All abilities walking rugby and football partnership launched

Neelu Jennings, disabled athlete and disability rights advocate is creating sports and recreation opportunities that all people can partake in together, irrespective of their ability. 

As a disabled person herself, Jennings knows that disabled people have little choice about the sports they play and who they play with. She also feels there are many others in the community who do not fit the mould to be part of a social sports team which can often be competitive and put those who just want to have fun, off.   

Integrated sports are adapted versions of mainstream sports that have been specifically designed so as many diverse participants can play the sport to their fullest. This means people of all abilities can play together in teams. The rules for the games are tailored to those playing. 

In conjunction with Wellington Rugby Football Union and Capital Football, the integrated games of Walking Rugby and Walking Football will be trialled this February and March.  

Diverse teams will try out the games for 6 weeks, every Sunday from the 12 February from 2pm at the Hutt Old Boys Marist Rugby Football Club (Myrtle Street, Lower Hutt). All community members are welcome, disabled or not, to come and give the new games a go.     

Michael Langley from Wellington Rugby Football Union is excited to see the initiative come together and to see how popular this pilot will be.    

“Wellington Rugby has a desire to have a game for all. Our traditional participants have been well served for over 140 years, but now we want to ensure that everyone has an ability to experience a form of rugby no matter their background.   

I think this [game] could be a real game changer for our communities. It might be something we look back on in 50 years and say, 'why didn't we do this sooner?’, said Langley.  

Capital Football Operations Manager, Blair Duncan commented that Capital Football are “in the same waka,” adding, “sport is a wonderful medium for community cohesion. Collaborating with Wellington Rugby and offering a programme that enables anyone to participate together is an exciting step in providing more inclusive sporting opportunities.”  

Jennings echoed, "It is my hope that these games will ignite a flame for social change.  

“For far too long my community has been segregated from their wider community- sport is just one context, and it is a blatant human rights violation. When the community plays together and starts to learn about each other they will become more conscious about the barriers faced by others.” said Jennings.  

After becoming legally blind in her teens, Jennings has been trying to change the way society sees support for the disabled by creating links between able-bodied and disabled people through common interests. 

Jennings was the first legally blind person to complete the Coast to Coast. She has climbed Mounts Aspiring and Kilimanjaro and kayaked the Cook Straight. Neelu became the first blind person to complete the Crazyman multisport race in Lower Hutt in the race's 27-year history.