Meet the Team: Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Squad for 2024 Paris Paralympics

Team GB are the reigning world champions from the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics, and are amongst the favourites for a place upon the Parisian podium. The wheelchair rugby action commences on the first day of the Games, with the sport formerly known as 'murder-ball' amongst the first medal contentions for Great Britain & Northern Ireland.

GBWR head coach Paul Shaw has made the difficult decision of selecting his 12-player squad, with the preparations all but finalised ahead of the flight to France. This past six months has seen Team GB cut their teeth against top opposition, beginning in Denmark's Musholm Cup competition. The annual Quad Nations tournament then in Cardiff, before Shaw's men wrapped up their readiness at the Canada Cup back in June.

Due to the ripple effect caused by the Covid Pandemic, GBWR only had three years to prepare for the 2024 Paris Paralympics as the Tokyo games were a year delayed. Now the first match of the tournament draws ever closer, as Great Britain take on Australia to commence the action in Pool B, before additional group stage matches against Denmark and the reigning European champions France. On the opposite side of the bracket sits underdogs Germany, Quad Nations rivals Japan, and the North American rivals of Canada and the USA.

So, with all the Paralympic wheelchair rugby action set to get underway at the end of August, lets have a look at who will be flying the Union Jack in the French capital. Here is a recap of the 12-player squad, selected for Great Britain's Wheelchair Rugby team that is heading out to Paris later this month.

Jonathan Coggan MBE (London Wheelchair Rugby Club)

Jonny was injured in a car crash in 2000, where he suffered a spinal injury. A keen footballer, he watched the Sydney Olympics from his bed and, during his rehab at Stoke Mandeville, he was introduced to a number of Paralympic sports and chose wheelchair rugby. Jonny has played club rugby since 2001 and was invited to go on a World Rugby Tour with the GB development squad in 2002.

He gained his first full international cap in Athens in 2004 and, since then, has been a constant fixture in the GB squad. Now regarded as one of the most senior members of the team, Jonny is a role model within the squad and is also recognised as one of the best in the world in his classification. Paris will be Coggan's sixth Paralympic games, an incredible record which is the best longevity of the current squad.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 5 (Athens 2004 - 4th, Beijing 2008 - 4th, London 2012 - 5th, Rio 2016 - 5th, Tokyo 2021 - 1st)

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY HONOURS: 5x European Championships (2005, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2019), 2016 Rio Paralympics Test Event Winners, 2021 Quad Nations Winner, Tokyo 2021 Paralympics Gold Medal,

Nick enjoyed watching the Beijing Paralympics, and went on to try wheelchair basketball before finding his calling in rugby. He started playing in the Great Britain development team aged 24 and was invited to the GB squad in 2014, making his first debut at the BT World Wheelchair Rugby Championships in 2015.

Nick also competed at the Rio Test Event in 2016 Nick recently completed a PhD in History at Leicester University. His disability is a result of contracting meningitis, and Cummins is proudly supported by the Boost Charitable Trust, which backs disadvantaged athletes.

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY HONOURS: 2016 Rio Paralympics Test Event Winners, 3x European Championship Winner (2015, 2017, 2019), 2021 Quad Nations Winner, Tokyo 2021 Paralympics Gold Medal

Kieran was a talented rugby player, playing centre for his local team Crewe and Nantwich. Following a tackle during a match in 2013, he sustained a spinal injury. After several months of rehab in hospital, Kieran returned to university to complete his degree in law.

His love for sport remained strong and he was keen to get back to be active so joined his local wheelchair rugby team RGC, after a year there he moved to Leicester Tigers. Kieran quickly caught the attention of the GB Talent coach and in 2018 was invited onto the GB Talent pathway. His debut for GB was at the European Championships in Paris in 2022, where he was part of the team that won a silver medal.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 0 (Debut Paris 2024)

Dan’s active lifestyle growing up included a passion for motocross. In 2012, his life changed significantly when he suffered a spinal injury in an accident at work. It was during his rehabilitation that he discovered wheelchair rugby and was immediately drawn to the contact and pace of the game. Dan’s love for the sport grew, and he began to excel as a player. The game provided him with a new outlet for his competitive nature.

Following the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Dan was invited onto the GB talent pathway, becoming part of the GB long squad in 2019. He made his international debut at the European Championships in Paris in 2022, where he was part the team who won silver.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 0 (Debut Paris 2024)

Born in Malta, he spent his early childhood there before resettling in the UK at the age of seven, he remains with dual nationality, but is very much a man of Kent. Starting wheelchair rugby with his local team Canterbury Hellfire, he now has transferred and plays for London WRC.

Ollie has being on the squad since 2017 where he has featured at tournaments such as the Canada Cup, the Quad Nations series and the 2023 European Championships in Cardiff, where he was part the team who won a silver medal. He will make his Paralympic debut at this years games in Paris.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 0 (Debut Paris 2024)

Aaron Phipps first heard about the sport in 2008 at a wheelchair racing event and quickly developed a love for it. Invited to GB training, he was selected for the 2009 European Championships where the team finished 4th. Aaron continued to work hard as an integral part of the team and made his Paralympic debut at London 2012.

Aaron took some time away from the international stage to focus on work and his family, returning to high level training in 2017 with his goal to achieve selection back onto the GB team. He was successful, representing GB at the 2018 Quad Nations and remaining on the team ever since.

Aaron has competed in 2 London Marathons and in 2016, he climbed Kilimanjaro, raising £250k for the Meningitis Research Foundation (MSF) and featuring on a Channel 5 documentary. Aaron became the first person in the world to climb in a wheelchair, he spent the final four days on his hands and knees to reach the summit.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 2 (London 2012 - 5th, Toyko 2021 - 1st)

Stuart Robinson MBE (West Coast Wheelchair Rugby Club) (Vice-Captain)

Stuart was on his fourth tour of Afghanistan when he was injured by an improvised explosive device. He was introduced to wheelchair rugby in 2014 during rehabilitation and invited to try out for the Invictus Games being held in London where he came away with the gold medal.

Following this, Stuart became part of the GBWR talent development squad and was then selected to join the ParalympicsGB inspiration programme for the Rio 2016 Games. Stuart then went on to captain the UK team for the Invictus Games in Orlando (2016) and Toronto (2017) where he won a further bronze and silver medal.

He was then invited to GB Elite squad training in November 2016 and became part of the squad who were successful at retaining their European Championship title in 2017 and 2019. His drive and determination to continually improve on and off the court, ensured he was a key part the team during the Tokyo Paralympics, and integral to the teams success when winning the gold medal. In 2023 Stuart was named as the teams vice captain. Stuart is also an ambassador for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 1 (Toyko 2021 - 1st)

In 2013 whilst playing rugby, Dave sustained a spinal injury during a ruck. At just 18 years old he was a keen sports person and was starting studies in sports science. After leaving hospital, a fellow patient he met during rehabilitation introduced him to wheelchair rugby, and he was instantly hooked. Dave was first invited to GB trials in 2015. He returned to university and fully completed his sports science degree in 2018.

In 2019 Dave moved to England, joining London wheelchair rugby and was also invited to became part the GB talent pathway. Following a few years of hard work both on and off the court, Dave became part the long squad in 2021 and made his GB international debut at the 2022 Canada Cup. The 2023 will be his first Europeans. A dedicated Ulster fan, Dave enjoys watching live sport and spending time with family and friends.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 0 (Debut Paris 2024)

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY HONOURS: 2022 European Championships Runner-Up

Jack was an all-round sports fan growing up, but in 2008 whilst playing rugby he broke his neck whilst at the bottom of a ruck aged 16. Keen to get back into sport as quickly as possible, Jack was introduced to wheelchair rugby while in rehab at a spinal unit and knew immediately it was for him.

He joined the talent squad in 2015 and then played at the Quad Nations. Representing GB in Paris at the 2024 Games was Jack’s main aim with Tokyo ‘a dream’. He was one of four players in the GB squad at the Tokyo Paralympics from Leicester Tigers, where the team successfully won a Gold medal. Away from wheelchair rugby, Jack enjoys watching rugby union at his local club Billingham RFUC.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 1 (Tokyo 2021 - 1st)

A proud Yorkshireman, Jamie was born with cerebral palsy and a dream of becoming a professional athlete which led to him trying a number of sports before settling on wheelchair rugby. Jamie made his international debut at the Canada Cup in 2014, he has since gone on to become a key member of the team representing GB at European and World level, making his Paralympic debut at the Rio 2016 Games.

Jamie is regarded as one of the best 2.5 players in the world which has been recognised on a number occasions with Jamie getting awarded MVP and best 2.5 player at the King Power Quad Nations, also picking best 2.5 player at WWRC Tokyo 2019, Four Nations 2019 and Japan Para Championships 2018. Jamie also captains his much loved club team Leicester Tigers and has led them to two league titles.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 2 (Rio 2016 - 5th, Tokyo 2021 - 1st)

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY HONOURS: 3x European Championship Winner (2015, 2017, 2019), 2016 Rio Paralympics Test Event Winners, 2021 Quad Nations Winner, Tokyo 2021 Paralympics Gold Medal

Gavin Walker (Leicester Tigers Wheelchair Rugby Club) (Captain)

A former firefighter, Walker was selected to join the GB Development Squad in 2011, and joined a new cohort of players who now make up the main body of the national squad. Gavin continued to work for the fire service in Sheffield until 2012. In 2013 he was selected for the national squad and became a full-time athlete.

Gavin made his Paralympic debut at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games where he was consistently within the team’s starting line. At the 2019 European Championships Gavin and Chris led their team to their third consecutive European title. Gavin remained as Co-Captain of the GB squad and was integral to the teams success at the Tokyo Paralympics, where they won Gold. Away from wheelchair rugby, Gavin works for the Spinal Injury Association.

PREVIOUS PARALYMPICS: 2 (Rio 2016 - 5th, Tokyo 2021 - 1st)

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY HONOURS: 3x European Championship Winner (2015, 2017, 2019), 2016 Rio Paralympics Test Event Winners, 2021 Quad Nations Winner, Tokyo 2021 Paralympics Gold Medal

Tyler Walker, born with Cerebral Palsy, has risen through the ranks of wheelchair rugby making his international debut in June 2024 at the Canada Cup. His journey in the sport began at the age of 14 when he was introduced to wheelchair rugby through GBWR’s junior programme. Recognising his potential, Tyler joined the performance pathway in January 2023 and has quickly developed into an exciting player.

A big football fan, Tyler passionately supports Manchester United, often catching games and following the team’s progress. When he’s not working or training, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family.