Deaf Rugby - Making a Difference

Having a disability shouldn’t stop you playing a sport you love. In the past, it may have done, but over the last few years, disability sport has grown stronger. 

Rather than focusing solely on the athletes’ disability, the emphasis has now switched to the athletic achievements of the sportsmen and women taking part and that’s the way it should be.

Since the inaugural World Championships in 2002, Deaf Rugby is one of the sports which has continued to grow and it has branched out and connected with many countries across the world.

And one of those nations is England.

Fittingly, the year in which Johnny Wilkinson kicked England to World Cup glory in Australia, was the same year in which the England Deaf Rugby Union was established.

They have never looked back since setting up 13 years ago and Chairman Tony Stoyles was quick to echo this point.

“We decided to create a team to encourage deaf & hard of hearing people to participate in every aspect of rugby union,” he said

“This naturally includes the players themselves, but of course, we have other opportunities within the charity. We are all volunteers and we welcome anyone who wishes to join us. We do encourage to an ‘inclusive’ atmosphere and we have seen the changes in individuals who have become confident characters, which helps them in their everyday lives.

“The biggest message is that Deaf Rugby exists globally. There are other countries who have national teams like South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Tonga, Argentina, and I am aware USA have ambitions to create a team in the near future.”

Tony is proud of how things have advanced over the last decade with the popularity of  English Deaf Rugby rising. This has meant that the EDRU have set-up the first Women’s International Deaf team in the world and plans are in place to set up Deaf Rugby centres across the country to help local and junior players get involved.

In truth, these are just a couple of the many achievements Tony, along with the fantastic volunteers and backroom staff, have been able to attain and their hard work was praised by the RFU at the end of 2015.

He added: “I don’t take praise very well as I am a team player.  I see it involving everyone in the organisation who should have the praises, including the players. The RFU should also feel proud to be supporting England Deaf Rugby, as it is much appreciated by all who are involved.”

So what’s next in 2016 for England Deaf Rugby?

Well, there is only one place for them to start the new season and that is by hosting current World Champions Wales at Fylde Rugby this weekend.

When England and Wales meet in rugby it is always a huge game and that very much applies to Deaf Rugby. England have not beaten their Welsh counterparts in the last five meetings, but Head Coach Sean Fletcher says there is no bigger fixture in the calendar year.

“We play Wales Deaf twice a year and these fixtures are the pinnacle of our season, said Sean, who took his role as Head Coach in 2014. “We constantly prepare for the games.”

“We generally train together at least once a month, but as we build for this fixture, we come together a minimum of twice a month and try to complete three sessions if we can practically get the players together. Although affiliated with the RFU, we remain primarily a charity and the players fund their own travel to and from every event.”

Rugby has been part of Sean’s life ever since he was aged 10. His parents moved home in order for himself and his brother to attend a rugby oriented school which was near Fylde RUFC.

Sean decided to play at Fylde from the age of 18 where he was coached by the great Bill Beaumont during the peak of his career.

But in 2003, he suffered a serious injury to his left eye which halted his playing days, but Sean’s love of the game and for Fylde, still very much remains.

He added: “I lost the sight in my left eye in 2003 as a direct result of an injury that occurred whilst playing rugby. Although I hoped to be involved in coaching visually impaired players, there was no national set up.

“During my coaching career, I came across a hearing impaired player who had played for England Deaf, which created my link with England Deaf and my involvement commenced. I see it as a great privilege to coach the players and the link to sensory impairment is extremely important to me.

“Fylde was my big break and to be pushed and shaped by the likes of Bill Beaumont (who will be in attendance at the match this Sunday) was truly fantastic. Whenever I return to Fylde it always feels like going home. I can honestly say that Fylde was my favourite club and the best club to play at. I cannot wait to return this weekend as a coach of a national representative side.”

And leading Sean’s side out this weekend will be Captain Graham Sage who will be making his sixth appearance for England.

Graham received his first cap for his country at Fylde in the 2011/12 season and the skipper believes this is the most exciting England team they have had for a few years

He said:  “The squad selected for the game on Sunday is our strongest to date. We have lots of exciting debutantes who are chomping at the bit to get their opportunity as well as many capped players who are relishing the chance to make up for the losses of previous years.

“We have had a really positive build up to this match. Not only have we had many more incredibly successful training sessions working on specific patterns of play but we have then been able to implement these in our games for example our tour to Italy to play their national deaf side and the bruising game against the England Police.

“All of these opportunities have provided us with best possible platform to propel us into this game.”

Kick-off at Fylde RUFC is 2:00pm and once again a special mention must go to the club for hosting such a fantastic initiative.