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Guyana near full strength for TT clash today
– Green attire should dominate National Stadium landscape
By Rawle Welch
Despite the absence of one of the best players to have come out of Guyana in Kevin McKenzie, the local
Theodore Henry
ruggers are still expected to be as formidable an opponent for Trinidad and Tobago (TT) who they meet today for a place in the Southern Zone final of the North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Regional Qualifiers for the 2015 Rugby World Cup is staged, at the National Stadium, Providence.
Guyana, who holds the advantage in head to head meetings with the Trinidadians, 2-1 since 2005 including a closely fought win last year, apart from McKenzie’s absence will have all the other stars in their line-up including Theodore Henry, Claudius Butts, Richard Staglon, Ronald Mayers and Captain Ryan Gonsalves and these guys combined have a vast amount of experience playing together, while the supporting cast according to Henry did look good in their clash against Barbados which they drew while the ‘big guns’ were unavoidably absent.
They’ve now returned for today’s clash against T&T and the word in the street is that the visitors will be condemned to the same fate suffered by their ‘Soca Warriors’ on September 11, 2011 when the Guyana ‘Golden Jaguars’ booted them out of the FIFA 2014 World Cup campaign.
It was a stunning upset against a team that was expected to defeat the Guyanese, but resilience, determination and the will to progress, all well documented characteristics of athletes from the ‘Land of Many Waters’ were present on that famous night, at the National Stadium.
The local ruggers have tasted overwhelming success at the same venue, winning both the CAC and NACRA tournaments against their regional counterparts and have completely dominated the rugby scene in the Caribbean for a number of years and according to the Technical Staff, they are not prepared to relinquish that stranglehold right now and more so on home turf.
Claudius Butts
The Trinidadians have their work cut out and local fans have been summoned to come to the National Stadium decked out in their green attire to urge on their national heroes.
Word emanating from the squad is that they are not over confident, but determined to represent home turf against any opponent, but it just happens to be nemesis Trinidad and Tobago and while not disrespecting their opponents, they are not going to let them come here and defeat them.
Critical for the Guyanese will be the play of Staglon, Mayers, Butts, Gonsalves and Henry, while Dwayne Schroeder, Vallon Adams, a young, but emerging name in the sport, Peabo Hamilton and Jason Tyrell will all be asked to play ‘big’ to support the core players.
The Trinidadians arrived yesterday and from all reports are brimming with confidence and sees this as the best chance to knock off their long standing rivals, who they have much respect for.
They easily disposed of Barbados in their clash and while Guyana struggled against the Bajans, the Trinidadians could see the clear disparity in the results as a morale-booster for them, but are still wary of the local juggernauts, which as all are aware always seem to have the capacity to overcome adversities.
Scrum time is 16:00 hrs and a massive outpouring of national support in national colours (Green) should dominate the landscape, at the National Stadium.
The Guyana squad reads: Props- Jason Tyrell and Rondell McArthur; Hooker- Alain Crawford; Second Row- Claude Prowell and Vallon Adams; Wing-Forwards- Richard Staglon and Dwayne Schroeder; Lock- Delon Downer; Half-Backs- Ryan Gonsalves and Peabo Hamilton; Three-Quarters- Rodwell Hutson, Theodore Henry, Claudius Butts and Claude Alexander; and
Richard Staglon
Full-Back- Ronald Mayers.
The reserves are: Cyon Kitt, Troy Arjune, Walter George, Avery Corbin, Rickford Cummings, Elwin Chase and Ryan Hinckson.
The officials are Manager Robin Roberts, Physiotherapist Ariane Mangar, Trainer Barry Browne, and Assistant Coast Shane Grant-Stewart.
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