Rugby league is taking the sporting world by storm, with Aotearoa’s two disability teams joining the World Cup action in Australia.
The Wheel Kiwis made their World Cup debut this week as Aotearoa’s first wheelchair rugby league team, while the Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL) Kiwis opened their second campaign with a 26-0 win over reigning champions England.
But beyond the results, players are calling for greater awareness, recognition and support for disability sport back home.
“We came up here with two goals - the first one is to win that World Cup, but the second one is just exposure, getting a bit of growth in PDRL,” says PDRL Kiwis co-captain Mal Davis (Hokianga).
“There’s been a lot of growth over in England, Australia, and we’re really pushing for that growth back home and in Aotearoa.”
The two teams are competing alongside the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns at this month’s Rugby League World Cup.
He pakanga anō ki ngā hoa kakari
The PDRL Kiwis made their World Cup debut in 2022, finishing runners-up to England.
For Davis, this campaign is an opportunity to go one better after falling short to England in the 2022 final.
“I’ve carried that pain from the loss in the final over there and ready to avenge that this time around.”
Born with a club foot, Davis grew up playing able-bodied sport, including rugby union for Waitemata Rugby Union Football Club and his school’s First XV.
“I played able-bodied sport growing up, and then in my 20s, the gap became a bit too big.”
He reached out to PDRL in 2022 to see if he was eligible.
“I haven’t looked back since.”
Now captain, Davis says representing his country is an honour he doesn’t take lightly.
“It’s a huge honour. It’s unexpected. So, you know, I do know I’ve got a lot to carry,” he adds.
“I’ve got two young kids who are over here in Sydney; they’ll be able to watch their dad play in the black jersey for the first time.”
Me tautoko mai te marea i ngā hākinakina whaikaha
Census 2023 stats show that more than 850,000 people in Aotearoa have a physical disability. But how many have access to disability sport?
Head coach Raymond Greaves says PDRL gives players the chance to showcase their abilities.
“Our players have pretty much grown up being told that they can’t do certain things, rugby league being one of them,” he explains.
“And they now have the opportunity to step out onto the international stadium and prove to everybody that they have just as much right as you and I to play rugby league.”
Players are placed into one of three categories - A, B or C -depending on their level of physical impairment.
But Greaves says the sport still needs greater recognition and investment.
“We are a fringe sport. We need everybody to understand us and realise that we’re here. The powers that be kind of push us to the background,” he says.
“We have a lovely chairperson that goes out there and really fights for us, Sandra Hickey. So we need more growth and more understanding from everybody else.”
Te ao Māori - he aho here i te kapa
Te ao Māori also plays a significant role in the team’s identity.
“We’ve got a pretty much a 50% group of Māori,” Greaces says.
“We’ve been practising our haka, our waiata, our mihi, because that’s who we are. We need to get te ao Māori out there.”
This year’s tournament also carries added significance, with the team remembering late teammate Jeremy Hendrix, PDRL Kiwi #14, who represented the side at the previous World Cup and passed away this year.
Meanwhile, the Wheel Kiwis made a strong effort in their debut games, going down in their games against Australia and France.
“Not the result we wanted, but we’re gonna bounce back, we’re gonna push hard [and] get back to work the next day,” says Vice Captain Kauri Murray.
The PDRL Kiwis are next in action against Australia’s Ability Roos this Thursday.
