USA Wheelchair Rugby Win Canada Cup For 6th Time

Canada Cup 2018

The USA Wheelchair Rugby won the 2018 Canada Cup for the sixth time beating Japan in the Gold Medal match 56-53. Australia won the Bronze beating host Canada 63-56, while 5th place went to Denmark with a 57-53 win over Sweden.

This tournament is the last tournament prior to the GIO 2018 IWRF Wheelchair Rugby World Championship August 5-10 at Sydney Olympic Park in Sydney, Australia.

The Americans were the defending Canada Cup champions and brought an experienced team to the 2018 Canada Cup. Nine of their twelve team members had Paralympic experience and were led by 2016 Canada Cup MVP Chuck Aoki.

The United States won the previous 5 Canada Cups (2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2016) and have only lost one match during that time.

Canada Cup Results

  • June 14 Canada 53-45 Sweden
  • June 14 USA 55-39 Denmark
  • June 14 Australia 66-67 Japan
  • June 15 Canada 58-51 Denmark
  • June 15 USA 54-51 Australia
  • June 15 Denmark 50-48 Denmark
  • June 15 USA 51-50 Japan
  • June 15 Australia 71-42 Sweden
  • June 15 Canada 45-53 Japan
  • June 16 Canada 44-59 USA
  • June 16 Japan 60-52 Sweden
  • June 16 Australia 68-49 Denmark
  • June 16 USA 52-36 Sweden
  • June 16 Canada 53-64 Australia
  • June 16 Denmark 47-57 Japan
  • June 17 5th Denmark 57-53 Sweden
  • June 17 Bronze Australia 56-63 Canada
  • June 17 Gold USA 56-53 Japan

USA Wheelchair Rugby Squad

Chuck Aoki, Jeff Butler, Ernie Chun, Chad Cohen, Jake Daily, Joe Delagrave, Lee Fredette, Talbot Kennedy, Chuck Melton, Matt Millstead, Adam Scaturro, Josh Wheeler

USA Team Staff

Head Coach: James Gumbert
Assistant Coach: Sue Tucker
Team Leader: Mandy Goff
Team Staff (Equipment): Chuck French
Team Staff (Medical): Jim Murdock
Team Staff (Support): Lexi Coon
Other: Sharon Moskowitz
Other: Meg Smith

World Rankings Prior to Canada Cup

  • Australia 1
  • USA 2
  • Canada 3
  • Japan 4
  • Sweden 6
  • Denmark 9

Team Highlights

2018:-1st Quad Nations, Leicester, Great Britain
2016: 2nd- Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2015: 2nd- Parapan Am Games, Toronto, Canada
2014: 3rd- World Championships, Odense, Denmark
2012: 3rd- Paralympic Games, London, Great Britain
2010: 1st- World Championships, Richmond, Canada
2008: 1st- Paralympic Games, Beijing, China
2006: 1st- World Championships, Christchurch, New Zealand
2000- 1st – Paralympic Games, Sydney, Australia

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North American Rugby News With A USA Slant