanese Defence Force during a maritime exercise in the Pacific, so it was a real joy to be in Japan last week for...
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Last of the Round-Robin Games

Saturday and day 3 of the Japan Para Championships. Our opening game was against Sweden which was again won comfortably chalking up a further 54 points whilst conceding 21. The game was an opportunity for Paul Shaw to continue to test and explore new lines and combinations including a 3.5, 3.5, 0.5  and 0.5, which was interesting. Then came Japan. Having experienced such a tight game yesterday we expected and got the same! Japan had their Captain Yukinobu Ike playing today whose height advantag...
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Strong performances today as GB defeat Japan and France

In today’s round-robin matches GB defeated Japan 51-50 and France 53-44 and so it is 4 wins out of 4 for the team. The Japan game was a real thriller showing wheelchair rugby at its best. The teams went point for point in the first quarter with Jim Roberts pressurising to force a turnover right at the end of Q1 which allowed GB to take a 14-12 lead. GB started Q2 strongly and within minutes had amassed a 19-15 lead. This was clawed back in Q3, which ended with GB ahead by 2 points 40-38. The f...
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GB Start Strong in Japan Para Tournament

GB massed an incredible 119 points for, with only 57 against, in their first two games of the Japan Para Wheelchair Rugby Tournament. First up was France who GB defeated 54-34 followed by Sweden who GB took 65-23. There is a real depth in this GB team with some very talented lines. It is notable how well Stuart Robinson and Aaron Phipps have integrated into the squad and are providing even more options for Head Coach Paul Shaw. There were still a few errors showing in the opening match against France, but these largely dissipated in the game against Sweden which saw a very convincing performance. Tomorrow will be much more of a test as GB take on host nation Japan in the last of the ‘round...
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