By Jacob Bevis, originally published in The Advocate 18 April 2024. Picture by Eve Woodhouse.
For Darcy Beaven-Duncan, playing rugby with other people suffering from hearing loss was just a dream, until an opportunity to don the green and gold arose.
The 19-year-old will tour South Africa in August after being selected to represent the Australian Deaf Rugby team.
New Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt sees promising signs emerging in Australian rugby and admits a competitive showing against the touring and British and Irish Lions next year will be a key factor in whether or not he stays on to coach the Wallabies at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Beaven-Duncan, who plays for the Devonport Bulls in Tasmanian Rugby Union, was most looking forward to mixing with “blokes that are like me”.
“It’s amazing and something I never thought I would be able to do. The opportunity presented itself so I just took it, it will be a great experience,” Beaven-Duncan said.
“I’m deaf in my left ear and partially deaf in my right. Someone on my rugby team recommended me and I got selected to trial in New South Wales.
“Looking at it, I’ve never hung out with other deaf people before. I was the only person I knew with a hearing disability but I’ve since met a bunch of other great blokes that are like me.”
It will be the first time Beaven-Duncan lines up for his country, after representing Tasmania at under 18 level on multiple occasions.
The Australian Deaf Rugby team is made up of players who suffer from hearing loss of at least 50 decibels in one ear or both.
While all rules are the same, the referees use sign language and signals to communicate with the players.
With the invitational tour set to feature England, New Zealand, Fiji and Zimbabwe, Beaven-Duncan has “no idea what to expect with the competition”.
“I’m looking forward to it because it will be a completely different culture to anything I’m used to with a completely different way of life over there,” he said.
“The Bulls have been amazing. They are a great club and are part of the reason I started playing rugby, I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Darcy is a full-time Trainee at Westpac in Devonport, supported by Work & Training.
