Get around him! Beau Vernon kicks off tonight in Paris Paralympics
Beau Vernon and his wheelchair rugby teammates kick off their Paralympic campaign in Paris on Thursday night against the strong Great Britian team at about 7.30pm on 9NOW and Stan. AUSTRALIAN wheelchair rugby team, the Steelers, who have twice won...
AUSTRALIAN wheelchair rugby team, the Steelers, who have twice won Paralympic gold, roll away in their Paris campaign tonight, Thursday, August 29 at 7.30pm on 9NOW and Stan.
Every Wheelchair Rugby match from the Paris 2024 Paralympics will be shown ad-free, live and on-demand in 4K on Stan Sport. Along with this, the Nine Network will have dedicated free-to-air channels that will show every Paralympic sport, including the Wheelchair Rugby, along with on 9Now.
On Thursday night the Steelers face a stiff challenge against defending champions Great Britain in their opening match and Phillip Island’s Beau Vernon will be in the thick of it.
He posted a gee-up for fans on his LinkedIn page.
“Game day! 7.30pm AEST Australian Steelers v GB. Let’s go!”
Beau goes to the Paralympics with the best wishes of a huge support group at home, including his mates at the Phillip Island Bulldogs and Leongatha Parrots, where he led teams to senior premierships, but also across the sporting and business world where he has had such an inspirational impact.
But this is Beau’s time now and his chance to shine.
Steelers team members include:
- Ryley Batt
- Chris Bond
- Brayden Foxley-Conolly
- Shae Graham
- Ella Sabljak
- Andrew Edmondson
- Josh Nicholson
- Jake Howe
- Ben Fawcett
- James McQuillan
- Emilie Miller
- Beau Vernon
Hopefully, we’ll all have time to become wheelchair rugby experts but the competitors all have distinct roles on the court, partly based on the degree of their disability, with those having a higher level disability just as valuable to the team’s overall effort as the more mobile players.
Wheelchair rugby is an intense, physical team sport for male and female athletes with quadriplegia (tetraplegia).
The sport was originally called “Murderball” due to the aggressive nature of the game. It is a contact sport where collisions between wheelchairs form a major part of the game.
Each team has four players on court and the aim is to score by carrying the ball across the goal line.
The game is played indoors on a hard floor court with the same measurements as a basketball court (28 metres long by 15 metres wide).
The aim is to score goals by crossing the opposing team’s goal line while in possession of the ball. The goal line is situated on the base line of the court and is 8 metres wide. In order for the goal to be counted two wheels of the wheelchair must be across the goal line.
A volleyball is used and may be passed, thrown, battled, rolled, dribbled, or carried in any direction subject to the restrictions laid down in the rules. Kicking the ball is not allowed.
When a player is in possession of the ball, it must be bounced at least once every 10 seconds.
Every wheelchair rugby player is classified based on their disability and undergo a bench test and functional skills test. Each player is given a points value after these tests which will range from 0.5 (lowest) to 3.5 (highest). The four players on court for a wheelchair rugby team must not exceed a total of 8 points.
So, if those with the highest disability can rise above their own limitations to block and harass the opposition’s best players it allows their own more mobile players to get about scoring tries.
Final scores GB 58 def Australia 55. See match report:
