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Cardiff Visually Impaired Rugby gear up for Inclusivity Festival

Community | 20th August 2021


Cardiff Rugby VI are preparing to host their first Inclusive Rugby Festival at the Arms Park on Sunday.

The Visually Impaired team, the first and only in Wales, was set up in collaboration with RNIB Cymru in August 2019, and is further proof that there is a rugby jersey for all. 

Both men and women, with varying degrees of visual impairment are involved in the team and they will showcase the initiative in Sunday’s session.

The team will take on five other teams in the Cardiff area, who promote inclusive rugby including Cardiff Chiefs (Mixed Ability Rugby) and Cardiff Lions (LGBT+), in a mixture of touch rugby and VI touch rugby.

Gareth Davies, a member of Cardiff Rugby VI said: “Inclusive rugby ensures whoever wants to play the game, whatever background, they are from or challenges they face, like us with visual impairments, is able to.

"We’re a mixed gender team and anyone over 16 with a visual impairment can join Cardiff Rugby VI. 

“Sport is all about connection and staying connected with your friends. The buzz from any sport, but rugby in our case, and the training that comes with that just gives you a real boost in your well being and in rugby in particular you create so many lifelong friendships. 

“Cardiff Rugby have enabled us to do that with their support in getting this team up and running.”

The event gets underway at 10.30am and will run until approximately 2pm with consecutive games with the general public able to attend.

Nadine Griffiths, Community Foundation director said: “As a foundation we are hugely committed to providing positive opportunities to all people throughout our communities. We are especially proud of this festival, which will be the first of its kind in Wales.

 “We will be looking to build and grow this event over the next year to make it even bigger and better here at Cardiff Arms Park.

"We have a great workforce who massively care about the work we do throughout schools, clubs and the community and most importantly we have an army of volunteers within all of the clubs in our region that continue to push forward and provide great experiences for all.”