St Mary’s University, Twickenham, is proudly hosting a landmark Wheelchair Rugby League fixture on Saturday 31 May at 7pm between the newly formed England Universities Wheelchair Rugby League team and the UK Armed Forces Wheelchair Rugby League team. The match is part of the University’s 175th anniversary celebration.
This match marks the first-ever fixture for the England Universities Wheelchair Rugby League team, which represents a step forward in inclusive sports.
The idea of this fixture was sparked by the success of an earlier event held at St Mary’s during the 175th anniversary year, which bought together England internationals, community players, student athletes, and university staff in a single showcase match. The enthusiasm encouraged national organisers to move forward with launching a student team.
Andrew Reid-Smith, Head of Sport, said, “It’s wonderful to see the students building on the recent festival and working with great partners to develop the first ever England Universities fixture. It is an incredible opportunity for St Mary’s students to play against a UK Armed Forces side, and I’m sure it will make for an exciting match.”
“The momentum we built from that first celebration event was the turning point” said Kevin Rudd, Head Coach, “Thanks to the University’s support – facilities, staff, and volunteers – we’ve created a team that will inspire future generations of wheelchair rugby players across the country.”
The team was developed by Chris Bryde, founder of the team who now serves as Team Manager. Chris and his colleagues have worked closely with the Rugby Football League and England Wheelchair Rugby League to establish the squad.
St Mary’s students, including members of the Men’s Rugby League team, have been a great support in developing the new team, along with the Elmbridge Eagles Rugby League club, which provided access to specialist equipment during the months of training.