Guyana adds CAC Rugby title to burgeoning collection

Jul 26, 2010 Sports

By Rawle Welch

Defending NACRA champions Guyana added another prestigious title to their burgeoning collection when they defeated Jamaica 31-7 in the final to capture the CAC Rugby title yesterday, at the National Stadium.

It was another emphatic display by the reigning Caribbean champions who ended the tournament unbeaten which now places them in pole position to retain their NACRA title when they tournament begins on Thursday.

Theodore Henry breaks a tackle as he goes over the Jamaican backline yesterday.

In the final against Jamaica, the Guyanese got off to a fast start when Captain Claudius Butts intercepted a pass from the Jamaican frontline outran his markers to finish over the try-line.

Theodore Henry made the conversion to give Guyana a 7-0 lead.

Forward Henry then squirmed his way through a host of Jamaican defenders to add another try to the Guyanese score, before Ryan Gonsalves converted to make it a 14-0 lead at the break.

Shortly after the resumption, Guyana stretched their advantage through a mesmerising sequence of play which saw a pass from Kevin McKenzie to Gonsalves, who then delivered a perfectly weighed pass to half-back Dominic Lespierre and he finished off a sweeping run down the middle for a try, but the conversion was missed.

Hooker Richard Staglon stretched Guyana’s lead after evading three tackles to end over the backline as the hosts led 24-0 deep in the second period.

The subsequent conversion was missed once again.

Jamaica responded shortly after when they ended over the try-line to make it a 7-24 game, but time not on their side.

The Guyanese sealed the deal after forward Dwayne Schroeder out-sprinted his markers to score a try which was converted by Gonsalves shortly before the final whistle sounded.

In the playoff for third place, Mexico upset Trinidad and Tobago 10-5 in a ferocious defensive battle.

Speaking after the championship game, Guyana’s Technical Director Joe Whipple said that the team did all the hard work and executed the game plan and he was extremely pleased with the result.

“I think that when we execute the game plan, we are a hard team to beat,” he stated.

Asked about the team’s mood going into the NACRA Tournament, Whipple reminded that it is all great, but they can’t replay this tournament and they will have to look at the video and see if there are improvements to be made.

He disclosed that the plan was to dominate the opponents in all phases and they did just that.

The NACRA Championships begin today with the Ladies in action at the same venue.

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Guyana battle to second draw against Barbados at CAC Hockey tourney

The Guyana women’s hockey team took the field on Saturday 24th as huge underdogs against the highly regarded ladies of Barbados in their pool clash at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico. Having just six weeks ago suffered two losses to the islanders just six weeks ago by the convincing margins of 6-0 and 4-0, the Guyanese knew that it would be a difficult match that would require their best hockey.

The blistering sunshine at the Ydelfonso Sosa Morales stadium, where the hockey is being played, was matched by the hot pace of the start of the match. Guyana came out pressing the full length of the pitch, eager to catch Barbados unprepared and overconfident. The tactic almost paid off in the opening minutes as both Cora Towler and Kerensa Fernandes were denied by the active Bajan goalkeeper, Lana Als, just four minutes into the match.

It did not take long for the experienced Barbados side to pull themselves together and create some chances of their own. Alysa Xavier in goal for Guyana was however up to the challenge and Ulrica Sutherland at sweeper remained rock solid throughout the match. Barbados however would find the back of the net just 9 minutes in as a penalty corner shot was saved by Xavier but the rebound was met first by the Bajans who put it back out of her reach.

For the rest of the first half and the second, the match remained competitive at both ends but the Guyanese would have to wait until the 56th minute to reply with a goal of their own. Centre forward Kerensa Fernandes drilled her penalty corner strike low and hard past the right side of the diving Bajan goalkeeper to register Guyana’s first goal of the tournament and draw the game level at one a piece. Although both teams tried desperately to secure the win and garner the full three points, the final buzzer would end the game in a stalemate.

Coach of the Guyanese, Philip Fernandes, was high in praise for his charges saying that they gave their best on the pitch. “The girls ran from beginning to end although the weather was hot.” Fernandes said, “I give them full marks for their effort. When two teams are this close, then it comes down to who is willing to make the effort. We could just as easily have pulled off the win.”

Fernandes said that the team is aware of the difficult task ahead of them when they face tournament favourites Trinidad today but was pleased with the improvement his girls have shown from a few weeks ago to now and is confident they will give a good showing.

Trinidad leads pool A with six points having dismissed Bermuda 4-0 in their second match of the competition, Guyana sits in second place with two points from their two draws, Barbados with one point is in third place while Bermuda, yet to secure points, remains at the bottom.

Pool B sees Mexico comfortably at the top with six points having beaten Jamaica 1-0 followed by Jamaica and the Dominican Republic both on 3 and Puerto Rico with zero points bringing up the rear.

Matches resume today when Guyana take on top-ranked Trinidad and Barbados play Bermuda in pool A while Jamaica play the Dominican Republic and Mexico tackle hosts Puerto Rico in pool B.