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A Deri RFC player was part of the Welsh team that stormed to victory in Argentina.
Paige Randall, who plays for Deri Diamonds LRFC, was part of the Welsh women’s team that won the World Deaf Rugby 7s World Cup in Cordoba, Argentina on April 9.
They beat England 36-0 in the final, with Randall scoring a try.
This was the first time the women’s competition had been held and the Welsh team did not concede a single point.
Speaking previously about qualifying, Paige said: “It not only allows me the opportunity to play for my country on the world stage but also to raise awareness of the deaf rugby community.”
Paige, who is from New Tredegar, is a qualified nurse and needed to put in hours of training to be able to participate.
Kate, Deri Diamonds team manager, told Caerphilly Observer more about what the victory meant.
“Paige is an outstanding player who has represented herself, our club and country very proudly,” said Kate. “She is an amazing talent and this showed throughout the tournament with her try-scoring rate and brilliant defence work.
“For such a small person in stature, she is an immense presence on the rugby field with little or no fear and gives her all every game.
“As a club, we are very lucky to have such a talented and humble player in Paige as part of our team and are extremely proud of everything she has achieved.
“Paige has a very bright future ahead of her and we as a club are very excited to be a part of that journey with her.”
Meanwhile, the Welsh men’s team defended their title at the championship – making it a double victory for Wales.
The double World Champions pic.twitter.com/RHHOpNunvr
— WRU Deaf (@WalesDeafRugby) April 10, 2023
Though there is much cause for celebration, there have also been criticisms about the accommodation that the Welsh teams stayed in during their time in Argentina.
Outlets including ITV News reported that the teams stayed in “unsanitary” army barracks, with no bedding and foam pillows that had “chunks missing”.
The teams had to pay for a hostel for five nights with their own money after already paying for other expenses including flights and insurance.
Paige, for example, had some of her expenses covered by a donation from Persimmon Homes West Wales.
A GoFundMe page is raising funds to help towards costs incurred and to ensure the future of the sport.
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