Wheelchair Rugby: Record breaking Team UK thrash Australia to claim bronze
By Kris Bramwell
Charlie Walker was the star man as Team UK beat Australia by 47-4 in the bronze medal match.
The 36-year-old Paralympian scored over 20 points as the UK set a new record for the most points scored in a game at an Invictus wheelchair rugby match.
Australia who lost to the US by the previous record score of 36-15 in their semi-final match struck first, but after that it was all UK.
With Walker the orchestrator the team raced into an 18-1 lead before the Aussies replied again; Captain Stuart Robinson, Michael Hutchinson and Adrian Grobler all got themselves on the score-sheet as the half ended 22-3.
In the second period the UK did not let up, Leicester’s Chris Middleton on as a substitute opened the scoring.
Emphasising Walker’s impact on the match, the double below the knee amputee’s 20th point of the match took scoring to 28-3. Such was the power and pace of Walker’s play it looked as if he could have beaten the Australian’s on his own as he seemed to go through the opposition with such ease repeatedly.
Not to be out done though, Stuart Robinson and Michael Hutchinson added further points as Team UK raced into a 46-3 lead.
With shouts from the crowd of ‘there’s still time for a comeback’, the biggest celebration of the night though came in the final minute when James Taylor scored Australia’s fourth and final point of the game. He raced away to the crowd holding a cone to his mouth and the HP House was rocking.
There was still enough seconds remaining for the UK to add another to their tally in the final seconds and extend their lead and a new Invictus record.
