Ruggers get $3m fillip for NACRA

A key step has been taken in putting the national male rugby team on the road to Mexico where they will look to reclaim the NACRA Sevens title in December.

Yesterday, during a press briefing at the headquarters of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), its president, K Juman Yassin presented a cheque valued $3M to president of the GRFU, Peter Green to cover the airfare of the team.

Green declared the GOA’s gesture as “a joyous occasion for the GRFU”, in the same breath

President of the GOA, K Juman Yassin (second from left) handing over the $3M dollar cheque to Peter Green. (Orlando Charles photo)
President of the GOA, K Juman Yassin (second from left) handing over the $3M dollar cheque to Peter Green. (Orlando Charles photo)

reminding that last year the team was unable to compete at the championships in the Cayman Islands after missing the payment deadline by four hours.

The GRFU head highlighted that the six-time NACRA champion’s participation in Mexico on December 3-4 is two-fold while expressing his confidence in the outfit to lift its seventh title.

“Guyana winning means that the IRB (International Rugby Board) will finance the team in the Hong Kong Sevens.

It will also qualify us as the leading team for the Pan Am games in July next year in Canada.”

Green boasted that “This team is not going to just participate, we are going to take apart the opposition.”

He then thanked Yassin on behalf of the association and added that “With the jumpstart that we have had from the GOA, we hope that other organizations along with the government come onboard and assist this team that has done us so proud.”

Yassin was somewhat critical of the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Sport, asking the question why has nothing been done so far to aid the team on its quest to regain the championship.

He also questioned why sporting organizations always have to be scratching for funds whenever they have international duties.

Yassin then called for the long awaited Sports Policy to be enacted as soon as possible since it will give organizations an insight on what they can expect in times as such.

The GOA head also expressed confidence in the team bringing back the bacon. (Emmerson Campbell)