A sensational opening four minutes in the game’s first quarter by NSWIS trio Andrew Edmondson (pictured above), Ryley Batt and Cameron Carr has laid the platform for Australia’s gritty 63-57 victory over Japan in their Rio Paralympic wheelchair rugby semi-final.

 

All three NSWIS stars were on the field from the outset and between them Batt (five) and Edmondson (two) scored Australia’s first seven goals as the two teams swapped scores.

 

With Edmondson and Carr then on the sidelines for a breather Batt continued to score freely throughout the second and third terms against the plucky Japanese outfit that would not give up.

 

When Edmondson re-entered the fray and scored his fourth goal just after the halfway mark of the third period Australia had stretched their lead to five and looked set to run away with the result but Japan still hung in there.

 

Batt proved the difference in the end, scoring a game high 34 and thrusting the defending Paralympic champion Australian side into the gold medal game tomorrow against the USA.