Saturday 30 August 2014

Harry to play wheelchair rugby

As the driving force behind the Invictus Games, Prince Harry has been a major backroom player but he will also take a role centre stage – playing wheelchair rugby.


Harry will be part of an exhibition match featuring gold medal-winning Olympians Dame Kelly Holmes and Denise Lewis, chart-topping musician Example and Zara Phillips and her husband, former England rugby star Mike Tindall.


Former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward and his ex-star player Jonny Wilkinson will go head to head as team managers when the game is staged at the Copper Box Arena next month.


Phillips said she was “very excited” to be involved in the Invictus Games – a Paralympic-style event for wounded servicemen and women from the UK and 13 other nations.


She said: “I have seen wheelchair rugby being played before but I haven’t played. I can’t imagine I’m going to be very good at it, but obviously we’ll bring our A game.”


The equestrian, who won silver in team eventing at London 2012, added: “I’m looking forward to being part of an amazing games. Having servicemen and women from all over the globe come together and compete in sport is going to be fantastic.”


Harry is expected to play on Sir Clive team’s along with Tindall and Dame Kelly while Wilkinson will coach Phillips, Lewis and Example, and both teams will feature injured servicemen and women and professional wheelchair rugby players.


The players will take to the court to entertain the crowds before the knockout stages of the wheelchair rugby tournament are held.


The Invictus Games will be staged in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Lee Valley Athletics Centre, with more than 400 wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women – serving and veteran – from 14 nations competing in a range of events over four days from September 11-14.


Harry has devoted the past 18 months of his working life to making the competition a reality after being inspired by a similar event in America, the Warrior Games.


Dame Kelly, who was a physical training instructor in the Army, said: “As an ex-military soldier, I’m extremely honoured to be part of the Invictus Games.


She added: “I’m very much looking forward to being part of the games and I’m sure I will be in awe of all the events and all those taking part. I wish everyone good luck in their preparation and look forward to taking part myself.”


Example said: “I’m humbled and honoured to be asked to take part and looking forward to getting out there and giving wheelchair rugby a go. It looks brutal. Fun, but brutal.”


Article source: http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-Rugby-bolster-Academy-ranks-new-players/story-21747471-detail/story.html


Harry to play wheelchair rugby

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