– Teams wing out tomorrow hoping to qualify for finals
The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) yesterday announced the members of the National Sevens Men’s & Women’s Team for the NAWIRA Regional RWC 2009 Sevens Qualifier Tournament in Nassau, Bahamas, 25th & 26th October.
The teams have been in intense training for the past four weeks under the management of GRFU vice-president, Robin Roberts, head coach of the men’s team, Sherlock Solomon and head coach of the women’s team, Alton Agard.
Former Canadian national men’s and women’s Sevens coach, Spencer Robinson, joined the squad as Technical Director on Saturday and will be travelling with the team to the Bahamas.
Rugby West Indies captain, Claudius Butts, has been appointed captain of the men’s team and West Indies player, Richard Staglon, vice-captain.
National players Sabola Gray and Carrin Carter have been appointed captain and vice-captain respectively of the women’s team.
The two teams will fly out to the Bahamas on Caribbean Airlines early tomorrow morning.
Guyana’s men’s Sevens team are the current West Indies Champions and are seeded number three behind USA and Canada respectively while the women’s Sevens team is currently rated number two in the West Indies and are seeded fourth in the tournament behind Canada, USA and Jamaica.
The two teams reaching the finals of the qualifier will join 16 national teams in the World Cup finals to be played in Dubai, from March 27-29 next year.
The men’s team will be hoping to play in the final and so be the first West Indies Sevens Rugby Team to qualify for the Rugby World Cup Sevens.
They will play their first game against St. Vincent and The Grenadines while the women’s team will commence its challenge for qualification for the World Cup against Bermuda.
Men’s team, Albert La Rose, Claudius Butts, Dane Parks, Dwayne Schroeder, Peabo Hamilton, Richard Staglon, Rupert Christopher Giles, Ryan George, Sattish Samaroo, Theodore Henry, Troy Arjoon and Troy Bascom.
Reserves are Elwin Chase and Jason Tyrell.
Women’s team, Andrea Lashley, Careem Skeete, Carrin Carter, Collette Hope, Grace Jarvis, Latoya Hamilton, Maurees Skeete, Nikita Davis, Sabola Gray, Shennel Daniels and Trisha Munroe.
