Wheelchair Rugby: What To Know
Sportable will host its first United States Wheelchair Rugby Association (USWRA) sanctioned event, the River City Rumble Wheelchair Rugby Tournament this July. In preparation, let’s explore: what is wheelchair rugby, and how is it played?
Murderball
Wheelchair rugby, also known as quad rugby, was founded in 1977 by Canadian quadriplegic athletes who wanted to find a sport that people with reduced upper body mobility could play. Originally, it was called “Murderball” due to the aggressive nature of the game. The first international tournament was in 1989 in Ontario, Canada, where they competed against US and UK teams. By 1996, wheelchair rugby was a demonstration sport in the Summer Paralympics, then gained full medal status in 2000 – where the US team won the gold. Today, there are 31 active countries and 26 developing national teams that participate in international competitions.
How to Play
Wheelchair rugby combines rules from handball, able-bodied rugby, and basketball. Games are played by two teams with 12 players, and only four players from each team can be on the court at any time. Games are held in four eight-minute quarters. Players with the ball must bounce or pass the ball within ten seconds. Teams must get the ball from their back court to the front court in 12 seconds, and score a point in 40 seconds or the ball will be turned over.
Best in Class
Athletes are assigned a classification value, which depends on their range of mobility. A classification value of 0.5 means the player is at the lowest functional level, to 3.5, which is the highest level of functional ability. Classifications are determined by medical professionals or occupational therapists. The total value of all players on the court must not exceed eight points.
Low Pointers
The River City Rumble will focus on low point wheelchair rugby, a newer style of wheelchair rugby to the United States, in which the classification range is smaller. The highest classification value is a 1.5, meaning the total court classification value for a team cannot exceed 3.5.
Did You Know?!
1. The five Canadian wheelchair athletes who founded wheelchair rugby are Gerry Terwin, Duncan Campbell, Randy Duech, Paul Lejeune, and Christ Sarget from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Campbell is often referred to as the “Quad Father.” He was later inducted into the International Wheelchair Rugby Hall of Fame for his contributions.
Duncan Cambell and other Canadian wheelchair rugby athletes
2. In 2022, the Australian Steelers beat the United States team in the Wheelchair Rugby World Championship, earning the title of the top ranked wheelchair rugby team in the world.
3. Rugby wheelchairs can cost up to $10,000, because they are specially designed for the sport with bumpers with rounded wings for turning in tighter spaces.
4. “Rising Phoenix”, a movie that was released in August of 2020 to Netflix, centered around the Paralympic movement and included a segment on wheelchair athlete named Ryley Batt, arguably one of the most notable Australian players. The documentary “Murderball,” released in 2005, centered around the US quad rugby team as they prepared for the Paralympic Games.