10 things you need to know to watch wheelchair rugby
Wheelchair rugby rules
What Are the Rules of Wheelchair Rugby
10 things you need to know to watch wheelchair rugby:
Wheelchair Rugby is played on a basketball court with up to 12 players on the squad and a maximum of 4 players on the court at any one time (5 players for WR5s).
Teams are made up from both women and men.
A Maximum of 10 points on court per team. All players are classified from 0.5 to 4.0 on a player's points scale. Assessed on the players functionality and mobility.
Wheelchairs – there are two types 1. Defensive Chair has an enlarged pick bar to aid with pinning the opposition 2. Attacking Chair has a small pick bar, which makes the chair shorter and nimbler.
Tip Off – the game is commenced by two opposing players competing for the ball via tip off, like basketball. The ball is round like a volleyball with a textured surface to help with grip and is over inflated so that it increases the bounce.
A team scores by a player crossing the try line when in control of the ball. Two casters must cross the line for the try to count.
Inbounding – this is how the game is restarted. The player has 10 seconds to inbound the ball, their chair must be fully behind the line.
The Team must get the ball out of their half within 12 seconds and bounce or pass the ball every 10 seconds, with a total shot clock time limit of 40 seconds.
Contact is encouraged; however, you cannot spin opponents chair by hitting behind the rear axle or touch the opponent with your body, both results in a penalty. When a player is tipped off his wheels the support staff have 1 minute to get the player back onto their wheels.
Sin Bins – 1 minute in the bin – the player can return to court after 1 minute or when the opposition score a try (not a penalty try) - Flagrant Foul – 2 minutes in the bin or three tries.
