Media

2005 Hong Kong Wheelchair Rugby Sevens

11 Mar 2005

 

International Wheelchair Rugby will make its debut in Hong Kong during World Cup Sevens week.

A 3-match series will take place at the Indoor Sports Hall at Hong Kong Football Club, featuring the New Zealand Wheel Blacks, gold medallists at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, and an England team including several players from the reigning European champions, Great Britain.

The Hong Kong Wheelchair Rugby Sevens event is the brainchild of star Great Britain player, Troye Collins, and Rob Jackson, who has worked with the British team since 1999 and now a Research Assistant Professor at the Institute of Human Performance (IHP) within the University of Hong Kong. The event is a demonstration event and is officially organised by the IHP, Hong Kong Football Club, and Hong Kong Rugby Football Union.

Wheelchair Rugby is the fastest growing wheelchair sport. Also known as "murderball", it originated in Canada and became a full Paralympic sport at the Sydney 2000 games. As the name suggests, wheelchair rugby is intense and extremely physical. It is played on a basketball court with four players from each side attempting to move the ball (similar to a volleyball) so that it crosses their opponents' goal line between two cones.

The matches will be played on 16 and 17 March, the same dates as the Hong Kong Tens and arrangements have been made to enable Tens players to come inside to watch the wheelchair rugby and vice versa.

On Tuesday 15 March, the wheelchair athletes will be meeting with several famous names from able-bodied rugby who are competing in Tens teams this year. Dr York Chow, Hong Kong Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Health, and Vice President of the International Paralympic Committee - Policy, Planning & Development, will attend Match 3 and present the trophy to the winning team.

"This is the first time that able-bodied and wheelchair rugby players will be competing in parallel events and our intention is that it becomes a permanent fixture of Hong Kong Sevens Week. I am delighted that two of the best teams in the world are coming to Hong Kong," said Rob Jackson.

The press are welcome to attend the Tuesday meeting with Tens players and the matches. For information, please contact Mr Rob Jackson at Institute of Human Performance, The University of Hong Kong (Tel: 2589 0579 (work), Mobile: 6149 3776, Email: robjacks@hku.hk).