By Floyd Christie
Rugby was played at the National Stadium for the first time yesterday as the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) began its trials for the selection of Guyana’s National Sevens Rugby Team which will participate in the Central American & Caribbean (CAC) Rugby Sevens Games.
This is the first time Rugby will be played at the CAC Games and the National Squad, currently the Caribbean Champions, is working vigorously towards adding a CAC Rugby Sevens Championship to its list of achievements when the CAC Rugby Sevens Games are contested on home soil July 24-25 at the National Stadium.
Director of Sevens and Chairman of the Selection Committee, Mike Mc Cormack, supervised the trial arrangements along with the national Men’s Squad Technical Director Joe Whipple, who arrived in Guyana early yesterday morning.
Whipple was supported by the Team Coach Theodore Henry, who recently returned from a special coaching programme in Barbados.
The National Squad has now taken its preparations for the CAC Rugby games out of the confines of the National Park where they have been training for the past months and according to the President of the GRFU, Kit Nascimento, the first day of trials were “very successful”.
He also mentioned that everyone expected to participate in the trials were present to ensure all systems were in place so that the national squad is fully prepared ahead of the CAC games.
A number of overseas players and officials were present for the first day of the two day trials, including national players Richard Staglon and Ronald Nayers who are currently playing rugby in Trinidad and Tobago and were members of the Guyana team that played in the IRB World Sevens series in February. Along with Kevin Mackenzie who returned home from England for the CAC Rugby Games.
The National Team played three full matches yesterday and went through various drills and exercises as part of its preparation.
Today will be the second and final day of for the trials following which the final team will be selected. Team selection will be announced to the players today at 5:00 pm at the National Park.
