Wheel Blacks
The Wheel Blacks are the national wheelchair rugby team of New Zealand. The team won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Paralympics.[1] The 2006 Wheel Blacks were captained by Tim Johnson and coached by Grant Sharman.[2] The Wheel Blacks name is one of many national team nicknames related to the All Blacks.
| New Zealand NZL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IWRF Ranking | 9th | ||
| IWRF Zone | IWRF Asia-Oceania | ||
| National Federation | New Zealand Wheelchair Rugby Association | ||
| Coach | Greg Mitchell | ||
| Paralympic Games | |||
| Appearances | 4 | ||
| Medals | Gold: 2004 Bronze: 1996, 2000 | ||
| World Championships | |||
| Appearances | 7 | ||
| Medals | Silver: 1998, 2006 Bronze: 1995 | ||
| IWRF Asia-Oceania Championship | |||
| Appearances | 10 | ||
| Medals | Gold: 2005 Silver: 2001, 2003, 2009 Bronze: 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 | ||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
Johnson captained the Wheel Blacks at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, although the team finished third in their group, salvaging fifth overall in the consolation matches.[3]
2013 Tri-Nations
The Wheel Blacks placed third in the 2013 Be the Influence Wheelchair Rugby Tri-Nations tournament.[4]
The tournament team consisted of: Cameron Leslie, Phil Spring, Adam Wakeford, Sholto Taylor, Rob Hewitt, Chris Lay, Gavin Rolton, Clayton Utia, Dan Buckingham, Barney Konerferisi and Peter Martin (coach).[5]
Current squad
The Wheel Blacks qualified for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Japan by winning the bronze medal at the 2019 IWRF Asia-Oceania Championship in South Korea.[6] The team consisted of.[7]
| Player | Classification |
|---|---|
| Gavin Rolton | 0.5 |
| Cody Everson | 1 |
| Gareth Lynch | 1 |
| Mike Todd | 2 |
| Rob Hewitt | 2 |
| Tainafi Lefono | 2 |
| Maia Marshall-Amai | 2.5 |
| Cameron Leslie | 3 |
| Hayden Barton-Coates | 3 |
| Tyler Jennings | 3 |
References
- ^ "Paralympians aim for Medals in Beijing", NZ Live, July 16, 2008
- ^ Interview with Grant Sharman by Brent Ward, rugbyfoundation.com, October 24, 2007
- ^ , Xinhua, May 7, 2008
- ^ "USA crowned Tri-Nations champions".
- ^ "Tri-Nations 2013 Team". Wheel Blacks.
- ^ "Wheel Blacks get bronze and qualify for 2020 Paralympics". Stuff.co.nz. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "Wheelchair rugby teams go for podium at Asia-Oceania Championship". paralympic.org. International Paralympic Committee. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
External links
- Official website