GRFU absorbed the challenges and SCRUMMED on

Jan 06, 2018 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ges-and-scrummed-on/

The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) absorbed the challenges that came their way in 2017 and continued its determined focus towards seeing the sport grow as well as maintained its dominance in the Caribbean Region by its national teams with varying success despite the major challenge of adequate sponsorship.
Following is a review of the year when the Men’s team well known as the Green Machine rose to 49th in the International Rankings, up six (6) places from its 2016 position of 55th of 103 countries in the World Rugby Ranking system.
In the Americas Rugby Ranking, Guyana holds the 9th place among 39 nations up by one (1) place from 2016.
On the distaff side, our females are currently ranked at 27th of 52 countries in World Rugby and 5th of 10 nations in the Americas Rugby.
Local Competitions – With six registered clubs, namely, Pepsi Hornets, Yamaha Caribs, Police Falcons, Guyana Defence Force, University of Guyana Wolves and Panthers, the GRFU ensured that the domestic season was organised to ensure local competition in Divisions One and Two at the XV, X and VII formats by its male and female teams which enabled the national selectors to pick the best possible players for National and International engagements.
Programmes and Events – The GRFU continued its mandate of growing the game within the Regions of Guyana by implementation of learning and playing programmes which comprised of activities in the Schools, Saturday Community Rugby and the Annual Summer Camp supported by Scotia Bank and World Rugby.
The Male Under-19 Team and Under-14 as well as the Women’s team travelled to French Guiana to participate in a planned annual exchange programme to further develop ties between the two nations which have a rich sporting history in other sports. A return visit is slated for March of this year when Guyana will host over 80 visitors from the French nation.
International: Men’s RAN Regional Fifteens Championships – The Guyana Men’s XV Test side more familiarly known as the Green Machine by its supporters regained its number one ranking despite losing to the USA South Panthers Rugby Team in the finals.
Coached by 15s Head Tactician Kenneth Grant Stuart and his Assistant Oslen Olivierre, the duo which implemented the coaching methods and tactics introduced by Argentinean Coach Diego Giannantonio, stormed to the number one Regional Ranking as well as a first time highest World ranking of 49th brushing aside a stubborn Barbados 34-26 at the Garrison Field in Barbados.
The Green Machine went on to win the war of attrition against tough rivals Trinidad and Tobago 24-17 here at the St. Stanislaus College School ground to clinch the Southern Zone playoffs before losing an extremely close and thrilling clash in the overall Regional finals 19-23 to USA Panthers of South Florida at the National Park Athletics Field. The USA side avenged an equally nail biting 27-30 loss in 2014 to the Ruggers from Guyana.
Kindly note that USA South Panthers are allowed to play in the RAN Championships as a way of providing a bench mark in gauging the strength of the Regional sides but have no World Rugby status.
With this achievement Guyana has been promoted to participate in the inaugural Elite Rugby Americas Challenge (RACS) Championship along with Mexico, Columbia (World Rank 48th) and Paraguay (World Rank 47th) in August this year after the CACSO Games in Columbia.
Winner of this year’s RAN Championships (excluding USA South) will play off with the second placed RAN Team at conclusion of both RAN and RACS Championships for promotion /Relegation.
Men’s RAN Sevens Championships – The 2016 Caribbean 7s champions Guyana, along with runners-up Jamaica participated in the Prestigious 2017 Hong Kong Sevens Tournament in February with similar results losing all their matches but gaining valuable playing experience and game changing tactics.
With Jamaica turning to eleven England based players and Guyana five, the standard of play was reflected in the playing skills when the teams participated in the RAN Sevens championships in Mexico in November last with both nations playing unbeaten before clashing in the finals which was won by Jamaica 28-24 in the dying seconds of a heart pounding thriller, the ‘Green Machine’ from the Land of Many Waters were leading 24-21 when the lads from the Land of Wood and Water stormed ahead to win.
En-route to the finals, Guyana which was Coached by Laurie Adonis, Assistant Coach Australia based Guyanese Angus Thompson and Captained by the outstanding England based National Dominic Lespierre had dispatched Cayman Islands 26-14, Barbados 28-21, Trinidad and Tobago 14-7, whilst drawing with Bermuda 19-19.
Jamaica’s way to the final was as a result of a loss to Mexico 17-19; they mauled the Dominican Republic 26-0, Bermuda 35-0, Cayman Islands 19-7 and playing again against Mexico they triumphed 26-12.
As a result of their win against Guyana in the final, Jamaica will represent the Caribbean at the World Sevens Championships in San Francisco, the Commonwealth Games in Australia and the Central American and Caribbean Games in Columbia this year.
Guyana will be joining Jamaica, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago as the four top teams from RAN for the CACSO Games in Columbia in August. One can but only reflect on the agony of what could have been. Guyana Men’s Team won the 2010 CACSO Championships.
Women’s Senior Sevens Championships – Under the sharp eyes of former National player now Coach, Theo Henry Guyana’s females buckled down to training since June 2017 and as the championships approached had gelled into a highly competitive unit which left the shores in high spirits with the Coach’s promise to win the Championships in Mexico.
Led by playmaker Aboice Heywood it seemed that the National ladies were going to do exactly what their coach had promised – Win the Championships. Playing 2016 RAN Champions Jamaica, the Lady Ruggers shocked their opponents 19-12 and the Dominican Republic 17-12 before going down to the bigger and more physical Trinidadians, 5-12.
The day’s success by the Lady Ruggers were subsequently marred by the hospitalisation of Heywood who suffered concussion injuries during the second game played against Trinidad and Tobago and this was further exacerbated by another injury in the game against the Dominican Republic which led to Heywood being taken to the Hospital for further treatment.
With this incident went Guyana’s hopes of finishing in the top three as the ladies ended day two losing to Mexico 12-17, drew with Bermuda 7-7 and lost their final game to French Guiana 0-36 to end in fifth place overall.
Guyana’s neighbors, French Guiana on debut, did well to end in second place behind Mexico which will appear at the Prestigious Hong Kong Sevens, World Cup Sevens and join Jamaica at the CACSO Games as the three top teams from RAN.
Ms. Heywood has since been discharged from the Hospital and returned home to Guyana to the relief of all concerned and is recuperating in good spirits. The GRFU wishes her a speedy, full recovery.
Training of Prospective Coaches and referees – A visit was made earlier in the year by Regional Development Manager for RAN Mr. Scott Harland along with the Get Into Rugby Coordinator for RAN Ms. Kwanieze John where a seminar was conducted for Level 1 and 2 Coaches along with training for the Youth Development Officers of the Union.
Facility / Funding – Currently the GRFU has been forced to utilise the Athletics Field at the National Park due to the incomplete state of works to the Rugby Field. Compounded by the lack of lighting, the union faces challenges to procure playing fields for its 2018 programme as well as training.
GRFU President Peter Green stated: “As I had outlined in 2016, despite the sterling efforts and successful track record of the Guyanese ruggers, lack of meaningful support at the highest level towards the realisation of an internationally accepted facility to house Rugby for well over two decades coupled with insufficient funding to cover the costs of high performance/elite training and participation in support of the National teams annually has contributed in no uncertain terms to the sport being prevented from realising its full potential at the World and Olympic levels.
Significantly, with Sevens Rugby now accepted as an Olympic sport, it has become compellingly urgent that the Government of the day invest with the requisite tangible support.”
Green continued: “One has only to look at the spectacular result for Jamaica in investing in their overseas based players as well as funding their attendance at international events at warm up games prior to the RAN Championships.
Our men’s sevens team deserves to be supported with meaningful investment towards the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. Given the right resources the Green Machine can play their way to an Olympic medal placing by 2024.”
The Executive Committee, players and general membership of the GRFU join in wishing its dedicated sponsors, supporters, volunteers and stakeholders who have held the sport together, a Prosperous 2018.
The GRFU is extending Special Thanks to The Government of Guyana, Guyana Olympic Association, Muneshwers Travel Service, Beharry Group of Companies, Banks DIH Limited, John Fernandes Limited, Bounty Farm Limited, Noble House Sea Foods, P &P Insurance Brokers, Pure Diamonds Inc., National Sports Commission, Trophy Stall, Modern Optical, Guyana Defence Force, National Parks Commission and Volunteers too numerous to mention for their continued partnership and support.