Making rugby more inclusive for Gwent players of all abilities

The Dragons have a number of inclusion teams which come under the #JerseyForAll banner, including men’s and women’s mixed ability sides, a homeless team, and wheelchair, touch and walking rugby sides.

In total, the Dragons inclusion teams have more than 140 regular players.

After initially working on a voluntary basis, Gareth Sullivan now works part-time as an inclusion rugby co-ordinator for Dragons Rugby.

The Dragons Allstars mixed ability team launched about 18 months ago, and now has around 50 players aged 18-65 in its men and women’s teams.

Mixed ability rugby sees both disabled and able bodied players compete on the same pitch, and players choose if they want to play contact or non-contact.

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“Inclusion rugby often gets confused as disability rugby,” said Mr Sullivan.

“It’s actually about giving everyone that opportunity that they thought they wouldn’t ever get to play rugby. There’s a jersey for all.

“We have lots of players who couldn't catch or throw a ball, but they love the game. These are the lads you always see at games or in and around the clubhouse. This gives everyone the opportunity to be part of the rugby club.

“I say to the lads that come and play for us they can now say they are a Dragons rugby player - that means so much to them, to be able to play wearing that badge.

“But after playing with us, some of our players have got the confidence to go on and play for mainstream teams.

Gareth Sullivan (left) leading a Dragons Allstars mixed ability training session. Picture: Dragons Rugby

“It’s also about being healthy and promoting positive wellbeing.

“The big thing for me is, it doesn’t matter what your ability or disability is, it’s a chance for everyone to play rugby. We’re grateful to Newport City Homes and New York Welsh for their support, because without it, we couldn’t provide the kind of opportunities we give.”

Connor Harvey plays for the Dragons Allstars. Before he joined the club he weighed 28 stone, and he credits playing for the Allstars with helping him lose 15 stone.

“After having weight loss surgery in December of 2018, I felt like I wanted to get back into rugby,” he said.

“I didn’t feel like I was ready to jump into mainstream rugby after being out for so long, and the mixed ability rugby was a great starting point.

“After playing for a year now, and making some great memories, it’s clear that it was the right decision.”

Dragons Allstars player/coaches Callum House and Gareth Sullivan. Picture: Dragons Rugby

Robert Nicholls also plays for Dragons Allstars after previously having a quadruple heart bypass.

“I had suffered a number of heart attacks,” he said.

“I was adamant I had to get back into sport or physical exercise.

“Due to my previous conditions I couldn’t keep up in mainstream rugby.

“I read up on social media about the great work Gareth and Dragons Rugby were doing with mixed ability rugby and the second chance they were offering to players like myself, so I emailed and came to training.

“At the start I couldn’t finish the whole training session but with the coaching and support now complete full games.”

Dragons Allstars women's team at Rodney Parade. Picture: Dragons Rugby

After the success of the men’s team, Karen Burgess, who worked with Mr Sullivan on the Dragons Phoenix homeless side, asked to expand the team to include a women’s mixed ability side too.

“With the Dragons Phoenix homeless provision, I fell in love with what inclusion was all about - helping others and making a difference,” she said.

“After seeing the success these men were showing, I decided if the men could do it then why couldn’t the women?

“I approached the wives and girlfriends of the Allstars players asking if they fancied having a go at doing some training like the men.

“In the first week I had 12 players. With the help of Gareth and Dragons Rugby it has grown from week to week.

“We now have a 24-woman squad, and it’s still growing.

“We are one big happy rugby family. I love everything about it.”

The Dragons wheelchair rugby side. Picture: Dragons Rugby

The region also sees rugby as a tool for rehabilitation. As well as featuring players from homeless shelters across the region, the Dragons Phoenix side is also open to recovering drug addicts and former prisoners.

“We try to get people in from everywhere for our homeless rugby side,” said Mr Sullivan. “We go around the shelters in all five authorities in the region.

“It’s as much about rehabilitation as anything else.

“We feed them and they get tickets for Dragons games.

“It’s good for giving them focus. If they know they have a game or training, you find they are less likely to drink or take drugs.

“We’ve had some real success stories. There was one player who was an alcoholic and drug addict. After playing for us, he got clean and is now moving in to a flat with his girlfriend.”

Players taking part in the Dragons Tag Festival, part of the club's gateway programme. Picture: Dragons Rugby

As well as the inclusion teams, Dragons in the community also run a gateway programme, which looks to get youngsters into the game.

“We go in to 45 different primary schools and deliver rugby sessions on a fortnightly basis as part of our gateway programme,” said Mr Sullivan.

“We also run 16 skills camps across the region in the holidays. These are full-day sessions where parents can drop their children off at the start of the day, and they spend the whole day playing rugby.

“These usually see around 500 children take part across all the camps.

Youngsters involved on matchday as part of the Dragons community gateway programme. Picture: Dragons Rugby

“And every matchday we have about 100 children involved. They will form a guard of honour before the game, are mascots, and we set up tournaments on the training pitch before the game.”

If you would like to find out more about any of the Dragons inclusivity teams, or would like to be involved, email gareth.sullivan@dragonsrugby.wales or call 07887 242409.

More information can also be found at dragonsrugby.wales