Cam's Corner: Wheelchair rugby my Waikato connection

Cameron Leslie playing wheelchair rugby for Waikato. PHOTO/CHERIE HARRIS

WAIKATO is sometimes described as being the same as Whangarei, except bigger, and so it's no wonder Northland sportspeople link up with the region.

Well known Northlanders like Glen Taylor, who captained them, and Todd Miller are just a few names that spring to mind when connecting the two regions in a rugby sense - not forgetting former Taniwha captain Jared Payne is a Waikato lad.

Last weekend I donned my Waikato Wheelchair Rugby jersey as we sought to claim one of two national titles up for grabs.

While some see the connection between me and Waikato odd, people from the regions are actually pretty similar.

The main reason why I don the Waikato jersey with pride is because I like the people. They are in it for the same reasons as me - to have fun, play good rugby, and hopefully win.

For those that don't know about the sport, it is designed for quadriplegics pretty much.

To play internationally you must have some form of disability or weakness in at least three limbs.

That means it is for people who have pretty much broken their neck or have three or four limbs affected by some sort of amputation.

Some may think it's not a sport for them but as several of my quadriplegic teammates say it acts as a part of rehab for them.

They, and I, learn from each other about all sorts - how to pick something up off the ground with their limited hand function for example, or transfer from seat to seat easier.

It may not sound like much but when you have only got 10 or 15 per cent of your body's muscle function it can make a huge difference.

One person who could easily have been in this boat is Takahiwai rugby league centre Sosaia Tali who had a very near miss last weekend.

Tali suffered what looked to be a serious spinal cord injury when he fell across the top of his head in a tackle which bent his head down to his chest, but it has since been revealed he is still able to walk.

The injury on Saturday was so reminiscent of Newcastle's Alex McKinnon's recent spinal injury in the NRL that all thoughts of the game were quickly forgotten as every precaution was taken to ensure his safe removal to hospital for evaluation.

Luckily for Tali he isn't facing life in a wheelchair, but there are many who haven't been as lucky as him - like some of my teammates for Waikato.

Wheelchair rugby ... what is it?

- A sport designed for quadriplegics or people with disability in at least three limbs.

- In what is an action packed game, a goal is generally scored every 40 seconds.

- The sport involves full chair-on-chair contact.

- A game consists of four eight-minute quarters.

- The ball must be bounced every 10 seconds.

- An attacking team has 12 seconds to get out of their own half.

- Other than that, have fun!