An inclusive form of rugby is being piloted on the Sunshine Coast.
Two clubs are taking the Modified Rugby Programme put together by Brothers rugby club in Brisbane to allow people with neuro diverse and physical disabilities “to learn the game of rugby and be able to play it.”
Brothers Sunshine Coast is leading the change.
“[Brisbane Brothers] came together and with an allied team and OTs and physios looked at modifying the game,” said Sunshine Coast co-ordinator Nicole Patelesio.
“Since then there’s over 300 young people in Brisbane that take part in Canberra and Toowoomba.
“[On the] Sunshine Coast, we ran, Brothers ran a pilot last year, we had six young people turn up.
“Then this year I tried to sell it to a couple of more clubs and Caloundra jumped on board with us.
“So we’ve just done so we’re doing a program together.
“We’ve just did our first combine game on Monday night, first time ever on the Sunshine Coast.”
The programme kicked off on the Coast last monday andcontinues on Tuesday night at the Brothers Sunshine Coast ground in Kawana at 4:30pm.
“We’ve been running for about four weeks week and then the first game was against Caloundra on Monday and then the second game will be next week.
“It’s kind of still like in the piloting process.
“So, you know, just getting Caloundra on board was just seeing how we can fit it across the Sunshine Coast Rugby Union, all the other clubs.”