The Wheel Blacks welcomed a few special guests to training in Auckland this week with All Blacks skipper Sam Cane among the visitors.
And like the All Blacks, the Wheel Blacks are eyeing up silverware in Paris this year
"It's great to have them along to give us a run for our money showing them the ropes of wheelchair rugby," Gareth Lynch said.
All Blacks Captain Cane, along with Chiefs teammates Shaun Stevenson, Luke Jacobson, and Brad Weber were making the most of their rest week. Although, the resting is questionable.
"It has been so seriously tough I think I'm going to have sore shoulders for a week," Weber said.
"I was trying to gun down one of them [and] they turned late on me, I flipped over and was on the ground, " Jacobson explained.
"Shaun's hanging out in the backfield just picking up tries just like he does in Super Rugby," Cane joked.
And just like Cane's All Blacks, the Wheel Blacks have a big year ahead of them.
"At the same time as the boys have the Rugby World Cup in Paris this year, we'll be competing at an event called the World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge - the top eight teams in the world."
"Got a really new appreciation for what these guys do, it's pretty impressive," Weber said.
"I've learned and got so much out of being involved in the sport that if i can promote awareness of the sport I couldn't recommend it highly enough," Lynch said.
