The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) will be participating in the upcoming Commonwealth Games rugby competition in New Delhi, India next month.
The team faces a daunting challenge being grouped in what president of the Guyana Rugby Football Union Kit Nascimento describes as the ‘toughest of four pools.”
The Guyana team is in Group `A’ along with defending Commonwealth Games Sevens champions New Zealand, and with World Series regulars Scotland and Canada.
Despite the challenges, much is expected of the reigning Caribbean Sevens champions who will be making their debut at the tournament.
The Guyana teams’ preparation has been boosted with a monetary donation of five million dollars from president Bharrat Jagdeo.
Below, Stabroek Sport carries profiles of the rugby team for the Commonwealth Games.
Claudius Butts (Captain)
Age: 25
D.O.B: November 29, 1984
Position: Wing
Experience: Butts has been playing rugby since the age of 16 and is a member of the Yamaha Caribs Rugby Club. He captained the West Indies rugby team at the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series from 2005 – 2009 in the United States and Hong Kong and led Guyana’s National 15s and Sevens teams through 2003 to 2009. He also captained the national Sevens team at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games and the North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Championships.
Avery Corbin
Age: 26
D.O.B: June 11, 1984
Position: Forward
Experience: Corbin has been playing rugby from the age of 20 and is a member of the Guyana Defence Force Rugby Club. This is the first time he has been selected to the national Sevens team.
Walter George
Age: 35
D.O.B: November 1, 1974
Position: Prop
Experience: George has been playing rugby from the age of 19 and is a member of the Yamaha Caribs Rugby Club. He represented Guyana’s national 15s and Sevens teams at the NAWIRA/NACRA Championships for many years, most recently being at the 2010 CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
Theodore Henry
Age: 30
D.O.B: October 4, 1979
Position: Prop.
Experience: Henry has been playing rugby from the age of 20. He is a member of the Yamaha Caribs Rugby Club; past member of the West Indies Rugby team to the IRB Sevens World Series from 2005 – 2009 in the United States & Hong Kong; member of Guyana’s National 15s and Sevens team for many years including 2010’s CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
Ronald Mayers
Age: 23
DOB: November 16, 1987
Position: Forward
Experience: Mayers represented Guyana on the national 15s and Sevens teams. His most recent representation was at the 2009 NACRA Championships; the 2010 IRB Sevens World Series in the United States and the recently concluded CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
Dwayne Schroeder
Age: 26
D.O.B: November 23, 1983
Position: Forward
Experience: Schroeder is a member of the Guyana Defence Force Rugby Club. He represented Guyana on the national 15s and Sevens teams at the NACRA Championships 2008 and 2009; the IRB Sevens World Series 2010 and National Sevens team in the 2010 CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
Richard Staglon
Age: 25
D.O.B: January 5, 1985
Position: Hooker
Experience: Staglon was a member of West Indies rugby team at IRB Sevens World Series 2005 – 2009 in the USA and Hong Kong; member of Guyana’s National 15s and Sevens team for many years the most recent being at this year’s CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
Albert La Rose
Position: Scrum Half
Experience: La Rose was a member of the West Indies rugby team at IRB Sevens World Series 2005 – 2009 USA and Hong Kong and Guyana’s National 15s and Sevens teams for many years.
Dominic Lespierre
Age: 23
D.O.B: December 22, 1986
Position: Half-Back
Experience: Lespierre plays professionally in the United Kingdom’s Rugby Union and Rugby League. He played for London Irish Elite Development Academy (2002-2005), the John Fisher School 1st XV – U18 (2003-2005), Leeds Metropolitan University Rugby Union (2006-2010) and he was the European Universities runner up (2006-2007). He also played for Leeds Metropolitan University Rugby League, Morley RFU 2007-2008 season, Castleford Tigers RFL 2008-2009 season, Oldham Rougheyeds RFL 2009-present and represented Guyana at the IRB Sevens World Series, the 2010 CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
Christopher Singh
Age: 23
D.O.B: April 28, 1987
Position: Half-Back
Experience: Singh has been playing rugby from the age of 16. He is currently a member of the Hornets Rugby Club. He represented Guyana on the National 15s and Sevens teams at the NACRA Championships, 2006 – 2008 and this year’s CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
Kevin McKenzie
Age: 25
D.O.B: February 21, 1985
Position: Back
Experience: McKenzie has been playing rugby from the age of 15. He is a member of the Hornets Rugby Club in Guyana, Northern in Trinidad and Tobago, Bective Rangers in Ireland and Bracknell in the United Kingdom. McKenzie also played semi professionally in the United Kingdom and Ireland’s Rugby Union from 2008 – 2010. He was a member of the West Indies rugby team at the IRB Sevens World Series from 2005 – 2009 in the United States and Hong Kong and Guyana’s National 15s and Sevens Team over many years including this year’s CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
Dane Parks
Age: 22
D.O.B: January 19, 1988
Position: Wing
Experience: Parks has been playing rugby from the tender age of 13 and is currently a member of the Hornets Rugby Club. He played on the West Indies Select Sevens rugby team and Guyana’s National 15s team at NACRA Championships in 2008. Most recently he represented Guyana at the 2010 CAC Games and NACRA Championships.
The team’s reserves include Rupert Giles, Ryan Gonsalves, Ryan HInkson Elwin Chase and Peabo Hamilton.
The officials that will be accompanying the team are Manager, Christopher (Kit) Nascimento, Coach and Technical Director, Joe Whipple and Physiotherapist, Martin Varga.