Matthew is bringing wheelchair sport to Stratford | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

Matthew Muller has spent the past three-years perfecting his wheelchair rugby skills, and now he is bringing the game to Stratford.

"I've been travelling to Palmerston North once a month for the past three years to play the sport and thought it was about time we had it here," he said.

This Saturday, he and his team-mates from Manawatu will be holding a demonstration day at the TET MultiSports Centre so locals can get a feel for the game.

"It is a very fast-paced and high-scoring game," he said.

Wheelchair rugby is played with modified chairs and a ball that resembles a volleyball. It combines elements of several different sports, including basketball and rugby and the main objective is to get the ball from one end of the court to the other without getting penalised.

"There are four people to a team and some act as blockers and others as ball-carriers. It is played in four eight-minute quarters with the clock stopping for turnovers and time-outs," said Matthew.

Matthew's interest in wheelchair rugby was initially sparked when he began playing (as physiotherapy) following a rugby accident where he broke his neck.

Since then, his love for the sport has grown, as has his enthusiasm.

The wheelchair rugby demonstration day kicks off at 12 noon and runs till 4pm.