Friday 12 September 2014 – Royalty and sporting greats took to the court this evening in the Jaguar Land Rover Exhibition Wheelchair Rugby Match. The match preceded Great Britain’s thrilling victory in the gold medal contest at the Invictus Games, the international sporting event for wounded warriors.
With rugby legends Sir Clive Woodward and Jonny Wilkinson going head-to head for the first time as managers of the two sides, it was Wilkinson who came up on top, with Team Invictus lifting the ‘I AM Trophy’.
Olympic silver medallist Zara Tindall and Rugby World Cup winner Jason Robinson were on the winning team, lining up alongside Invictus competitors Dennis Dencker, Dennis Ramsay and Ryan McIntosh, plus Great Britain professional James Roberts.
Dennis Dencker, from Denmark, described the match as “fantastic”. He said: “I’ve never experienced an atmosphere like that at a wheelchair rugby match. To play alongside Prince Harry was so cool and I love being here at the Invictus Games.”
Jason Robinson, a Rugby World Cup winner with England in 2003, said: “It’s been great to be a part of the Invictus Games. I can just see this event going from strength to strength and you can’t help being inspired by the men and women and what they are achieving.
“Quite often in life we have excuses, and these guys are teaching us that there’s no obstacle that you can’t overcome.”
The match, which also featured Mike Tindall, Dame Kelly Holmes and Denise Lewis, saw stars line up alongside wounded, injured and sick Service personnel from six nations.
Denise Lewis, who won Gold for Great Britain at the Sydney Olympics said: “The atmosphere was incredible, I loved every minute of it. I’ve competed at the Olympics and to see the same energy for our fantastic Servicemen and women, and how they’ve rebuilt their lives, has been a privilege.”
The exhibition match, presented by Jaguar Land Rover, took place during the Invictus Games Wheelchair Rugby competition at the Copper Box Arena. In a thrilling final, Great Britain took gold, beating the USA 13-12 thanks to a last minute try. Denmark earlier won the Bronze Medal Match, beating Australia.
The Invictus Games are being organised with the support and backing of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry and the Ministry of Defence. It sees more than 400 wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women, from 13 nations, competing at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, thanks to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, the London Legacy Development Corporation, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, DCMS and Sport England.