Intersection joins Wheelchair Rugby Australia to help grow one of Australia’s most dynamic sports
Wheelchair Rugby Australia (WRA) has announced Intersection as its newest Official Partner, with the purpose-led workplace consultancy signing a three-year agreement to help accelerate the growth of wheelchair rugby across Australia.
The partnership will see Intersection align with Wheelchair Rugby Australia, the Australian Steelers and WRA national events as an Official Partner, while taking on a major role supporting the Australian Miners development team and the Australian Women’s team.
The agreement brings together two organisations united by a commitment to inclusion, performance and opportunity, and signals growing commercial momentum behind one of Australia’s most dynamic disability sports.
Intersection’s decision to partner with Wheelchair Rugby Australia was sparked by the success of Officially Unsponsored, a bold campaign that challenged traditional views of sponsorship in disability sport and showed how brands can create meaningful impact through authentic collaboration.
Rather than approaching the sport through a charity lens, Intersection saw a high-performance organisation with ambitious growth plans, strong commercial potential and values closely aligned with its purpose of helping organisations build better workplaces.
Wheelchair Rugby Australia CEO Chris Nay said the partnership was a powerful example of the Officially Unsponsored campaign achieving exactly what it set out to do.
"Officially Unsponsored was created to do more than attract attention. It was about challenging perceptions, opening new conversations and inviting organisations to see the extraordinary potential of wheelchair rugby,” he said.
“From our first conversations, Intersection understood that this is not simply a sponsorship. It is a genuine collaboration built on shared values, ambition and belief in what can happen when the right people come together behind a common purpose. Together, we have an opportunity to grow the sport, strengthen pathways for athletes and create a more inclusive future on and off the court.
"We are proud to welcome Natasha and the Intersection team to the wheelchair rugby family. Over the next three years, we look forward to building something meaningful together that helps our athletes, our teams and our community continue to grow."
Intersection Founder and Principal Natasha de Silva said the partnership reflected the kind of work Intersection exists to support: helping people and organisations create environments where trust, respect and performance can grow together.
“Officially Unsponsored resonated strongly with us because it aligns with our purpose and our work. It challenged people to look beyond assumptions and recognise what becomes possible when barriers are removed and the right conditions are created for people to thrive,” she said.
“For us, this partnership is a chance to work alongside a community that shows, every day, what resilience, adaptability and trust look like in action.
“We are proud to support the Steelers, the Australian Women’s team, the Miners and the wider wheelchair rugby community as they continue to build momentum. Our role is to listen, contribute where we can and help open more conversations about what this sport, and the people within it, make possible.”
The partnership will support Wheelchair Rugby Australia's national programs and events while helping strengthen athlete pathways, grow participation and continue building the profile of wheelchair rugby across Australia.
As Wheelchair Rugby Australia continues to build on the momentum generated through Officially Unsponsored, the partnership with Intersection demonstrates the growing appetite from purpose-led organisations looking to invest in high-performance para sport through authentic, long-term collaboration.
About Intersection
Intersection is a leading Australian workplace culture consultancy that partners with organisations to help leaders identify, prevent and respond to inappropriate workplace behaviours, and manage psychosocial risks and hazards.
Founded by Natasha de Silva, the Senior Executive lead of the Respect@Work National Inquiry, Intersection brings deep expertise and insight into employers’ evolving workplace obligations, including the steps required to meet and exceed positive duty obligations under workplace laws.
About Wheelchair Rugby Australia
Wheelchair Rugby Australia (WRA) is the governing body for the development and growth of the sport of wheelchair rugby in Australia. WRA is dedicated to providing athletes with a disability the opportunity to participate and excel in wheelchair rugby from grassroots to international competition through our national team, the Australian Steelers.
To learn more about WRA’s Officially Unsponsored campaign, visit https://www.officiallyunsponsored.com
For media enquiries please contact:
Emily Newton – Manager – Media & Marketing, Wheelchair Rugby Australia
Emily@wheelchairrugby.com.au
0481 121 440