"England did win the Ashes last month. The wheelchair team's 2-0 series victory in Australia went under the radar in the UK. With games played in the early hours and not screened on mainstream TV, the team missed out on the adulation that came their way when they won the World Cup in Manchester three years ago. The forgotten Ashes? That's sad if it's true, says the coach, Tom Coyd."
"The NRL showed great engagement and we did loads of media there, but we were in a bubble and pretty disconnected from back home. England will return to Australia next year to defend their world title. The favourites will be expected to beat Wales, USA and Ireland in their group before facing the second and third best teams in the world France and Australia in the knockout stages of the tournament in Wollongong."
"The last World Cup was familiar and potentially easier for us, says Coyd. We could see our family and friends after games and we broke camp for days off so players could go home to sleep in their own beds. We'll have none of those luxuries next year. We've got a diverse range of needs in the team and we've learned we need to individualise the schedule as much as possible. What takes one person 30 minutes to do say getting changed after a meeting and coming back for lunch will take another player an hour."
The England wheelchair team won the Ashes 2-0 in Australia but the achievement received little recognition in the UK. Matches were scheduled in the early hours and were not screened on mainstream television, reducing public visibility. The squad experienced strong engagement from the NRL and significant media activity in Australia but felt disconnected from supporters at home. England will return to Australia next year to defend the world title and is expected to advance from a group containing Wales, USA and Ireland. The team must individualise schedules to accommodate a wide range of disabilities and differing support needs on tour.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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