Steelers Primed For Paris 2024 Dress Rehearsal

The 2024 Canada Cup will not be the world’s best wheelchair rugby tournament this year but it could be the most intriguing. 

Beginning on Friday at Richmond Oval in Vancouver, the three-day tournament will feature the world’s top six teams with more subplots, mysteries and potential red herrings than any famous Hollywood thriller. 

For competing teams, the goal is simple enough.  Win a medal.    

But only win in a way that won’t reveal all your line-ups and best plays before the sport’s biggest spectacle, the Paralympic Games, opens on August 28. 

For athletes, the goal is to impress your coaches. 

But only without revealing your own strengths or weaknesses that could be exploited by your opponents on the world stage in less than 90 days. 

In an Australian context, the Canada Cup will take on extra significance. 

While most teams – including the United States, ranked number one in the world – have already confirmed their squads for Paris 2024, Australian selectors won’t announce their Paralympic squad until next month. 

“We don’t currently know who our team for Paris is going to be,” Australian head coach Brad Dubberley admitted before he departed for Canada on Saturday. 

“There are a few things that we’ll find out at Canada Cup. It could be a really important part of our selection process. 

“We know there are athletes not going on this trip who could very well be in our team for the Paralympics, but there’s no doubt this tournament will help us make a more educated decision when it comes to selecting our best possible team for Paris.” 

With Paralympic gold medals in 2016 and 2012 and World Championship glory in 2022 and 2014, the Steelers boast one of the best records in the history of the sport having missed only one Paralympic and World Championship final since 2008.  

But at the Canada Cup, the Steelers’ impressive international record has taken a pounding. 

Held biennially since 2004, the Canada Cup is the most prestigious wheelchair rugby tournament outside of a Paralympic Games or World Championship. 

Australia has never won the tournament in a Paralympic year and finished fifth in the previous edition in 2022. Their only two victories from eight attempts came in 2014 and 2010. 

“This is going to be an awesome tournament,” Dubberley said. 

“We all know it’s not the be-all and end-all because everyone is focused on the Paralympics. But at the same time, it’s going to be important to try and get some confidence and momentum and utilise this opportunity the best way we can. 

“There are teams like Japan, the US and Canada that we know really well. But then we’ll get a look at France, who we haven’t played. I think we have played them maybe two or three times ever. 

“So for us, the focus will be gathering information on our opponents, seeing who can match up well and finding ways help us get our game plans and selections ready for Paris.” 

It will be first international hit out for the Steelers since March, when they won the final Paris 2024 Qualification Tournament in New Zealand by defeating Canada by one goal in an epic gold medal decided in overtime. 

The Steelers have made just one change to that squad with 0.5 player Emilie Miller coming in for two-time Paralympian Ben Fawcett.  

Still stinging from that loss, the Canadians will relish the home crowd advantage when they host the Steelers in the tournament’s opening match early Friday morning AEST. 

All six teams will play each other once before the top qualifiers do battle for the gold medal on on Monday morning AEST. 

2024 Canada Cup – Wheelchair Rugby 

Richmond Oval, Vancouver, CAN 

Australian Steelers – Fixtures (times in AEST) 

Fri 7 June  

• 4am – AUS vs CAN 
• 10am – AUS vs FRA  

Sat 8 June  

• 4am – AUS vs GBR 
• 10am – AUS vs JPN 

Sun 9 June  

• 7am – AUS vs USA 

Mon 10 June 

• 3am – 5th vs 6th  
• 6am – Bronze Medal Match 
• 9am – Gold Medal Match 

Wheelchair Rugby World Rankings 

1. United States
2. Australia 
3. Japan 
4. Great Britain 
5. Canada 
6. France

By Tim Mannion, Paralympics Australia.

Published 6 June, 2024.