Rugby Americas North Sevens Championships…GRFU boss commend male and female gladiators for performances

Nov 30, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...rs-for-performances/

President of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) Peter Green has showered kudos on his male and female teams for their die hard performances in the just concluded Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens championships which took place in Mexico City at the Campo Marte athletic grounds, this past weekend.

The Green Machine, Guyana’s flagship men’s team entered the championship as the number 31 seeded team and defending champions but after valiant performance in the final against Jamaica, surrendered the tile in the final minute of the game to lose 24-28; it was Guyana’s only loss of the championship which attracted 10-nations.
The female team which competed using the round-robin format in the 7-team competition only managed two wins (Jamaica 19-12 & Dominican Republic 17-12) from their quota of six matches along with one draw (vs Bermuda 7-7) to end in fifth place Overall.
Unlike the new champions, Guyana was faced with a lack of warm up matches leading up to their title defence but despite, selected a well balanced team inclusive of experienced players capable of rising to the occasion, and that they did.
A close look at the Jamaican side revealed that had a total of 11-English based players compared to Guyana’s five (5) add the fact that the Jamaican government invested in numerous warm up matches for their charges at various international tournaments and one would understand what made the slight difference between the lads from Reggae town and the Land of Many Waters.
Peter Green commented: “It was really astonishing to see Guyana matching their opposition try for try leading up to the dying moments of the match. Nevertheless Kudos to the Guyana team which came into the competition with lack of pre tournament practice. The high standards displayed by both teams justified the wise choices by the selectors in putting together both sides.”
The women’s team showed great heart at the competition against some top team and traveled to Mexico without two of their biggest and best forwards as a resultof injuries during the training sessions which made Coach Theodore Henry’s job even more challenging.
His team tactics had to be readjusted which meant that the dimunitive playmaker Aboice Heywood had to shoulder more responsibilities along with the wingers. This appeared to pay off with the ladies led by the elusive Heywood outplaying Jamaica, losing a close game to Trinidad and overcoming Dominican Republic on day one.
The short period of time for six matches over two-days of intense rivalry proved difficult for some of the ladies who were playing at altitude for the first time along with the loss of their playmaker Heywood and consequent news of her hospitalisation combined to double team the ladies who were unable to regain the intensity of day one.
”Nevertheless the GRFU continues to move forward with its programme of reaching out to more females especially our indigeneous population which will bear friut in three years time to allow us to evolve into a champion team in time to come. The ladies will host French Guiana in March, 2018.”
Green further enlightened that the Greaan Machine was simply outstanding being led by England based Dom Lespierre who had numerous tries.
”There simply wasn’t anything separating Jamaica (11 overseas based) from Guyana (5 overseas based) which had the Mexican supporters divided in their choice of team with vociferous support. Pure bad luck to lose this way. A game decided in the zero minute is always going to create controversy.”
One train of thought was the continuance of the Referee in having a line out done after the last kick off (and time run out). Nevertheless we must respect the Referee’s decision and so all kudos to Jamaica for coming from behind.The Caribbean won. Guyana have nothing to be ashamed of facing so many hurdles when compared to the support of the Jamaican Government for their ruggers.”
By virtue of ending the championship in second place, the Green Machine qualified for the Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO) Games in Colombia along with the Guyana Hockey team. The Guyanese ruggers is also the number 2 Caribbean team attending the 2018 Hong Kong sevens.