With the new season fully underway in the Northern hemisphere, it is time to announce the results of the ARI Championship 2024/25.
The results mainly reward the playing of full matches, but with a win bonus to recognise that rugby is a competitive sport. In the summer, we had the 4th IMART World Cup. A true festival of rugby and the gathering of the tribes. A week of games, singing, dancing, other sports and more that showcases the best of mixed ability sport and demonstrates the concept in an explosion of colour and culture. The spoils went to Longlevens, Harelqueens and the Ballincolig Trailblazers, but the memories will also be about Belgians and Uruguayans, Italians and Chileans, Welsh and Argentians. An incredible event.
The ARI, though, is a deeper dive. This table highlights the clubs playing the most matches over the season and taking an active role in their communities. Athletes with and without disabilities playing “mainstream” clubs, to quote Sundays Well Rebels, “Just another rugby team”.
You can read more about the ethos of the competition HERE!
This season, we have only published the top 20 teams – with the International Mixed Ability World Cup held in June, it was a very busy season and difficult to find time to regularly update, with lots of other preparations. It was also difficult to keep track of the different amalgamations (Harlequeens, Italian Clubs Est, Italian Clubs Ovest, Trailblazers/West Cork Jesters, MARI, Merched Cymru, etc.). We are confident, though, that at the top end we have the right results.
As ever, the Championship suits the clubs in traditional rugby areas where there are a lot of clubs and a well-established rugby culture. It does not thoroughly reflect the sides that play a lot of festivals or shortened matches, and it does not include the additional work that many clubs are involved with, or other sports such as football, basketball, rowing, boxing, etc. However, it is worth remembering that every training session, any community engagement and social event that is held in the true Mixed Ability spirit, helps empower people and promotes inclusion!
The Llanelli Warriors triumphed again, starting their season on the Friday of the 1st available weekend. They were busy right through the season, up to and including Pamplona. 23 matches, two festivals and 5 days in the IMART saw them retain their title.
They were chased hard by their local rivals. The Swansea Gladiators (the world’s oldest team) powered through to runners-up, edging out Port Talbot Panthers, who celebrated their 5th anniversary with another full season.
Worcester were the busiest English club, with IMART Champions Longlevens and the relatively young Stafford club not far behind. Equal with Stafford were Iruna and just behind them URA Clan. The Spanish sides benefited from the league fixtures system set out there, Iruna arrived at Pamplona undefeated, and URA Clan topped their league. The Dragons All Stars were equal with URA in 8th, and Malone Tornadoes completed the top ten. The worldwide spread of Mixed Ability was highlighted with Argentina (Pumpas), England (Bolton Buccaneers, Halifax Magpies, Melksham Stags), Scotland (Edinburgh IRT), Ireland (Sundays Well Rebels), Italy (Capitolina), Belgium (DRC Knaptandenand) and Wales (Pembrokeshire Vikings) also present in the top 20.
We know the story is much more than this; these clubs are the tip of an iceberg that also includes Chile, Uruguay, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is a shame that the growing women’s teams did not feature in the top 20, as this is an area that is also developing quickly. The likes of Yeovil (England’s first and oldest Mixed Ability women’s side) and Worcester lead the way, and with new teams at Oshawa, Ledbury and Llanelli, there will be even more opportunities.
But to these clubs named here – congratulations: the best examples of clubs playing regularly in their communities, every game an example of what people can do, breaking down barriers, not as a disability sport but through inclusion.
Notes: Points are awarded thus: 50 points for a full rugby match, 20 points for a win, 10 points for a draw. 20 points for shorter matches and festival days.
Results are gleaned from Facebook and direct messages. To ensure that your results are counted, please tag @AbilityRugbyInternational on Facebook.
The new championship started on August 1st, and judging by the fixtures published by Swansea Gladiators, Worcester and Bolton Buccaneers and with new teams already in Wales, England and Belgium, it will be another incredible season. Let us hope for more leagues, more matches, more tours (fantastic to see Australia’s Southern Lions tour to HSOB in New Zealand), more inclusion and fewer barriers!
Thanks to Gwilim Lewis for collecting the scores and redacting the text!
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