The Ability Rugby International Championship compares the results of all the mixed ability sides across the globe, with an emphasis on games played but with a win element incorporated.

The results for 2018/29 have been much delayed but saw the Warriors regain the title from Scottish National Clan team. They edged out newcomers the Dragon Allstars who were playing their debut season. The 2019/20 season may have been curtailed, but the Warriors still managed more fixtures than any other mixed ability side, this time edging out another new side, the Port Talbot Panthers.

Mixed Ability rugby sees players with and without disabilities play alongside each other and against ‘normal’ rugby clubs. The concept continues to spread rapidly and the days when it was just the Warriors and their Swansea rivals the Gladiators, have long gone. 10 years ago the 1st sides started forming outside of West Wales and there are now over 100 teams and groups world wide.

Captain Richard Evans was very proud. “It takes a lot to organise fixtures regularly so this is a great reward for all our efforts. The boys are very committed and we just love to play. It’s great to see so many sides playing now and it’s great to be at the forefront of the movement”.
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The news boosted the Warriors presentation evening where they looked back over their season.

James Anthony was the main beneficiary, playing his 1st full season his pace on the wing and accurate boot helped him lift the Top Points Scorer award and the Player of the Year titles.

Players’ Player went to 2nd row Tom Ashour. Quick enough to have previously played on the wing, he proved a reliable source of lineout ball and was always combative around the field. Luke Pearse was named Most Improved Player, narrowly beating Will Browne, Lloyd Cawley and Dan Grinter.

The most closely contested was Sportsman where Luke Pearse, Arwel Thomas and Dan John were pipped by Chris Davies. The nominees were described as the glue of the club by Chairman Gwilym Lewis, and vital to the teams success.

The Warriors are especially anxious for Covid regulations to lift as the new season will be their 25th. Planning is difficult at present but they hope to have a number of special fixtures. At the end of the season they are due to head out to Ireland for the 3rd Mixed Ability world tournam

Ability Rugby International Participation Championship Press Release:

ARI Championship

PRESS RELEASE

The Results of the Ability Rugby Championship for the last two seasons have finally been released. The Championship compares the various ‘Mixed Ability’ or ‘inclusive’ Clubs who actively look to include players with disabilities alongside able bodied players. The continued spread of this concept has meant that the results are harder to compile with numerous new clubs forming across the globe.

Points are awarded primarily for playing fixtures with a win bonus. This reflects the idea that taking part is the most important element whilst retaining the competitive nature of rugby. Fixtures are against mainstream teams and the only actual rule change is passive scrums. This means a huge level of integration for the players who are often excluded for mainstream sport and other elements of society.

The results are a double success for the Llanelli Warriors who claimed the title from The Clan (Scotland) for 2018/19 and retained it in the Covid curtailed season. It will be a boost for the club as they head into their 20th season. They were pushed hard in both seasons by fellow country men, reflecting the boom in growth in Wales. In 2018/19 The Dragon Allstars produced the best ever debut season, playing 20 fixtures with only 2 defeats. They only narrowly missed out on the title but claimed the Best Newcomer’s Title. Last season the newly formed Port Talbot Panthers emulated them in claiming Best Newcomer, managing 14 matches despite the season ending early.

Worcester led the English challenge to the title in both seasons with two 3rd place positions. They also had the best win ratio of the leading sides, losing just 1 match in each season.

Cardiff Chiefs pressed for a podium finish in both seasons, further highlighting the popularity of the concept in Wales where previous winners the Swansea Gladiators (the World’s oldest club) also finished high in the ranks. There are also teams in Newtown (Dragons), Colwyn Bay (Stingrays) and Pembrokeshire (Vikings).

The international nature of the competition is highlighted by Chivasso Rugby Onlus. The leading Italian club coming 5th in both seasons.

England’s oldest club the Bumble Bee Barbarians and their neighbours the Halifax Magpies headed the Yorkshire challenge in each season with York RI, Hessel Vikings and Castleford also featuring.

The Gloucester Griffins managed to stay ahead of rivals Walcot Warriors. Sunday Wells’ Rebels continue to lead the way in Ireland but next season will have strong competition from West Cork Jesters, Malone Tornadoes, SPL Eagles and Banbridge.

In Scotland, Trust Rugby International, who administer ‘unified’ rugby there, have decentralised. There has been less utilisation of the National team which won the ARI title in 2018, instead concentrating on teams in Glasgow, Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Fife, Strathmore etc.

The emphasis on regular club matches counts somewhat against sides in countries where rugby isn’t as well established. There are numerous Spanish and Argentinian sides such as Gaztedi, Pumpas, UR Almenia Clan and Cullera play more festivals and short matches. There are also teams and training groups in Brazil, Belgium, The Netherlands, Ecuador, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

The postponement of the 3rd Mixed Ability Rugby World Tournament, due to have been held in Cork, Ireland in June would have seen 25 teams from 8 countries competing. Covid hit just as these teams were stepping up preparations which no doubt would have involved many of the other teams not actually attending.

Although the Swansea Gladiators are approaching their 30th anniversary, it was only 10 years ago that the first sides formed outside of South Wales but the last few seasons have seen a real boom. The concept of including players with and without a disability in the same team and matches is still relativity rare in sport so it may seem strange that such a physical sport as rugby is leading the way. The multitude of different skills and roles, aligned with the sports traditional social element make it an ideal environment for misconceptions to be challenged, prejudices to be overcome and integration. Across the globe, players and their families report; increased confidence, better social skills and wider circle of friends.
From 2 clubs 25 years ago, 4 clubs 10 years ago there is almost 10 fold that number now and a real sense of momentum.

Ability Rugby Championship 2018/19 Top 10
Team
Playing Record
Points

Llanelli Warriors
P22 W12 D1 F4
1430
Dragon Allstars
P20 W17 D1 F4
1420
Worcester Mixed Ability
P14 W13 F1
980
Cardiff Chiefs
P15 W9 F4
950
Cron Chivasson Rugby Onlus
P12 W7 F2
780
Bumble Bee Barbarians
P10 W4
580
Swansea Gladiators
P7 W2 D2 F6
530
Gloucester Griffins
P8 W4 F2
520
Walcot Warriors
P6 W1 1uk 1F
390
The Clan
P5 W2 D1 F1
320

Ability Rugby Championship 2019/20 Top 10
Team
Playing Record
Points

Llanelli Warriors
P16 W7 D3 F2
1010
Port Talbot Panthers
P14 W6 D3 F1
820
Worcester Mixed Ability
P11 W10
750
Dragon Allstars
P8 W4 F1
540
Cardiff Chiefs
P9 W2 D2 F1
530
Cron Chivasson Rugby Onlus
P7 W4 F1
470
Halifax Magpies
P7 W5
450
Swansea Gladiators
P7 W3 F1
430
Gloucester Griffins
P6 W4
380
Bumble Bee Barbarians
P5 W1
270
Links:
URA Almenia Clan, Spain @URAlmeria
A.C.Rugby para Todos, Venezuela @Todosrugby
Ballincollig Ireland https://www.facebook.com/ballincolligrfc/ @BallincolligRFC
Bandridge, Ireland https://www.facebook.com/Banbridgerfc/
Blackthorn Barbarians RFC, USA @BlackthornRugby https://www.facebook.com/groups/531414667664012/
Border Clan, Scotland https://www.facebook.com/bordersclan/
Bumble Bee Barbarians https://www.facebook.com/groups/149119725277566/ @BumblesRugby
Capitolina Italy https://www.facebook.com/unionerugbycapitolina/ @URCapitolina
Cainscross Mixed Ability, England @Crfcmixedabilty
Caledonian Clan, Scotland, https://www.facebook.com/The-Caley-Clan-512701752430521/
Castelford MA, England @CasRUFCMA
Cardiff Chiefs, Wales @CardiffChiefsRU
Chivasso Rugby Olnus, Italy @ChivassoRugby https://www.facebook.com/chivassorugby/
Colwyn Bay Stingrays https://www.facebook.com/ColwynBayRFC/ @StingraysMAR
Cullera Spain https://www.facebook.com/rugbycullera/ @RugbyCullera
Del Estrecho https://www.facebook.com/clubderugbydelestrecho/
los Cuyis Argentina https://www.facebook.com/loscuyisrugby/
Del la salle Eagles, Ireland @DlspEagles
Derby England https://www.facebook.com/DerbyRugbyClubdrfc/ @DerbyRugbyClub
Dragons Allstars Wales https://www.facebook.com/DragALLSTARS/ @DragALLSTARS
Droitwich Ravens, England @OfficialDRFC
Edinburgh Clan, Scotland https://www.facebook.com/The-Edinburgh-Clan-1767248126839620/
Fife Clan, Scotland @FifeClan https://www.facebook.com/TheFifeClan/
Flanders Barbarians, Netherlands
Gaztedi, Spain Gaztedi Gaztedi Barneratze-Ability Rugby 21 @GAZTEDI_RUGBY
Glasgow Clan, Scotland
Gloucester Griffins https://www.facebook.com/GloucesterGriffins/ @glosgriffins
Grampian Clan, Scotland https://www.facebook.com/The-Grampian-Clan-2255041608046708/
Halifax Magpies @MagpiesRugby
Heathen Hellhounds, England @Heathens_RFC
Hessle Vikings, England @HessleVikings
A. D. Ingenieros Industriales Las Rozas Rugby, Spain @iirugby https://www.facebook.com/iirugbylasrozas/
Llanelli Warriors, Wales @gwilwarriors
Leeds Corinthians @LdsCorinthians
Letchworth Brave Herts, England @Letchworthrugby
Malone Tornadoes, Ireland @MaloneRFC
Mill Lane RFC, England @MillRfc
Mixed Ability Rugby New Zealand, NZ, https://www.facebook.com/MARugby/
Newton Dragons, Wales @DragonsNewtown
Portslight, England, @PortsunlightMA
Port Talbot Panthers, Wales @PTPantherss
Pembrokeshire Vikings, Wales @PembrokeshireV
Pumpas XV, Argentina @pumpasxv
Quijoter rugby, Spain @QUIJOTERUGBY https://quijoterugby.es/inclusivo/
Rugby Can, Canada @MixdAbiltyRugby
SilverStorm El Salvador, Spain https://www.facebook.com/ClubDeRugbyElSalvador/ @Chami_Rugby
Shropshire Stags, England @ShropshireStags
Strathmore Clan, Scotland @StrathCommTrust
Sunday Wells Rebels, Ireland https://www.facebook.com/sundayswellrebels/ @sundaysrebels
Surrey Chargers, England @ChargersRFC
Swansea Gladiators, Wales @SwanseaGlads
TRI Rugby Cantebury, New Zealand https://www.facebook.com/tri-Rugby-Canterbury-112121713706628/
Walcot Warriors, England @walcotrugby
West Cork Jesters, Ireland @CorkJesters
Wolfpack, USA https://www.facebook.com/dcwolfpackrugby/
Worcester Mixed Ability, England @WRMixedAbility
Neuqu Inka XV, Argentina https://www.facebook.com/Neuqu%C3%A9n-Rugby-Club-182269732944/ @inka_xv
Yaguares, Ecuador https://www.facebook.com/YaguaresRugbyClub/
Yeovil RFC, England @YeovilRugbyGirl
York RI, England @YorkRIRUFC

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