Wheelchair rugby is back for a new season and this year Leicester Tigers include five of Team GB’s European Championship-winners.

Leicester Tigers Wheelchair Rugby team are back in action with their first pre-season fixture this Saturday (September 16).

The GB team collected a sixth European crown with a squad which included Tigers players Nick Cummins, Jamie Stead and Gavin Walker, and supported by Tigers coaching staff Rob Tarr and Darren Matthews.

Playing at their training base at De Montfort University’s QEII Diamond Jubilee Leisure Centre, Saturday’s game pits Tigers up against West Coast Crash as they step up preparations for a new campaign which starts in earnest with the BT Super Series Division 1 fixture on September 30.

Doors open at 10.30am on Saturday, with tip-off at 11.00am. Entry is through reception of the leisure centre for a suggested donation of £5.

The match will finish by 12.30pm, giving supporters plenty of time to move on to Welford Road for the Aviva premiership fixture between Leicester Tigers and Gloucester Rugby.

Typically consisting of eight-minute quarters, wheelchair teams of four must try to score tries while enduring full wheelchair contact, providing a quick and physical sport with end-to-end action.

Rob Tarr, chairman of Tigers Wheelchair Rugby Club, said: “British wheelchair rugby is in a great place following this summer’s European Championship win by Team GB.

“We’re lucky to have a number of the lads who helped the team to a record sixth win and I’m sure they will bring some great experience to the game.

“Looking forward to the new season, we’ve had a number of training sessions together and Saturday will be our first game. There’s a few new faces who have joined in the summer, so we’re looking forward to a competitive match up against a good West Coast Crash side.

“This season, we’ve decided to combine the Tigers and Marauders teams into one squad, which made sense logistically and will help drive the Tigers name forward within the sport.

“We were lucky to be at Tigers In The Park a few weeks back. It was great to chat to fans about wheelchair rugby and we’re looking forward to welcoming them down for an exciting new season.”

Tigers wheelchair team will start their 2017/18 campaign at Leicester Arena, 31 Charter St, Leicester, LE1 3UD.