³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Documentary following the story of Mona Jethwa, a South Asian mother-of-three with a visual impairment who until recently thought her sporting days were over. Enjoying a range of sports in her youth, including swimming, cricket and football, Mona was diagnosed with keratoconus at age 18, which led to the gradual deterioration of her sight and left her feeling unable to continue with many of the sports she loved.

Mona shares how, after moving to Neath with her young family, she immediately noticed the importance of rugby to the people in her community. Through her work colleagues at the Royal National Institute of Blind People, Mona was encouraged to go along to a visually impaired rugby session at the Ospreys' Llandarcy training centre. She reveals how rugby is adapted for those with visual impairments, and how finding the sport helped to rebuild her confidence. As someone who had never played rugby before, Mona now feels proud to be representing her South Asian identity on the pitch, and hopes to inspire others from similar backgrounds to also take part in disability sport.

Mona also explores the intersection between race and disability in sport, hearing from sporting greats such as Colin Charvis, the first dual-heritage captain of the Welsh rugby union team, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Wales’ record-breaking Paralympic champion. Both share their perspectives on what is being done in Wales to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of rugby and other sports in regards to race and disability.

Mona also travels to the Principality Stadium for a special encounter with Leif Thobroe. Leif shares his remarkable story of returning from a life-changing injury to retain his title as the British kickboxing champion, before going on to join Team GB’s Para-Taekwondo squad. Despite suffering a spinal injury while playing rugby, which resulted in losing the use of his right arm, Leif returned emphatically to rugby. In 2022, he represented Wales at the first PDRL (Physical Disability Rugby League) World Cup, where he helped the team to a third-place finish, winning man of the match and scoring the try of the tournament in the process.

Mona and Leif compare notes on the barriers they have both faced as disabled sportspeople. They discuss how they have found an inclusive and supportive environment in rugby, as well as a camaraderie and sense of belonging that has helped them overcome challenges they felt while adapting to life with a disability.