Latest update April 18th, 2025 8:12 AM
Bounty Farm/GRFU XVs tournament…Osei Mckenzie leads Panthers to incredible 41-22 win over GDF
Extraordinary bursts of energy from Panthers’ Osei Mckenzie coupled with selfish rugby from the reigning Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) 15s champions, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), saw the latter being whipped 41-22 on a soggy National Park Rugby pitch, yesterday afternoon when the Bounty Farm sponsored tournament continued.
GDF’s Patrick King (second left) sprints away for his second try as Panthers’ Llody Anderson (third left) tries to catch him in vain.
GDF came in the match topping the league with 28 points, also with two games in hand, while Panthers were second with 23 points. With this win, Panthers are now tied with GDF at the top of the table with 29 points after both teams were awarded a bonus point for scoring at least four conversions.
Mckenzie scored three tries for the winners, all coming in the second half to take the game away from the defending champions.
Interestingly, GDF were leading in the second half 22-19 but after giving away an unnecessary penalty try which sent Panthers into ascension at 26-22, the army men couldn’t find their way back.
Patrick King had scored two tries before GDF’s collapse, while Joseph Rahaman scored one try and made a conversion to add with Aluko Venture’s solitary try, but no one else didn’t add any point, which was majorly due to selfish play and poor ball handling throughout the match by the soldiers.
Ryan Dey, Jamal Angus and Patrick Sydell scored a try each for Panthers, while Godfrey Broomes successfully converted twice.
After GDF gave away the penalty try to have Panthers lead the game 26-19 during the second half, Mckenzie dealt the finishing blows with three consecutive tries in the dying minutes of the game. The tireless player displayed great athleticism and guile on the muddy surface as he blasted away from the opposition during each try.
Despite the loss, GDF are still equipped with two games in hand and will be expected to clinch the title when the competition resumes on June 2nd following the break for the Hornets Rugby Club Carnival tournament which is part of Guyana’s 52nd independence anniversary celebrations.
On Saturday, the young and exciting Police Falcons team defeated Pepsi Hornet 20-19. (Calvin Chapman)
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