Visually impaired rugby player Lee Robshaw has been named in the England squad for an upcoming tournament on home soil.

The hosts will take on Japan, Ireland and Wales in 20-minute matches for the Alex Bassan Cup at Sutton & Epsom Rugby Club on Saturday, November 23.

VI rugby is based on the sevens format and uses a ball filled with bells to help players keep track of its location.

Maidstone man Robshaw, 39, is the cousin of former England and Harlequins captain Chris Robshaw.

He was born with a condition called aniridia, which is the absence of the iris - the coloured part of the eye that opens and closes the pupil to allow light into the eye.

Robshaw underwent surgery 10 years ago to have an artificial iris inserted in his right eye.

But, unsuccessful, he lost all vision in the eye and is now registered blind.

He played mainstream sport until the age of 30, when he broke his ankle in three places during a football match.

He turned to visually impaired sport, playing rugby for Harlequins and cricket for Kent.

He’s looking forward to the tournament, having received his first international call-up for the world champions this year.

“My rugby background is from my cousin, Chris, following him and watching him,” said Robshaw.

“With me being visually impaired, I started playing visually impaired rugby in 2019.

“I got selected this year to play for England for the first time.

“It was good after doing all the hard work and training.

“There was a lot of travelling, having to go to Stockport and London for training, and the training was hard, but you have to put in the hard work to get there.

“We’re probably the favourites going into this tournament, Japan are the second favourites but Ireland are going to be strong as well.

“We played them in the World Cup final last year and they’ve got an ex-international who lost his sight who now plays for them.”

Robshaw, who is a forward, had a decision to make after suffering his triple ankle break.

It’s fair to say he made the right one after taking up visually impaired sport.

“I was born visually impaired,” said Robshaw. “It’s been hard.

“It was hard growing up at school not being able to see properly but I always played mainstream sport up until I was 30, when I broke my ankle in three places.

“I couldn’t play football any more, so I started playing visually impaired cricket and rugby.

“Where I stopped playing football, I don’t really watch football any more. I watch rugby and that’s what got me into playing rugby and watching Chris. I enjoy playing.”

The tournament group stage will be followed by first v fourth and second v third semi-finals, and then the final.