As Wheelchair Rugby League looks for a place in the Invictus Games, the Army side recently had a run-out against Wales.
By IAN GOLDEN
IN mid-January, whilst most eyes were on the men’s Challenge Cup clash between the RAF and the Navy, another armed forces side was taking part in a big rugby league clash.
The Army’s wheelchair side provided opposition for Wales in their warm-up match before their tour of the USA, as they lost 34-24 to the Welsh in a competitive match at Cwmbran Stadium, attended by Army Wheelchair Rugby League patrons Kevin Ellis and Allan Bateman.
A match against an international side is just another chapter in the short history of Army Wheelchair Rugby League. They started playing in 2019, it being introduced by Steven Sampher, a former soldier and running rugby league player who was injured in Afghanistan and then started playing Wheelchair RL for Hull FC. He realised that introducing the sport into the services was a necessity so injured servicemen and women who couldn’t play the running game due to injuries could still continue playing rugby league but in the wheelchair form.
Sampher says: “So in 2019, we set up an inter-services competition and played in Portsmouth between us, RAF and Navy and we won the first competition.
“We work towards that all year, it is normally played in September with the men’s senior team, the men’s academy team, the women’s team and the wheelchair team all in action. This is where the Army, Navy and Air Force compete against each other to attempt to win the title of inter-services champions.
“We are fortunate to be supported by the charity “Soldier’s League” which was set up by an ex-rugby player knowing there wasn’t much support for injured players.
“Soldiers League support mentally and physically injured service personnel and veterans. We use rugby league as a vehicle to help in their recovery and also meet up outside of playing. For example, we hold an annual black-tie dinner in London at the Victory Services Club on the night before the Challenge Cup Final to raise money to support the injured service personnel.
“The charity has some great patrons supporting us, people like rugby legends Andy Gregory, Lee Crooks, Kevin Ellis, Allan Bateman and James Simpson MBE.”
Simpson is just one Super League player who has turned out for The Army in their short history.
“We have a wealth of great players who are ex-military who played within the Super League and International level,” Sampher admits. “There’s Tristan Norfolk who’s played for Hull FC and England, Paul Hartley of Bedford Tigers and Scotland, Toby Burton-Carter of Wigan and Ireland, plus John Willans and Michael Mellon of Dundee Dragons and Scotland.”
Simpson played for the Army against Wales in January and like Sampher, proudly scored a try in that game. It was only his second appearance for his forces side, having previously concentrated on his Rhinos and England career, but now after retiring from those sides, he’s making the Armed Forces tournament in the autumn his priority.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while,” Simpson admits. “Being an ex-soldier, it’s always been on my radar as the Army is a big part of my life, it’s who I am. The amount of times I’ve tried to play for them and something has always come up, like a tour to Australia or that little World Cup we had a couple of years ago. But now I can give the Army my time and hopefully the knowledge I’ve picked up in my 12 years in the sport, I can help them do some good things. I just want to test myself in this new team environment. When we go up against the Navy and the RAF there’s always a bit of stick and I can’t wait to get going.
“We’re getting more and more messages all the time from potential players wanting to be part of it. It’s a place people can come along and play maybe without having the pressures of Super League or an international set-up.
“It was great for us to play against Wales. They’re preparing for a ground-breaking tour of the USA and it was really good for us to give them a bit of competition. They always take on Scotland and Ireland, so they know them. We were an unknown entity, and we gave them a really good game.”
Now, there are plans to get Wheelchair Rugby League into the Invictus Games, the international multi-sport event that was founded by Prince Harry and first held in 2014, for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, both serving and veterans.
“The support for team events taking part in the Invictus Games is unreal”, Sampher adds. “So having Wheelchair Rugby League included would be massive. Because of the inclusivity of Wheelchair Rugby League, both physically and mentally injured servicemen and women would be able play.
“All nations that competed in the last Rugby League World Cup compete in the Invictus Games, so playing Wheelchair Rugby League in the games would grow the sport massively on the international stage.”
Wales head coach Alan Caron may have used the match against the Army for preparation for their USA tour, but he says that helping the Army get some recognition was another goal as he is also a big supporter of Wheelchair Rugby League being introduced into the Invictus Games.
He said: “I’m a real advocate of Wheelchair Rugby League being in the Invictus Games. Most sports that are in the games are Paralympic sports and what we have is a great sport outside of that.
“The Invictus Games could actually serve as an introduction to Wheelchair Rugby League for many players. People from the Armed Forces could go out and play for their local club team and end up playing in Super League and for their country. It’s a big thing for us to be part of, not only as a pathway for future players but for promotion of the game of Wheelchair Rugby League as a whole.”
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 492 (January 2024)
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