Britain targets wheelchair rugby glory at the Paralympics

At 6.30pm tonight, the British Paralympic Association unveiled Great Britain’s wheelchair rugby squad in a London hotel. 10 men and one woman will compete for their country at the Paralympic Games.

Wheelchair rugby is the most anticipated event at the Paralympics. At the last two Paralympic Games, the British team cam fourth. As Ross Morrison who represented his country at both those events and has been picked again this time round, put it: “It’s the most painful position: you’ve done well, but come away empty-handed”.

Channel 4 News was on the coach with the players today as they travelled up to London for the announcement. The squad got their phone calls yesterday – some of them cried, they told me; all of them say they’re proud that the hard work has paid off and they’re in the team.

Wheelchair rugby sold out when Paralympics tickets went on sale last year. For good reason. It’s explosive, aggressive, a game of fast physical contact – or as Aaron Phipps, from the new squad, put it today: “Where else can you watch a load of people smash each other out of their wheelchairs?”

Britain isn’t in the top five, according to the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation rankings. But as their coach, Tom O’Connor, puts it: “They’re a very young squad, we don’t really know what their potential is.” The team recently beat Australia, ranked second in the world. And this time, they’ll be in front of a home crowd.

Everyone involved in the team (pictured below) hopes that come September, with thousands watching them in the Olympic Park and many thousands more watching the games on TV, their sport will get the profile it deserves.. Oh, and there’s that small matter of a medal this time round.