Global exposure for Caribbean rivalry
Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago will line up on Saturday for the final of the 2008 NAWIRA Caribbean Championship with local bragging rights on the line and, more importantly, a place up for grabs in the next round of qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2011.
Securing a place at the tournament in New Zealand remains a distant four-year dream and regional pride is at stake as the two sides take to the field in George Town, Grand Cayman.
The sides booked their places in the final with respective Cup semi-final wins against Barbados and Bermuda on Wednesday. Guyana's centres Kevin McKenzie and Theodore Henry shone in their 25-13 victory over Bermuda, while Trinidad & Tobago's victory was more one-sided, Brenden O'Farrell's 24-point haul helping them to a 56-0 win against Barbados.
The winner of the final will go on to to play the winner of the Consur B championship, featuring Brazil, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru, later in 2008, and both management teams were in determined mood on the eve of the match.
"When we left Trinidad and Tobago we swore that we would put some things right," said Trinidad & Tobago Team Manager Curtis Nero.
"This was not about us, it was about giving our younger players something to be proud of. We intend to play our part in a spectacular final.”
Trinidad & Tobago are currently ranked 51st in the IRB World Rankings, 18 places ahead of their opponents, but the Guyanese have a strong history of rugby and do not mind entering the match as underdogs.
“This has been a magnificent tournament for rugby, we came here to play and the Guyanese love to win!" said Guyana coach Sherlock Solomon.
"We hope very much that we can earn advancement to the CONSUR B round with a victory over our old friends and close rivals from Trinidad and Tobago.”
Immense pride across region
During the tournament the Webb Ellis Cup has been on display at the ground as well as at schools and clubs. For the local Cayman Islands rugby family, staging the tournament has offered a massive opportunity.
Cayman Director of Rugby Richard Adams invited every school child on the islands to the matches and has spoken of the historical significance, while even for the wider Caribbean rugby community the scale of the occasion has outshone anything previously staged.
“For the NAWIRA qualifier to open the Rugby World Cup 2011 has been a tremendous boost for the development of Rugby across the Caribbean and in Mexico," said Kit Nascimento, the President of the West Indies Rugby Union and a member of the NAWIRA Executive.
"It is a matter of immense pride that our region was chosen by the IRB to kick off this most important Rugby event of them all.”
The remaining sides, who have all now lost at least one match in the tournament, play off for Caribbean Championship ranking positions in the earlier matches on Saturday.
In the first match hosts the Cayman Islands play Jamaica in the Shield Final to settle seventh and eighth position. Mexico and the Bahamas then meet in the Bowl Final for fifth and sixth before Bermuda face Barbados for the Plate and third place.
All eyes will then fall on Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago as they bid to win this tournament, progress to the next round of Rugby World Cup 2011 qualifying and also gain the crown of 2008 Caribbean champions.
