default-output-block.skip-main
Sport | Wheelchair Rugby

Wheel Kiwis make history as Aotearoa’s first wheelchair rugby league team

The Wheel Kiwis are breaking ground for whaikaha (disabled) athletes as Aotearoa’s first wheelchair rugby league team.

The inaugural squad made its debut last week in its first trans-Tasman fixture against Australia’s Wheelaroos.

“It’s definitely a dream come true coming from a rugby whānau,” says player Kauri Murray (Ngāti Apa, Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi).

“It’s exactly the same as rugby league - there’s contact, crashing of the chairs, the ball is still passed backwards - it’s everything someone could ever ask for if they have a disability want to pursue their dreams of rugby league.”

This follows a brilliant week of rugby league in Aotearoa, which saw the PDRLNZ Whaikaha and Kiwis squads also don the black and white jersey in a thrilling triple-header event at Go Media Stadium.

The 12-strong Wheel Kiwis squad was only brought together last week, ahead of their 98-4 defeat to the Wheelaroos.

The team’s head coach Edie George says the majority of their squad have never played the sport before.

“We’re trying to create a legacy for the Wheel Kiwis and New Zealand Rugby League,” he says.

“For a lot of these guys, the opportunity to represent their country is massive.”

Team captain Jayson Hooker - a Kiwi living in Australia - says it is an honour to pioneer this kaupapa.

“It’s such an emotional feeling to be part of the first team.”

Hooker is an able-bodied athlete, but was introduced to the sport 18 months ago by his wife who is a below-knee amputee.

“I just fell in love with it. I can’t play the game running anymore [because] of a few injuries, so this gives me the opportunity to get out and have a go.

Kauri Murray has switched codes, representing Aotearoa in both wheelchair basketball and rugby league.

Although a novice to this code, Murray is no novice to wheelchair sports, representing the Rollerkiwis - Aotearoa’s wheelchair basketball team.

Murray says a reaction to a polio vaccine at five-months-old left his right leg paralysed. This didn’t stop him from participating in lunchtime rugby at school.

“I had a leg brace and I’d go out there and have a run.”

“Once the doors started to open and there were more sports coming in, I thought oh yeah, I’ll give this one a go - [and] that’s where I found wheelchair basketball and eventually wheelchair rugby league.”

Murray led the Wheel Kiwis in their pre-game haka - another first for many of the debutants.

“We spent a lot of time practising the haka - they were more nervous about doing the haka properly than the actual game itself,” George says.

George is one of many able-bodied athletes who has taken part in wheelchair rugby league over the years.

“Wheelchair rugby league is an all-inclusive sport where you can be able-bodied or disabled and participate in the sport.”

“For a lot of the younger players coming through, they don’t get the opportunity to play with their siblings who are able-bodied, so this is one of their only opportunities to do that.”

Cory Cannane says this trans-Tasman fixture is a doorway for him to reconnect to his Māoritanga.

This was also a full-circle moment for Wheelaroos player Cory Cannane, who has whakapapa ties to Te Papaioea.

Although Cannane is able-bodied, his father Craig is in a wheelchair and introduced him to the sport as a youngster. The pair represented Australia at the previous Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in 2022 - the first father-son duo to do so.

“[It was a] big achievement for our family,” he says.

“This opportunity has given me [another] doorway to come back [to Aotearoa] more often.”

Murray and his teammates hope to continue this kaupapa for the next generation.

“We wanna leave a legacy where we can keep this going and get more of our rangatahi playing wheelchair sports.”

The second trans-Tasman test took place in Tāmaki Makaurau this week - the Wheelaroos triumphing over their Kiwi counterparts 110-8.

“I think they did New Zealand proud,” George says.

The Wheel Kiwis are now working towards the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in 2026.