The North East Bulls are excited to welcome clubs from around Great Britain to their home soil on 1 and 2 March 2025 as the third instalment of the Allied Mobility Wheelchair Rugby: Fours Division One league comes to Sunderland.

Local Sun’land hero and Bulls star, Dan Harvey, was buzzing when the fixtures were released, commenting:

“Ah was proper buzzing when I erd’ like, ah couldn’t believe it. Am gonna av a sleep in me arn bed and wake up proper refreshed an all. Everyone back round mine afta for a few bevvies and a parmo, it’l be mint like aye”

The clubs division one team, the Udders, will be looking to finish on a high after a tough first and second round of competition and will be looking to mark their territory on home soil after a restful night in their own beds for once – a rarity in this game given that the last GBWR Paralympic discipline tournament to be held this far north was in 2008 in Middlesbrough, back when each of the clubs hosted their own league tournaments (and the main event of the weekend was the after party for most) !!

The Udders have another full team sheet, with 12 of the finest ‘athletes’ preparing for battle including a mixture of developing and familiar faces. The weekend will see the return of ‘Killer Karl Brown’ who first joined the club some years ago before ditching us for the local Basketball club! He came to his senses and eventually came crawling back to us (he couldn’t find his wheelchair), and quickly reminded us why we gave him the nickname ‘Killer Karl’. He loves a spinning foul and regularly uproots players as they go past, laughing as they tumble and sprawl across the floor – don’t worry, we don’t allow him to play much!

With so many teams travelling to our homeland the club would like to recommend all participants seek out a local delicacy in the name of a Chicken Parmesan (aka a Parmo), a wonderful dish originating from slightly south of Sunderland in an area known as Teesside – if you travel along the A19 on your way to Sunderland then you will have seen the glorious chimneys and industrial factories near Middlesbrough which is the heart of Teesside. The Parmo is now a north-eastern takeaway staple, and a must have if you haven’t had one before! Don’t forget the garlic sauce which is guaranteed to be the best you have ever had.

Follow the scores from the tournament on Tournify or our social media for updates throughout the day!

League table as it stands after the first two tournaments…