In a must-win situation, the Guyana Under-19 rugby team managed to pull off a win against Trinidad and Tobago in the North American West Indies Rugby Association’s (NAWIRA) Under-20 Rugby World Trophy 2008 Qualifier on Monday at the Garrison Rugby Playfield in Barbados.

Guyana dug deep to defeat the team from the twin-island republic in a 15-10 result giving themselves some hope of advancing to the final. Clinton Mars drew first blood with a try which was converted by Rupert Giles which placed Trinidad under early pressure.

But the Trinidadians bounced right back soon after with Anson Lewis scoring a try for his team that was not converted to end the first half 7-5.

Guyana wasted no time in getting the game moving again at the resumption as Matthew Talbot got through the oppositions defence to score Guyana’s second try which was also not converted then pushed further ahead when Giles score a penalty kick to take the score to 15-5.

Trinidad tried to bounce back but their efforts were in vain even though they scored another try through Mike Agustin which took the score to 15-10 at the conclusion of the game.

For Guyana to reach the final of the NAWIRA World Trophy Qualifier they must rely on the Cayman Islands /Trinidad and Tobago encounter ending in a draw or a marginal victory for Trinidad.

The team’s coaching staff, head coach Laurence Adonis and his deputy Alton Agard, said they were somewhat satisfied with the team’s performance but stated that there was still more work to be done in most areas of the team’s play.