Phillip Island’s Beau Vernon has not let the grass grow under his feet since moving to Queensland earlier this year.

Beau, a former footy great before an on field spinal injury left him a quadriplegic in 2012, and a subsequent three time senior premiership football coach on Phillip Island, notched up a huge win in Paris last month, as a member of the Australian team that won the World Wheelchair Rugby Championship.

Australia’s Steelers beat Canada to bring home the international trophy.

Other countries the Steelers played to make it to the grand final were Denmark, England and  Canada. The team then had to play the semifinal against Asian champions Japan whom they hadn’t beaten in past four years.

The Steelers Australian Wheelchair Rugby team is for paraplegics and quadriplegics, and is the only footy game quadriplegics can play in.

Beau was introduced to it while in rehab after his accident in 2012.

He took an interest in it, but other commitments and especially football coaching on Phillip Island took over during the following years.

It was only when he moved to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in January that he made contact with the Steelers’ coach and asked if he could train with them.

A few of the Australian team members are based in Queensland and Beau trains with them weekly in Brisbane.

He brings tactical skill and knowledge of game play with him, thanks to his coaching background.

“It was pretty cool (for me) to put on the Aussie colours and to represent our country,” he said as he arrived back on the Sunshine Coast last week.

“To win a gold medal for Australia is a great experience and one that I’m very proud of.

“It’s given me a lot of confidence in setting my sights on gaining selection for next year’s Paralympics.”

The Paralympics Games will be held in France next August.