Wheelchair Rugby: Fours League – Rebrand Update

In response to recent concerns about a change to the name of the sport of wheelchair rugby, GB Wheelchair Rugby would like to reassure the wheelchair rugby community that we have no intention to change the name of the Paralympic discipline of the sport from ‘wheelchair rugby’ to ‘wheelchair rugby fours’.

With the introduction of wheelchair rugby fives and the WR5s League, and more recently three-v-three wheelchair rugby and the 3v3 League, we have sought to create greater distinction between our leagues and ensure that each have their own clear identity; to this end, we have rebranded the league of the Paralympic discipline of the sport from ‘Super Series’ to ‘Wheelchair Rugby: Fours National Series’ to give the league a distinct name which includes ‘wheelchair rugby’ in the league name and follows the increasing usage of ‘fours’ as shorthand throughout the community for a number of years. We appreciate that this name is not accepted and used by all members of the community, however opted for this name change to make the distinction between the different leagues clear for members, stakeholders, and the public as we seek to increase awareness and engagement.

We apologise for any distress this has caused, whether members interpreted the naming of the league as a change to the name of the sport or whether there is concern that the use of the league name poses a threat to the sport itself. As the national governing body of wheelchair rugby in Great Britain, we are passionate about championing and protecting the sport of wheelchair rugby and will endeavour to continue doing so. To this end, we will not be using the term ‘wheelchair rugby fours’ or ‘fours’ to refer to the Paralympic discipline of wheelchair rugby in any situation outside of the league.

The new name was presented to club representatives at the most recent Club Forum for initial feedback, however going forward we will work harder to consult with the wider membership and continue to welcome input and feedback from the community.

4 January 2023

The sport of wheelchair rugby has grown significantly over the last few years, with new disciplines three-v-three and wheelchair rugby fives, as well as new competitions, such as our Development Leagues. Our new disciplines and competition formats, while great for providing opportunities to take part and compete in our fantastic sport, can cause some confusion with the different terminology, for both members and key stakeholders.

Therefore, GBWR are in the process of rebranding all of our leagues and competitions to make them more distinct from each other and more marketable. The 2023 league of the Paralympic discipline, which is often referred to as wheelchair rugby fours, or simply ‘fours’, will start this month with its new brand, Wheelchair Rugby: Fours Premiership/Division One/Division Two. The new brand and renaming of the league was presented to club members at, and discussed during, December’s Club Forum meeting, giving club members an opportunity to comment on the changes.

In order to avoid further confusion, any reference to the GB team or the Paralympic discipline of wheelchair rugby outside of our leagues will still be referred to as ‘wheelchair rugby’.

We hope that you like the new name and brand.