Justin didn’t know where to turn when he was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis (IBM), until he found wheelchair rugby. He shares why wheelchair rugby has become a lifeline to him, how he’s set up his own club in Wales, and what it’s like competing around the world.
“How my diagnosis allowed me to rediscover rugby – in a wheelchair!”
Rugby has always been a huge part of my life. I represented Wales at junior level before progressing into the adult game. I loved the physicality, the camaraderie and the sense of belonging that comes with being part of the team.
But everything changed when I was 25. I suffered a serious injury during a match that ended my career. What followed was a long and difficult journey. I underwent nine operations on my leg as doctors worked to reconstruct the damage. At the time, I thought the biggest challenge would be recovering from the injury itself. I had no idea there was something else going on.
A knee injury turned into much more
As the years went by, I noticed I wasn’t recovering in the way I expected. I had always been a big, strong bloke, but I was losing muscle strength and tone, even in my upper body which hadn’t been affected by the injury. Walking the dogs became harder.
At first, I put it down to getting older and the wear and tear of years spent playing rugby. But something wasn’t right. I was only in my mid-forties and finding it hard to pick up my grandchildren.. Fatigue became a constant struggle.
After years of tests and investigations, I finally received a diagnosis of inclusion body myositis (IBM) at 46 years old. Like many people, there was a period where I felt low and wondered what came next. My wife let me grieve for a while, but then she encouraged me to find something new that would get me out of the house and give me a focus.
Smashing away the frustration
I started looking online to see what sports might be available for wheelchair users. Wheelchair rugby immediately caught my attention.
“The first time I got into one of the rugby wheelchairs was incredible. It felt like a release. For an hour or two each week, I could forget about hospital appointments, accessibility challenges and the frustrations that come with living with a progressive condition.”
You get to smash into other people in wheelchairs and enjoy the thrill of competition. It sounds simple, but it gave me something I had been missing for a long time.
My consultant encouraged me to keep playing for as long as possible because remaining active can help slow muscle loss. More importantly, it gave me back a sense of purpose.
Back to my rugby roots
When I started exploring wheelchair rugby clubs, I found some weren’t quite what I was looking for. What matters most to me is enjoyment and inclusion. So instead of accepting what was available, my wife and I decided to help create something ourselves.
Last year, we launched a wheelchair rugby club in the Vale of Glamorgan. We borrowed chairs, found a venue, advertised on Facebook and invited people to come along and give it a try. The response was fantastic.
We have more than 20 members now, ranging from nine years old to 78. People with all kinds of physical disabilities take part, and we also welcome family members, carers and able-bodied players to join training sessions.
“What makes the club special is the atmosphere. Everyone knows what it’s like to face challenges. Everyone understands what it’s like to be judged or underestimated. Because of that, everyone is welcome.”
For some members, Tuesday evening training is the only time they get out of the house all week. We weren’t brought together by disability; we were brought together by our love of rugby.
Taking Welsh wheelchair rugby to the world
Traditional four-a-side wheelchair rugby has strict eligibility criteria, which means many disabled players don’t have an international pathway. But it felt unfair, so in 2024, we launched Wales’s first wheelchair rugby five-a-side national team. This was the first in the world and it created opportunities for players who might otherwise miss out. Since then, countries across the globe have set up their own teams and we’ve competed internationally in places as far afield as Bali and Hong Kong.
It’s been an incredible journey, especially considering that we receive no funding. For our first international tournament, my wife and I even took out a loan to help get the team there. We did it because we believe disabled people deserve the same opportunities as everyone else.
The main thing I’d say to anyone living with a muscle wasting condition is don’t assume a sport isn’t for you. Many people hear wheelchair rugby and immediately think they wouldn’t be able to do it, but we’ve had people try out and they’ve been amazed at how they could adapt.
You might decide it’s not for you. Or you might find it’s exactly what you’ve been waiting for. I know it was for me.
