Steelers - Wheelchair Rugby

[Penguin]

New Zealand not competing at this paralympics.

http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/wheelchair-rugby/

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The Steelers have rolled Belgium 58-43 to progress to the Semi final match vs Japan.

Match is planned for 2pm Soap Dodger time today.

USA to play Canada in the other Semi final.

Shaping up to be a US vs Us Gold Medal match at 2:15 pm on Sunday (Soap Dodger time).

 

[kronic]

We are in the final, tip off is 11:15pm tonight.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Gold Medal Match is against the Canucks after they bundled Septica out in the other semi in an upset victory.

Having already played and handsomely beaten the Canadians in the opening match of the tournament, the Steelers must be going into this match with confidence that they have a better than even chance of Gold.

 

[Mr Doug]

Mrs Doug and I have enjoyed watching the highlights of the Wheelchair Rugby, (as we have with all the Paralympic sports). Ryley Batt is amazing, given that he's been clocked at over 30kph, and when you look at his hands with only 4 or 5 fingers in total, you wonder how he does it! Bond is a pretty handy player as well.
We will be barracking for the Aussies in the final, even though our daughter has just been granted Canadian Residency!

 

[Moses]

Live coverage on the blog, please join us over here: http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/live-coverage-wheelchair-rugby-final/

 

[Hugh Jarse]

GOLD to the Steelers. 4th consecutive Paralympic Finals for 3 silvers and 1 GOLD.

 

[Braveheart81]

Ryley Batt scored 37 goals in the Gold Medal match and a total of 160 in Australia's five matches.

 

[Empire]

Brilliant stuff.

Great to see the guys getting good support and coverage on GAGR - potential for a podcast?

Hats off to the ABC and its team for its coverage of the final as well as the entire games.

From a medical point of view, I'd love to see the development/strength/stability of the arms and shoulders of the athletes for this sport. The flexibility and strength would be amazing.

 

[Braveheart81]

Ryley Batt would definitely be worth a chat to on the podcast. The guy is a real character.

 

[daz]

Did those watching see how the lads reacted after they won? The sheer joy was so pure that I must admit the TV screen got a bit blurry.

I hope every Wallaby was watching that game, and if not, it should be used as a motivational tool during the week.

Inspirational stuff, and they make a mockery of the term "disabled".

True Men of Gold. Well done lads, so proud.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

And to think that there were some on this thread who questioned the link between Wheel Chair Rugby and Heavensgame.

Wheelchair rugby is the game played in Heaven by Angels that have had their wings clipped or cropped.

Plenty of people in the slave labour camp known as work talking about the Steelers performance.

Very fitting that the last goal in the gold medal match was scored by the Aust team flag bearer from the Opening Ceremony, Greg Smith.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

1st Question in the ABC Radio 702 evening quiz "Norman" last night:

"What sport does the national team called the Steelers play?"

The correct answer was given 1st or 2nd go (can't recall exactly).

A great pity there isn't more regular competitions available to keep the public profile going.

Last I can recall is about 3 years ago at the Acer Arena for the Oceania Champs.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Come on ARU, lift your game. Get those unpaid interns to work.

The Steelers won GOLD on Monday. It is now Thursday. The team has touched down back in Oz.

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ArticleID/7583/Default.aspx
The linked article appeared on your website on the 4th of September regarding the prospects of the Wheelchair Rugby in general and the MOU between IRB and IWRU in particular to work together on matters of mutual interest.

It is well over due for ARU to post a follow up article, and to congratulate Bondy and the Steelers boys for doing Aussie proud in London.

Bondy and Batty (no stuff it, the entire Steelers - coach and all) need to be directed to the Gold Coast to have a chat with the Men in Gold as part of the preparation for the match against the Argies.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Wheelchair Rugby Hits St Mary's Cathedral Square on 18 - 20 September 2013.

See the Paralympic Gold Medal winning Australian Steelers go around in a Tri Nations tournament with powerhouses NZ Wheel Blacks and the USA.

Press release here:
http://www.paralympic.org.au/news/murderball-hits-st-marys-cathedral-square

Buy tickets here:
Tickets to the Be the Influence Wheelchair Rugby Tri-Nations go on sale Wednesday 14th August through Ticketmaster: http://bit.ly/16cT7k1

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Anyone going tomorrow?

From: Connor Wright at Sports Business Insider
http://sportsbusinessinsider.com.au/news/wheelchair-rugby-tri-nations-to-be-held-in-sydney/

I hope the rain holds off and doesn't spoil the event.

For the first time in the history of the sport, wheelchair rugby is making its way to Sydney for the Be the Influence Wheelchair Rugby Tri-Nations, to be contested between Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
The Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) today unveiled that the Be the Influence Wheelchair Rugby Tri-Nations will be held outdoors for the first time in Australia, at St Mary’s Cathedral Square from 18-20 September 2013.
It will be the first time the Australian Steelers will take to the court on home soil since winning the Paralympic gold medal at last year’s London Games, and since losing their number one ranking to the USA in a tournament in Denmark in June.
“We were on such a high after winning gold at the Paralympics last year. We played our perfect tournament of wheelchair rugby, so to lose that number one world ranking earlier this year was pretty devastating for us,” said Ryley Batt.
“The USA is arguably one of the best teams in the world, so too is New Zealand and we’re going to have a real contest on our hands here in Sydney this September.
“As co-captain of the team, I’ve got every confidence that we can take the USA on, we can take New Zealand on and we can win. It will be great to do that in front of a home crowd as a way to say thank you for all the amazing support during last year’s Paralympics.”
In a first for the APC, it will be erecting a purpose-built wheelchair rugby court and three small grandstands alongside Sydney’s busy College Street, in what APC Chief Executive Jason Hellwig believes is a perfect opportunity to promote one of Paralympic sport’s flagship sports.
“The momentum and interest in our Paralympic athletes and sports continues to steamroll almost a year since the London Paralympics and I have no doubt that is down to the quality and talent of our athletes in representing Australia on the world stage,” said Hellwig.
“Wheelchair rugby was one of the most popular sports in London, and having staged two international wheelchair rugby events before now, we know that it’s just as popular in Australia.
“We hope that by holding the event here, in the heart of Sydney, we can capture the curiosity of thousands more Australians and give them a taste of what wheelchair rugby is all about.”

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Programme of events for Wheelchair Rugby Tri-Nations at St Mary's Cathedral Square:

Wed Sep 18 10.45am – Game 1: USA vs AUS
Wed Sep 18 5.30pm – Game 2: NZL vs USA
Wed Sep 18 7.30pm – Game 3: AUS vs NZL
Thu Sep 19 12.30pm – Game 4: NZL vs AUS
Thu Sep 19 5.30pm – Game 5: USA vs NZL
Thu Sep 19 7.30pm – Game 6: AUS vs NZL
Fri Sep 20 noon – Semi-finals
Fri Sep 20 5pm – Grand finals

Get behind the Steelers. They are GOLD medal champions.

Photo and schedule from: http://www.au.timeout.com/sydney/sports/events/36010/wheelchair-rugby-tri-nations

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Day One Results:
Summary: Septics win 2, Olympic Champions (Aust) win 1, NZ Wheelblacks win 0.

Game 1 – AUS v USA1/4: USA 18 -14
H/T: USA 29-26
3/4: USA 42-36
F/T: USA 56-43

United States – 56
Goal scorers: Chuck Aoki 16, Joe Delagrave 14, Derrick Helton 10, Josh Wheeler 7, Chuck Melton 3, Eric Newby 3, Ernie Churn 1, Andy Cohn 1, Eric Chase 1.

Australia – 43
Goal scorers: Ryley Batt 22, Chris Bond 13, Curtis Palmer 3, Cameron Carr 1, Josh Hose 1, Andrew Harrison 1, Jason Lees 1, Andrew Harrison 1.


Game 2 – USA v NZL
1/4: USA 14-10
H/T: USA 29-19
3/4: USA 44-27
F/T: USA 58-40

United States – 58
Goal scorers – Chuck Aoki 10, Eric Newby 10, Joe Delagrave 9, Derrick Helton 8, Ernie Chun 6, Chuck Melton 5, Andy Cohn 5, Josh Wheeler 4, Eric Chase 1.

New Zealand – 40
Goal scorers – Koneferenisi 15, Dan Buckingham 12, Cameron Leslie 7, Clayton Utia 2, Rob Hewitt 2, Sholto Taylor 2

Game 3 – AUS v NZL
1/4: AUS 16-8
H/T: AUS 31-20
3/4: AUS 48-32
F/T: AUS 62-48

Australia – 62
Goal scorers – Ryley Batt 28, Chris Bond 16, Andrew Harrison 4, Cameron Carr 3, Jason Lees 2, Josh Hose 2, Curtis Palmer 1.

New Zealand – 48
Goal scorers - Barney Koneferenisi 24, Dan Buckingham 10, Cameron Leslie 8, Sholto Taylor 3, Rob Hewitt 3.

Day 2 Game Schedule (AEST)
12:30pm – NZL v AUS
5:30pm – USA v NZL
7:30pm – AUS v USA


Read more here: http://www.paralympic.org.au/news/aussie-steelers-earn-their-first-win-tri-nations

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Day 2 update:
Aussie Steelers beat the Wheelblacks again.

Tensions were running high on day two of the 2013 Be the Influence Wheelchair Rugby Tri-Nations which began with a second Australian victory over the New Zealand WheelBlacks, 57-41.

Big crowds at St Mary's Cathedral Square.

Full Match report here:
http://www.paralympic.org.au/news/australia-down-nz-day-two-tri-nations

Tickets are still on sale for tomorrow’s semi-final and grand final and are available through Ticketmaster.

Game 4 – AUS v NZL
1/4: 14-11
H/T: 30-18
3/4: 44-29
F/T: AUS 57-41

Australia – 57
Goal scorers: Ryley Batt 30, Chris Bond 14, Curtis Palmer 6, Josh Hose 4, Cameron Carr 2, Andrew Harrison 1.
New Zealand – 41
Goal scorers: Cameron Leslie 15, Dan Buckingham 10, Barney Koneferinisi 9, Clayton Utia 4, Sholto Taylor 2, Rob Hewitt 1.

photo:http://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/events/19593-be-the-influence-wheelchair-rugby-tri-nations

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Good segment on the Steelers on The Rugby Club tonight.

Seems that the games will be shown on Foxtel Sports on 28 and 29 September,

Make sure that you bookmark these games or record on your IQ if you have it.