By Paul Osborne

The 2013 IWRF Asia Oceania Championships gets underway in South Africa this week ©IWRFNovember 17 - The International Wheelchair Rugby Federation's (IWRF) Asia Oceania Championships is due to get underway in South Africa this week as teams from New Zealand, Australia and Japan join the host nation for their chance to qualify for next year's World Championships.

The competition, scheduled to start on Wednesday (November 20) and conclude on Saturday (November 23), is being held at the University of Pretoria's LC de Villiers Stadium and marks the seventh edition of the Championships since its inauguration in 2001.

The Australian team, currently ranked second in the world, have won all but one of the Championships and will be looking to make it number six when play gets underway on Wednesday.

The Aussies, who took gold at London 2012, will be hoping to get back to the number one spot in 2014, having just recently lost the position to the United States.

Japan enter the tournament ranked just behind the Australian team in fifth.

They will be looking to claim their first Asia Oceania Championship title this year having missed out on gold in 2011 with a 59-41 defeat to Australia in the final.

New Zealand are they only other nation to have won the title, picking up the trophy in 2005.

In 2011 they beat South Korea 62-44 to win the bronze medal but will need to improve on that record if they hope to qualify for next year's World Championships.

Australia will come into the tournament as favourites following their win in the 2012 Paraylmpic Games in London ©Getty ImagesAustralia will come into the tournament as favourites following their win in the 2012 Paraylmpic Games in London ©Getty Images



South Africa will be looking to get amidst the medals for the first time in these Championships with their previous best results being fourth pace in 2001 and 2005.

The hosts take on favourites Australia in their first match on Wednesday and will be hoping to cause an early upset to raise their chances of qualifying for next year's World Championships.

South Africa Wheelchair Rugby has announced free entrance to spectators for all matches across the tournament.

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