Steelers reflect on silver medal success as focus turns to World Championships

Returning home from a strong Canada Cup campaign, the Australian Steelers are looking to continue building on the momentum generated by a silver medal performance that saw them finish runners-up to world number one Japan.

The Steelers were undefeated leading into the gold medal match, showcasing their growth and consistency against quality international opposition before ultimately falling to Japan in the tournament final.

The result marked another important step forward for the Australian program and provided valuable insight as preparations continue for the upcoming World Championships.

Reflecting on the campaign, Steelers Acting Head Coach Lewis Quinn said Canada Cup delivered an important benchmark for where the team currently sits among the world's leading nations.

"The tournament was another opportunity to test ourselves and the way we’d like to play against the top teams in the world,” Quinn said.

“I think the team made the most of that opportunity and it’s definitely provided us a strong platform to kick off an important 2-month window leading into Worlds.

“The more time on court the group is having together, the more we are seeing our game style come to life. I was really pleased with such an even contribution across the board. The ability for us to give all 12 of our athletes good court time against world class opposition and do so while being so competitive and having strong wins is really pleasing.”

Throughout the campaign, the Steelers demonstrated unity, discipline and an ability to execute under pressure, while developing key new lineup combinations and build depth across the squad.

Canada Cup also marked a significant milestone for wheelchair rugby powerhouse Ryley Batt, who competed in his first international tournament since being reclassified from a 3.5-point player to a 3.0-point player.

Having spent his entire international career classified as a 3.5, the change represents a notable shift for both Batt and the Australian team, opening new possibilities within line-ups and combinations on court.

For Batt, however, the focus remained firmly on contributing to the team's success.

“The new class of the 3.0 doesn’t change how I compete or how I perceive my ability,” Batt said.

“It's the same job for me, which is to do the best that I possible can for the Steelers. I put my heart and soul into every game I play, no matter what classification I am rated with.”

Batt took home the competition’s Best in Class 3.0 Award – leaving a way to remember his first time competing internationally at this classification.

Photos by Tav Morrison Media

While the team’s silver medal remains a significant achievement, now back on home soil, the Steelers have already turned their attention to the next challenge, using the insights gained in Canada to sharpen their approach ahead of the World Championships.

“I've been part of the Steelers since 2003 and this is by far the strongest team depth that I have had in any squad, especially leading into a major competition,” Batt said.

“That's really proven to me because right now in my role, I can say that I am comfortable with any line and up any player on the court at each time alongside me.

“This squad is improving with more potential still to come at Worlds. Every competition is a new team with new selections and evolving lineups. With potentially some different players coming into the Worlds team, this could again be completely different than any other Steelers group you've seen play this year. It’s an exciting time. We're ready to defend our title.”

Quinn added that the team was looking forward to testing themselves against Japan at Canada Cup and are ready to take key learnings from the competition into Worlds.

“Japan are ranked the number 1 team in the world for wheelchair rugby and are such a solid outfit, so to get our first win against them since 2023 in the pool match at Canada Cup, and then to be in strong winning positions throughout the final is something the group is taking a lot of confidence from into our next phase,” he said.

“The tournament reinforced that our group is focused on developing long term success. After the narrow loss in the final, there was every reason to become outcome-focused, but instead the athletes have since doubled down on our connection, extracting confidence and learnings from the tournament and focusing on our processes ahead of Worlds.”

The tournament provided the coaching staff with valuable information as they work through the difficult task of finalising the team that will represent Australia on the world stage. Strong performances throughout the tournament highlighted the depth and quality of skills across the program, creating healthy competition for places and reinforcing confidence in the squad's future.

Wheelchair Rugby Australia congratulates the athletes and staff on an impressive silver medal performance and thanks all supporters and partners who continue to back the Steelers on their journey.

The Steelers are set to defend their World Championship title at Sao Paulo in August. Keep your eyes on our channels for the squad announcement in early July, and for more updates for this tournament over the coming weeks.