By David Gold

Grant Boxall_R_of_Australia_and_Salih_Koeseoglu_of_Germany_compete_at_Beijing_2008November 1 - Australia's wheelchair rugby team, the 2008 Paralympic silver medallists, is travelling to South Korea as they hope to book a place at London 2012.


The squad is heading to Seoul for the Asia Oceania Regional Championships, at which a top two place will guarantee The Steelers a place in London next year.

Australia will face New Zealand, Japan and the hosts in the qualification programme, which is due to begin on Friday (November 5) with the final scheduled for November 8, as they continue their journey to correct their agonising defeat in the 2008 Paralympics final.

The United States, Canada, Sweden, Belgium, and host country Great Britain have already qualified.

The top team competing in Seoul will earn one of the three remaining positions.

The remaining two wild card positions will be assigned based on world rankings following the tournament.

"With the recent conclusion of the Americas and European Zone Championships, the eyes of the world are now focused on Seoul to see which country from the Asia-Oceania Zone will advance," said John Bishop, President of the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF).

In Beijing, Australia were beaten by the United States and they lost to the same opponents at the 2010 World Championships in Vancouver.

They will be hoping to put that right and make it third time lucky if they reach London next year, but head coach Brad Dubberley knows the world's number two side have a long way to go before then.

"This is the most important tournament for us to get to London and we won't get any second chances," Dubberley said.

"We've worked hard over the last six months preparing for this.

"We've tried to simulate the conditions we're likely to experience in Korea, we've played in tournaments where every single one of our guys has had significant court time and we are more prepared than we ever have been.

"This is the strongest wheelchair rugby team this country has ever seen.

"The competition will be tough but we definitely have what it takes to succeed."

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