The Irish Wheelchair Rugby Side are due to take on the French national team in two International friendlies in Paris.
Garrett Culliton of Clonaslee comes from a strong rugby background, his father represented Ireland on 19 occasions in the '60s and he himself has played U-21 hurling for Laois. In 1992 he sustained a bad injury in a Rugby match after an awkward tackle saw him land on his head which has left him a wheelchair user.
After seeing wheelchair rugby being played in the States and Canada, Garrett was adamant that Ireland would have its own Quad Rugby Team. He got out the telephone, rounded up the troops and The Gaelic Warriors were formed. The club competed in their first tournament in '98 in Leeds and they have gone from strength to strength since then. Their first trophy win came in 2002 when the lads brought home the Schwaben Cup from Germany. They also qualified for the 2005 European Championships in Denmark and finished 12th.
The French Rugby Union invited the Irish Wheelchair Rugby team to come over and compete and Garrett sees it as a great opportunity.
"We played the club side Toulouse earlier in the year but this is the first time we have played the national side so we don't know ho strong or weak they will be. We are very excited, its a wonderful opportunity," said Garrett.
It is one of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the world and is addictive to watch and play. The game is played throughout the world in all the main sporting countries, and the biggest stage on which it will be played and watched will be at the Paralympic Games in Beijing next year.
So best of Luck to Garrett and the rest of the lads!

- Laurence Mc Cormack