After all I’ve had to overcome, facing the Aussies in their own back yard doesn’t faze me SIMPSON LOST HIS LEGS WHILE SERVING WITH THE ARMY IN AFGHANISTAN... NOW THE LEEDS RHINO IS RARING TO GO IN A RUGBY LEAGUE ASHES DOWN UNDER

Simpson said: “It’s the first time it’s been done and certainly isn’t a jolly. We land, train, play and then fly to another city to play again. We beat Australia in the 2017 semi-finals but we know how tough it will be, especially with the crowds.

“They’re a tough team, a very rugby leagueorientated team where you see a lot of the running game in their play. It’s a great test for us and I can’t wait.” Simpson says wheelchair rugby league has helped changed his life from the moment he started training with the Rhinos. He said: “I had guys that were 12 telling me what to do in the chair. “We laugh about it now but it was totally different for me and I’m the kind of person that if somebody knows more about something than me, I’ll always listen to them. “Coming from a military background where everybody is early 20s, it was a huge difference because you get people of all ages and backgrounds playing.

“Some of them have been disabled their whole lives and could tell me things about navigating life as a disabled person.

“It’s been a massive eyeopener and just being in a wheelchair has made me more comfortable with myself and my injuries.

“Before I hardly used a wheelchair and wore my prosthetics all the time, but I’m a lot more comfortable with my new body now.”

JAMES SIMPSON is working with Dacia on their We Make Heroes campaign, celebrating understated heroes throughout Rugby League. To find out more, visit dacia.com