Steelers Topple Visiting Brits, As World Championships Come Into View  

The Australian Steelers wheelchair rugby team has scored a tense 56-51 victory over Great Britain in a one-off Test match on the Sunshine Coast, with captain Chris Bond celebrating a performance he admitted exceeded his expectations.  

The Steelers beat the then-reigning Paralympic champions in the bronze medal match at the Paris Paralympics last year and, with both sides now in rebuilding stages, the Test match, at the end of a week of unofficial competition with the visitors, provided a perfect opportunity to test new players and new systems and set themselves for upcoming World Championship qualifications.  

The match was a test of composure, with the scores remaining tight and every possession crucial. The Steelers executed precise passes, tough defence and smart lineup selections to maintain their narrow lead, enthralling a crowd that carried the home side through the final minutes.   

“We played really well actually; we exceeded my expectations,” said Bond, who won Paralympic gold with the Steelers at London 2012, Rio 2016 and captained the side at Paris 2024.  

“Great Britain, we played them about a year ago in our bronze medal [Paralympics] match. They’re right up there as one of the best nations in the world … and we kind of surprised ourselves in how well we’ve been playing and limiting our turnovers, playing very clean. We got the series win and, more importantly, we got that final win today in front of the home crowd.” 

Bond said the visit by the British team was highly valuable for the Steelers’ progress.  

“We can’t get this kind of experience anywhere else,” he said.   

“We’re so far away in the world, no one wants to come to us, to do the jet lag. But we’ve got a big tournament coming up in November to qualify for World Championships next year, so this is our last hit out against a strong opposition to get us ready for that competition.  

“It’s been a Godsend, it wasn’t in the calendar, they made it happen, they’ve come over, we’ve played them six times, and we’ve developed so far already.” 

Steelers coach Brad Dubberley echoed Bond’s sentiment.  

“Playing games against a team like GB is huge for our preparation,” Dubberley said.  

“For all of our players, we have a lot of camps playing against ourselves, domestic competitions and the World Challenge events, but getting a top calibre team like GB out here is huge for us, particularly for when we play competitive teams like Japan who we’ll play at Oceania’s. 

“We’ve got probably a stronger team than we initially thought, lots of lines ups, we’ve tidied up a lot of stuff and simplified a few things, but it’s been awesome having these guys here.” 

Great Britain player Gavin Walker said his side had used the match-up in a similar way to the Australians.  

“We’ve got some new faces in the team and opportunities like this are great,” Walker said. 

“Of course, we’re always competitive and want to win, but it was really important for us to implement some of the things we’ve been working on… I think we’ve achieved that as a team and we’re quite happy with it.”  

The special Sunshine Coast Test Match provided not only an exciting spectacle for fans but also critical preparation for the Asia Oceania Championships in November and the 2026 World Championships for the Australian national team. 

Photo: Wheelchair Rugby Australia and Joep Buijs Photography

By: Wheelchair Rugby Australia and David Sygall, Paralympics Australia 

Published: 26 September 2025