Cai Griffiths and Sam Parry have today been confirmed as the first ever Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby Ambassadors, and will work to promote the club over the coming season.
The pair met with coaches, players and administrators at Llandarcy Academy of Sport, where the team train and play, ahead of a busy season that will see them formally represent the Ospreys at matches and key dates and events across the year.
Welcoming Cai and Sam to the role, Rev Steve Jones, Chairman of Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby, said:
“It’s fantastic for us as a club to have the support of respected professional rugby players like Cai and Sam. Their involvement will raise the profile of wheelchair rugby in the region and, hopefully, help to inspire people to get involved in some way.
“We are extremely grateful to everybody at the Ospreys for their ongoing support which has really helped us to take the club onto another level since the start of 2015. The link-up has been great for us, and initiatives like this and the cricket match at Mumbles can only make Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby even bigger and better.”
Speaking about the ambassadorial post, Cai Griffiths said:
“I was fortunate enough to be at the wheelchair rugby final during London 2012 where I saw close up what an incredible sport this is, so I’m honoured to be an ambassador for Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby.
“Over the course of the season, and beyond, there’ll be plenty of opportunities for us to work together and promote the game to our supporters and the wider community.”
Sam Parry added:
“When you look at these guys in action it is inspirational and I’m looking forward to getting to know everybody involved with Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby really well.
“It’s an honour for me personally to be an ambassador for the club, which is one that is going places. Matchdays here at Llandarcy are already proving pretty popular and if we can play a small part in increasing the number of people involved, on and off the court, then it’ll be something we can all be proud of.”
Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby was launched early in 2015 following a major tie-up between Ospreys in the Community and South Wales Pirates, Wales’ first wheelchair rugby team.
It is one of a number of Ospreys in the Community initiatives either currently active or in the planning stage that will see staff working across the length and breadth of the region, using the Ospreys’ high profile to contribute to the social and economic wellbeing of the community.
Following the tie up, the team was rebranded under the Ospreys banner now play and train in officially branded BLK kit featuring a newly updated version of the famous Ospreys mask.
The team is made up of largely from players and coaches who have previously represented the Pirates, originally established in 1989, and currently competes in Division 2 of the GB Super Series, doing battle against teams from across the UK.
Anyone interested in trying out with the Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby team should contact Head Coach, Paul Jenkins, on 07718 171672.
Potential volunteers looking to assist, or sponsors who would like to support the team, should contact Amanda Thomas, Regional Development Officer (Wales & South West), Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, on 07950 545014 or via email at amanda.thomas@gbwr.org.uk.
Alternatively, you can contact Fran Jenkins, Secretary of OWCR, on 07970 400565 or email ospreys.wheelchair.rugby@gmail.com.