Ryley Batt to lead Australian Steelers defence of Wheelchair Rugby World Championship title in Sydney

Batt has a chance to tick off two of the few remaining ones when he leads the Steelers into battle at the Wheelchair Rugby World Championship at Sydney Olympic Park from August 5-10.

It looms as a chance for the Steelers to rewrite the history books as no host nation has ever won a world championship on home soil.

“No team has ever won four majors in a row either,” Batt added.

“We’re trying to mark our name in the history books, but we’ve got a long hill to climb to take it out.”

Australia are defending world champions after their 2014 success in Denmark, while they also claimed back-to-back gold after their success in Rio in 2016.

The Port Macquarie product admitted there would be nerves ahead of performing in front of family, friends and fans, but it was a challenge they embraced.

“The world champs are the second biggest tournament on the calendar for us,” Batt said.

“It’s going to be a huge occasion and the nerves are settling in, but nerves mean we care about the event.”

The world championship event will be Australia’s first major tournament since their gold medal-winning efforts in Rio.

It’s been a long and hard road littered with challenges along the way.

“You go through all your training phases through the year and put in that hard work and there are times when you’re sick of the training, but it’s a process you have to go through,” Batt said.

“There’s a big target on our back at the moment; we’ve won the last three major tournaments – 2012, 2014 and 2016 so every team wants to knock us down.”

The Steelers have introduced a few new faces into the team since their Rio success and now the focus for Batt was on winning for them.

“One of my goals is to win a medal and a world championship for the new guys on the team,” he said.

“I would hate to see them come into a successful team and then never taste success.”

The introduction of training partner Andrew Edmondson since Rio had given the Steelers captain a breath of fresh air.

“Edmo moved to Port Macquarie after Rio and it’s been really good for me personally and for his game,” Batt said.

“I don’t know how I’d still play the sport if I was still training by myself.

“Day in day out, training can get boring and frustrating.”

Edmondson will compete in his first world championship event which will double as the first time he’s played in front of family and friends on home soil.

“Regardless of where I am, I always get nerves when I come out and play for Australia,” he said.

“There will definitely be more knowing there are lots of people in the stands that I know.”

He said it was a rare opportunity.

“It’s the great part about our sport to be able to do what we do and nerves are part of it.”

Australia will kick off their campaign at 2pm on Sunday with an opening-round clash against New Zealand.