
Current world ranking
#14
Best European Championship Result
Bronze in the debut 1995 championships.
Ones to watch
Captain Reda Haouam (1.0), is back to full fitness after a cancer scare and this very determined character won Best in Class at the European Qualifying Tournament in Norway, despite playing himself sparingly.
Reda and Hugo van Iersel (1.0) were both competitive swimmers, both had diving accidents that resulted in their Spinal Column Injuries (SCIs) and both happened on 2 July, when they were each 17 but these incidents happened 12 years apart. They now play on the same team with the same classification.
Route to the 2023 European Championship
Wheelchair Rugby Qualification Championship in Norway.
Fun facts
As part of their preparations, the Netherlands sent a squad of 6 players to a training camp with the GB Talent Squad. The men in orange triumphed by 3 games to 2 in some close fought games.
Resul Karabalut and Emilio Moes are best friends, having been schoolmates. Resul, a jeweller by trade, made Emilio’s engagement ring.
The Netherlands roster contains more CP players (Cerebral Palsy) than quadriplegics, which is an indication of how the sport is changing in terms of the athletes and their disabilities.