Team Ireland gets its bid for European Wheelchair Rugby Qualification underway this morning in Norway.
The team is one of ten competing over the next week for three places at next year’s World Championships taking place in Wales.
This is the first time the team have played in the qualifiers since 2018.
They will face Finland and the Czech Republic today, then Sweden and hosts Norway tomorrow in the initial group stage, and then hopefully progress to the knock-outs.
The mixed-gender squad is seven strong consisting of John McCarthy (Rebel Wheelers), Alan Patterson (Ulster Barbarians), Jade Flynn Hurley (Rebel Wheelers), Deirdre Mongan (Ulster Barbarians), Christopher Meneilly (Ulster Barbarians), Alan Dineen (Rebel Wheelers) and Jonny Mulhall (Laois Lions).
Four players take to the court at any one time and the object is to score a try by carrying the ball over the opposition try line.
It is said to include elements of Rugby, Basketball, Handball and even Ice Hockey and was once dubbed as ‘Murderball’ given the amount of contact which can take place.
The management team is made up of two women in Lynn Cromie and Eleanor Lucey.
The sport has been played here since 1997 under the auspices of the Irish Wheelchair Association.
We wish the Irish team the very best of luck and we will be tuning in today with the games being streamed on YouTube and Facebook.
