Quad Rugby/Story - World Rugby Challenge

UNITED STATES QUAD RUGBY ASSOCIATION

February, 2002

Eight Countries Participate at First World Rugby Challenge
by Andy Cohn

In Warm Springs, Georgia, it is difficult to find a restaurant that stays open later than eight and a radio station that doesn’t spew country music or Bible thumping, however there was no shortage of great rugby in this small town January 15-20 as the Roosevelt Institute hosted the World Challenge. Ten teams from eight countries convened for the first non-Paralympic, international rugby tournament held on U.S. soil.

The tournament began with one of the two Canadian teams, the tenth-seeded Ice, taking on the Australian National team. With both Canada and America sporting two teams, the second-seeded Aussies, who had their entire roster at their disposal, figured to be the favorites to win the whole tournament. The game remained tight, as the Ice’s 3.0 threat Ian Chan had his team trailing by only two midway through the third quarter, but the Aussies went on a 6-1 in the next four minutes and pulled away to a 44-36 win.

The short schedule of the first day concluded with the top-seeded USA Stripes’ starting line of 3.0 Mark Zupan, 2.5 Dean McCabe, 2.0 Bryan Kirkland and 0.5 Eddie Crouch helping secure a 41-30 win over Belgium, and Canada’s third-seeded Nordiques beating ninth-seeded Switzerland 39-22.

The second day started with the second team from America, the Stars going on a 9-4 run in the fourth quarter to win a close game with Sweden 35-30. The rest of day two’s games went according to script as the Ice’s 43-34 win over Germany was the only example of a lower seeded team prevailing.

As the higher seeds continued to feast on their opposition, the action and anticipation increased as the undefeated top four seeds collided to close out day three. In the first match-up, the top-seeded Stripes opposed the third-seeded Nordiques. A bewildered crowd watched as the Nordiques not only didn’t start their captain 3.5 Garrett Hickling, but didn’t play him the entire game. Without their floor general, the Canadians couldn’t withstand the U.S.’s pressure defense and lost 40-31.

The disappointment in the air that lingered from the Canadian team not playing Hickling, quickly disappeared as the second-seeded Aussies prepared to take on the fourth-seeded Stars. The gymnasium was packed with people and other teams eager to watch the action. The Australians started the line of 3.5 Brad Dubberly, 3.0 George Hucks, 1.0 Garry Croker and 0.5 Nazim Erdem that only lost to a full USA squad by one point at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney. The Stars came out shooting, though, and secured a healthy 19-13 halftime lead. The combination of 2.0 Cliff Chunn and 3.0 Mike Gilliland spearheaded the U.S. effort by scoring 20 of the Stars’ first 30 goals ensuring a 43-25 triumph.

The final day started with the critical crossovers as the Australians looked for redemption against the U.S. Stripes. The game remained tight throughout with neither team ever holding more than a three-goal advantage. The Australians started the fourth quarter with a one goal lead, but Dean McCabe created a late turnover to tie the score and, after a final second frenzy in which both teams had opportunities to win, force overtime. In the extra period, Mark Zupan recored all of the Stripes’ scores enabling them to edge the Aussies 43-42.

In the other crossover to determine who would face the Stripes in the title game, the Stars opposed the Nordiques. Unlike the previous day, the Nordiques started Hickling and employed a deliberate pace that had them retreating back into the key after every score. The Star’s showed poise by handling the meticulous style of play and handing the Canadians an eventual 34-29 defeat ensuring an all red, white and blue final.

The placing games started with an under-manned Switzerland team battling hard before succumbing 35-33 to Germany. The Belgians ended a successful trip to the States by beating the Canadian Ice 39-36 and taking seventh. The fight for fifth was a rematch from the fifth place game at the 2000 Paralympics between Sweden and Great Britain. The rematch became a repeat as the Swedes once again were one point better than the Brits 34-33. After an inspired Nordiques team took third by beating the dejected Aussies, the National Anthem of the United States rang out signaling the all-American finale. The title game featured liberal subbing as every player on both teams played a minimum of one quarter. The Stars started the same line of 3.0 Mike Gilliland, 2.0 Cliff Chunn, 2.0 Andy Cohn and 1.0 Scott Hogsett that started every game and pulled out to a 12-8 first quarter lead. As different lineups entered and the score tightened, the “friendly” atmosphere of the final was replaced by the competitive desire to leave the tournament undefeated. The Stars sought to avenge a double overtime defeat to the Stripes that occurred at one of the U.S. training camps and earned the Stripes the top seed for this tournament. This game proved to be even closer as it took three overtimes for the Stripes to again emerge victorious 51-50.

At the tournament banquet that followed, along with all the goodwill and camaraderie, the championship trophy that the U.S. won at the last World Championships in 1998 was also present. The trophy, which had been housed in Warm Spring for the last four years, was presented to the Sweden team who will hold Worlds in May of 2002. As the trophy passed from the past champs to the current hosts, every player was reminded that no matter how successful or frustrating this tournament was, the battle for one of the biggest honors in all of wheelchair rugby is mere months away.

Tournament Results

Hit Counter

How to Contact us | Quad Rugby Central Index