The national rugby team known as the ‘Green Machine’ is in the red and will need support from the government and the private sector in order to face Mexico on July 27 in the final of the Rugby America’s North (RAN) 15s championship.
According to president of the rugby union, Peter Green, the national men’s 15s team will need in the neighborhood of $15M to blanket all expenses for the all-important away game.
The team which has leaped nine places to 46 (their highest world ranking ever) after three wins in the tourney, has done Guyana proud over the years but their efforts have failed to garner substantial financial support.
The game has to be played in Mexico and Guyana must foot the bill since the championship rules dictate that the team with the higher seeding during the last edition of the tournament is rewarded with hosting the final. Mexico finished second last year.
Green said that his men will need to travel to the high altitude country at least 10 days prior to the encounter in order to acclimatize.
“Mexico is a high altitude country. We need to be there at least 10 days in advance to acclimatize. That costs money.”
He added “We have been doing well but it’s been difficult to get people to translate that into the performance of a National Rugby team that has been leading from the front over the national teams of this country. That has to change” Green reasoned.
Green then outlined the importance of the fixture on Guyana’s behalf.
“Mexico has nothing to lose and everything to gain with a victory over us because they are the underdogs. We have everything to lose because if we lose this game, we lose the qualifiers for the 2019 World Cup. We would also lose the option of hosting games at home as the number one-ranked country.”
On their path to the final, Guyana defeated Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Mexico bettered Cayman Islands 34-24 in their Northern Zone final to clinch a berth in the final (overall) versus Guyana.
The winner of the RAN trophy, progresses to the next round to qualify for the 2019 World Cup in November.
