- Who has claimed the Paralympic crown?
- 2008:
USA 12 - 2004:
NZL 8 - 2000:USA 14
- 1996:USA 10
The Athletes
Meet Aaron Phipps, the GB wheelchair rugby team's secret weapon
Meet Myles Pearson, the wheelchair rugby star intent on looking sharp on court in London 2012
Meet Welsh dragon David Anthony; the wheelchair rugby star with his eyes on the gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games
Rugby veteran Mandip Sehmi has already competed at one Paralympic Games and is looking forward to bringing a medal home from London 2012
Steve Palmer is a wheelchair rugby veteran of two Paralympic Games and is tougher than the entire cast of The Unstoppables
We ask Steve Brown what first attracted him to murderball and to show us his collection of scars...
Meet GB wheelchair rugby star Andy Barrow, a man who likes Indian food, Canadian house music and winning (although he likes hugs a little more…)
How it works: Wheelchair rugby
Four-a-side rugby is ultra-aggressive, so eight rolling substitutes make up squads of 12. The arena of battle is the size of a basketball court and the aim is to thunder your way across your opponents' goal line with two wheels in contact with the hardwood floor and the ball in your hands. Players in possession have to bounce the ball or pass with within 10 seconds of receiving it.
What you need to know
A terrifying fusion of wheelchair basketball, ice hockey, handball and rugby, the game was founded in Canada in 1977 and was originally dubbed 'Murderball'. It's not just about brute force though - tactically it's a very intelligent game to be involved in.
Rugby wheelchairs are built to withstand a battering from opposition players, industrial strength bumpers and side wings come in handy when you're trying to smash your way to the goal line. The chairs are worth a few quid too, with most priced up at £5,000.
Wheelchair rugby went to Hollywood when it was featured in the 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.
Other than its name, wheelchair rugby has very little in common with its able-bodied equivalent. There's no chance of a match descending into a slow stop-start contest - it's a fluid, fast-paced sport that you can't take your eyes off.
Team GB performed the best of all the European nations in Beijing but narrowly lost out on a bronze medal when losing 47-41 to Canada in the third place play-off.
What to say: Wheelchair rugby
"Show us your scars." Ask any wheelchair rugby athlete about cracked ribs or jammed fingers and they'll gladly tell you. In this combative sport, battle wounds are status symbols.
Who's good: Wheelchair rugby
The American team are the current wheelchair rugby champions, having pipped Australia to the gold medal at the Paralympic Games Beijing 2008. Canada is another of the world's big guns, while Great Britain is at the forefront of the European wheelchair rugby scene.
Inside stories
The thrills and spills of wheelchair rugby
GB coach guides us through a sport that is set to be a smash hit at the London Paralympics
No split loyalties for GB coach
Wheelchair rugby coach Patty Cornelius plots downfall of her beloved USA
Video
Upcoming events
18-19 April, Basketball Arena, Olympic Park, London
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