Guyana Men’s qualify for 2017 Hong Kong Sevens

Nov 15, 2016 Sports

-lose to Canada in RAN Sevens final

(TT Express)- GUYANA and Jamaica saved the Caribbean’s blushes at the conclusion of the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens championships yesterday, taking the men’s and women’s silver medals even as Canada confirmed their class in both divisions.
Hosts Trinidad and Tobago finished fourth in both categories on the second and final day at St Mary’s College Ground in St Clair. The T&T men started the day with a 17-7 quarter-final victory over Bermuda; but in the semi-finals, they could not make any headway against a strong-running Guyana outfit, losing 0-5.
However, inspired by outstanding play by teenager Leon Pantor, T&T fought tooth-and-nail in the bronze medal playoff before going under to Jamaica, who had suffered a 40-0 defeat by Canada in the semis.
It was Pantor who broke away early in the contest and handed off to James Phillip for the opening try. But Josh Christie responded in kind for Jamaica, and they were 5-5 at the half.
In the second period, Pantor twice broke clear, only to have to kick the ball away when surrounded by defenders near the Jamaica try line without any support.
Jamaica eventually went ahead 12-5 when Christie scored his second try and it was converted, only for Pantor to score T&T’s second try and convert it himself, for 12-each. But the men in green and black struck twice again, with the excellent Christie handing off their final try to Marcus Webber.
Somehow, Pantor found the reserves to produce one final run, going half the length of the field for his second try and completing the conversion. But that was all; T&T had nothing left and Jamaica took the men’s bronze medals with an enthralling 24-19 victory.
In the final, Guyana were no match for the marauding Canadians, who ran up a 33-0 lead at the half and went on to win, 52-5. Guyana, at least, had the honour of scoring the only points against the North Americans’ defence, when Avery Corbin broke free on the left flank and touched down late in the contest.
Earlier, the T&T women’s unbeaten run ended in the semi-finals; Latifa Calliste’s try was their lone strike as Jamaica defeated them 10-5.
In the final, Olympic bronze medallists Canada, having overrun Mexico 43-0 in the semis, were equally dismissive of the Jamaicans, crushing them 41-0 as they claimed the women’s title without conceding a single point in the tournament. As RAN champions, the Canada men and women qualify automatically for the 2017 Hong Hong Sevens along with men’s runners up Guyana.

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