Brackenbury10am28 - February12:30pmSunday Centre So what’s Why Woodbridge? IP11 9JF Felixstowe rugby all about?

• The was established in in 1977 and was originally dubbed In 2014 Woodbridge Rugby Club worked with Great ‘murderball’. due to its aggressive, full-contact nature — was designed Britain Wheelchair Rugby to start The Wheeled to allow quadriplegic athletes with a wide range of functional ability levels to play integral offensive and defensive roles Warriors wheelchair rugby team. Club sponsors provided funding for state-of-the-art chairs and • In the late 1980s, the name of the transport. The Warriors train every Sunday morning sport outside the was at Rock Barracks, Woodbridge and in 2015 entered officially changed from Murderball to Wheelchair Rugby. In the United States, the league where they have been competing ever the sport’s name was changed to Quad since. Rugby We run Taster Sessions for those who are interested • It’s not just about brute force though - tactically it’s a very intelligent game in playing this awesome sport and want to try it. The sport is ideal for : - • The first international tournament was held in 1989 in , Canada, with teams from Canada, the United States and • Beginners and pros • The first IWRF World Wheelchair Rugby Championships were held • Men and women over 16 years old in Nottwil, , in 1995. Wheelchair rugby appeared as a • Competitive types and social sportspeople demonstration sport at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in , and • Those recovering from injury, looking to rebuild was granted full medal status at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in strength , . There are twenty-four active countries in international competition, with several others developing the sport There is no pressure to • The sport landed here in the early 1980s play at league level, when the USA team gave an exhibition players can attend in Stoke Mandeville. It wasn’t long Wheelchair before our first three clubs arrived on training as much or as the scene – the Scorpions, the Spartans little as they wish. There and the Pirates. There are now ten is an active facebook clubs across Great Britain. The game page (search /WRUFC) Rugby first appeared at the World Wheelchair Games in 1990 as an exhibition event and made its debut in Atlanta in 1996 and of course you’ll be a member of Woodbridge Rugby Club with the socials and benefits that brings • Wheelchair rugby went to Hollywood when it was featured in the (ever been to Twickenham?). Oscar-nominated 2005 documentary Murderball. The film focuses on the all-consuming rivalry between the US and Canadian teams in the lead-up to the 2004 Paralympic Games So do come along and give it a try. We will be holding other tasters from time to time so friend us on Taster Session • Today Team GB is one of the best in the facebook to hear about those. world. We’ve been European Champions on three consecutive occasions, we finished 4th at both the and Paralympic Games and 5th at the Olympics 2012

• Rugby are built to withstand a battering from opposition players, industrial Coach: Martin Saych - 07701 029432 strength bumpers and side wings are standard [email protected] COME AND TRY www.woodbridgerugbyclub.co.uk/wheelchair • Other than its name, wheelchair rugby has very little in common with its WHEELCHAIR RUGBY able-bodied equivalent. It’s a fluid, fast-paced sport with lots of scoring Facebook www.facebook.com/WRUFC Twitter @woodbridgerugby www.woodbridgerugbyclub.co.uk Wheelchair rugby rules

15m • Wheelchair rugby is mostly played by two teams of up to twelve players. Only four players from each team may be on the court at any time. It is a mixed gender sport, both male and female athletes play on the same teams

• Wheelchair rugby is played indoors on a hardwood court of the Goal line same measurements as a regulation court — 28 metres long by 15 metres wide. The required court markings are a centre line and circle, and a key area measuring 8 metres wide by 1.75 metres Centre circle deep at each end of the court Centre line • The goal line is the section of the end line within the key. Each end of the goal line is marked with a cone-shaped pylon. Players score by carrying the ball across the goal line. For a goal to count, two wheels of the player’s wheelchair must cross the line while the player has 3.6m possession of the ball 28m

• A team is not allowed to have more than three players in their own key while they are defending their goal line. Offensive players are not permitted to remain in the opposing team’s key for more than ten seconds Side lines • A player with possession of the ball must bounce or pass the ball within ten seconds

• Teams have twelve seconds to advance the ball from their back court into the front court and a total of forty seconds to score a point or concede possession

• Physical contact between wheelchairs is permitted, and forms a major part of the game. However, physical contact 8m between wheelchairs that is deemed dangerous — such as striking another player from behind — is not allowed. Direct physical contact between players is not permitted. Key 1.75m

• Fouls are penalized by either a one-minute penalty, for defensive fouls and technical fouls, or a loss of possession, for offensive fouls. In some Goal posts cases, a penalty goal may be awarded in lieu of a penalty. Common fouls include spinning (striking an opponent’s wheelchair behind the main axle, causing it to spin horizontally or vertically), illegal use of hands or reaching in (striking an opponent with the arms or hands), and holding (holding or obstructing an opponent by grasping with the hands or arms, or falling onto them).

• Wheelchair rugby games consist of four eight-minute quarters. If the game is tied at the end of regulation play, three-minute periods are played.

• Much like able-bodied rugby matches, highly competitive wheelchair rugby games are fluid and fast- moving, with possession switching back and forth between the teams while play continues. The game clock is stopped when a goal is scored, or in the event of a violation — such as the ball being played out of bounds — or a foul. Players may only be substituted during a stoppage in play