by Scrum's Graham Jenkins

25 October 2000 - Wheelchair rugby, or 'Murderball' as it is better known due to the amount of action and collisions it involves, makes it's debut this week as an official sport at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Wheelchair rugby is a team sport for quadraplegic and tetraplegic male and female athletes, although in Sydney only male athletes will compete. The game was founded in 1977 in Winnipeg, Canada and combines the skills and intensity of rugby, volleyball, basketball and hockey. The game is played indoors with a soft-touch volleyball and has developed an individual character compared to other wheelchair sports.

Pic - Action from 1999 World Wheelchair Games Christchurch, New Zealand (Anne Hart)

Pawel Zbieranowski, President of the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) aligns the sports recent upsurge in it's namesake's world-wide appeal. "There is no doubt that Wheelchair Rugby is enjoying a spin-off of interest based on the able-bodied sport of rugby and that is riding on a good wave" he said.

He also added however that, "Whhelchair rugby has opened the door for athletes who are quadroplegics to play a team sport. You have to be aware that these athletes are first and foremost skilled sports people in their own right and not just looked upon as sports people in wheelchairs."

This time around the USA, defending champions from Atlanta four years ago, are once again firm favourites. But sure to be pushing them all the way are hosts Australia, who are now coached by the man who led that successful USA side to gold in Atlanta, Terry Vineyard.

Pic - The wheel-disc of one of the New Zealand team. (Anne Hart)

In the first match of the tournament, Switzerland take on the current world champions the United States. Atlanta silver medallists Canada meet unfancied Germany in the second match.

German coach Heiko Streihl promises the match will be tough, however. "It will be fast, there will be contact and lots of pushing with wheelchairs smashing into one another," Striehl said.

There is no contact permitted between players but contact does come as players attempt to positon their chairs to block opponents. The chairs used have bullbars attached on to the front of them which enables players to collide without getting hurt.

David Currie, the Chef de Mission for the New Zealand Paralympic Team, explained that the growth and awareness of athletes with disabilities in his country has enabled sports such as Wheelchair Rugby to grow.

"Here are athletes with strength, determination, aggression, and the desire to do the best that they can. It is similar to pulling on an All Black jersey. Sport is sport, no matter what."

Pic - Action from 1999 World Wheelchair Games Christchurch, New Zealand (Anne Hart)

The Wheel Blacks begin their Paralympic competition on Wednesday, 25 October, with a match against Great Britain.

Great Britain team manager Paul Davies commented, "We are well prepared. The lads have come together as a team. The spirit is great and we will be a surprise packages in the tournament."

After finishing fourth in Atlanta when facing teams with more advanced wheelchairs, the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Federation applied for funding to buy the most advanced chairs available. PLayer Bob O'Shea commented, "Sixty percent of the game is based around the chair being used for blcoking manoeuvres, so a good chair is key to a successful team."

For up-to-date news on the Wheelchair Rugby competition in Sydney go to the Official Olympics website.

Thank you also for the support of QuadRugby.com.

Tournament Schedule: (seedings in brackets)

Pool A	Pool B
United States (1)	New Zealand (2)
Sweden (4)	Canada (3)
Australia (5)	Germany (6)
Switzerland (8)	Great Britain (7)

Date	Games	Result	Time
25.10	United States v Switzerland	42-27	15:00
25.10	Canada v Germany	35-32	16:30
25.10	Sweden v Australia	36-39	18:00
25.10	New Zealand v Great Britain	46-37	19:30

Date	Games	Result	Time
26.10	New Zealand v Germany	47-30	15:00
26.10	Sweden v Switzerland	44-35	16:30
26.10	Canada v Great Britain	38-33	18:00
26.10	United States v Australia	29-27	19:30

Date	Games	Result	Time
27.10	Australia v Switzerland	42-32	15:00
27.10	Germany v Great Britain	38-41	16:30
27.10	United States v Sweden	54-29	18:00
27.10	New Zealand v Canada	38-31	19:30

Date	Games	Result	Time
28.10	Sweden v Germany	39-38	15:00
28.10	Great Britain v Switzerland	38-34	16:30
28.10	USA v Canada	40-35	18:00
25.10	New Zealand v Australia	39-40	19:30

Date	Games	Result	Time
29.10	Germany v Switzerland	44-37	10:00
29.10	Sweden v Great Britain	40-39	11:30
29.10	New Zealand v Canada	44-32	13:30
29.10	United States v Australia	32-31	15:00

Final Classifications:

Gold Medal: United States
Silver Medal: Australia
Bronze Middle: New Zealand

4th Place: Canada
5th Place: Sweden
6th Place: Great Britain
7th Place: Germany
8th Place: Switzerland 

from http://www.scrum.com/features/murderball.asp