By Calvin Roberts
Host Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago scored contrasting victories in first round matches when the Demlife/ Tropical Rhythm sponsored Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) in collaboration with the North America West Indies Rugby Association (NAWIRA) Women’s 15-a-side competition commenced at the National Park yesterday.
Playing in the opening match of the double header, Trinidad, despite carrying the fight to their opponents Jamaica and being awarded two penalties within the first 10 minutes of the game, found themselves trailing soon after when Dacia Gilroy scored the first try of the 2008 tournament in the 22nd minute after intercepting a pass from the Trinidadians to put her team 5-0 ahead.
The resulting kick was not converted, but this did not deter the Jamaicans who gained a new life with the lead.
The ladies from the Twin-Island Republic continued to attack the Jamaicans but were held up by some sturdy defence.
The Jamaicans went further into the lead 12 minutes later when centre Kaydean Gayle outran the defence and scored the second try.
Once again, the resulting kick was missed by the Jamaicans, an opportunity they must have regretted at the final whistle.
The Trinidadians were fortunate to pull one back two minutes later when Dacia Gilroy scored a try after receiving a gem of a pass from captain Juliana Straker.
Straker duly converted the ensuing kick as the Trinidadians trailed the Jamaicans 7-10 at the half.
The second half began just as the first half ended with the Trinidadians applying relentless attacks to their opponents.
But they failed to penetrate the defence until the 75th minute when Dalia Jordan-Browne scored a try.
Although the ensuing kick was not converted, the five points gained from the try was enough to propel Trinidad into the lead which they maintained until the final whistle.
In the second game, Guyana proved to all and sundry their development in this form of the game when they mauled debutantes Cayman Islands in front of a vociferous crowd of home supporters who did not hesitate to cheer every time the home team moved the ball forward.
The Guyanese signalled their intentions from the opening whistle and it was no surprise when they surged into the lead in the seventh minute, courtesy of a Careen Skeete try that was converted by Andrea Lashley who was having a marvelous afternoon on the field for Guyana as the home team took a 7-0 lead.
This lead was increased to 12-0 when Latoya Hamilton, another player who was having an exemplary game for her country, scored a try in the 15th minute.
A penalty kick taken by Lashley in the 26th minute increased the lead to 15-0 with 14 minutes remaining in the half and when The Cayman Islands brought the ball back into play one minute later, they were astonished to see Desaun Josiah score a try that made their deficit 20 points.
The visitors began to find their rhythm just before lemon time but the hosts proved why they were the number two team behind defending champions Jamaica, when Abigail Tinnis outran the islanders’ defence from just about the halfway line and scored an easy try which was later converted by Lashley in the 36th minute to see Guyana into the half with a comfortable 27-0 lead.
When play resumed it was clear that the Guyanese were bent on sitting on their lead whilst their opponents launched relentless attacks on them with Gill Camio and Eileen Mc Laughlin trying desperately to score a try for The Cayman Islands.
And, but for the sturdy defence of the Guyanese, The Cayman Islands would have opened their account in the tournament.
Guyanese captain Sabiola Gray played a one two with Lashley before scoring a try in the 48th minute which Lashley converted.
This knocked the wind out of the debutantes and shortly after a water break, Lashley got a pass from Josiah and outran the defence to score a comfortable try.
She then watched as Collette Hope converted to put the score 41-0.
The final whistle came without any addition to the score line despite many relentless attacks by The Cayman Islands that forced the Guyanese defence to work overtime. The competition will continue tomorrow with the two losing teams in the first round ,namely defending champions Jamaica and The Cayman Islands clashing from 1400hrs (2:00pm) whilst Guyana will go up against Trinidad and Tobago from 1600hrs (4:00pm) at the National Park.
Prior to the opening whistle, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony along with officials from the two major sponsors Ansa Mc Al Limited and Demerara Mutual Fire and Life Insurance Company met with officials and members of the two teams that played the opening game, as well as with officials from the Guyana and Cayman Islands teams.
