The national 15s rugby team will be seeking to take the final step toward the North America and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Championship title when they tackle host, Trinidad and Tobago at the UWI Ground in St Augustine today.
Coming off Round Two-South victories over Barbados, both teams will have a lot to say and play for when they renew the biggest rivalry in regional rugby.
A victory over the Calypso Warriors will see the locals retaining the Southern Caribbean Championship. More importantly, a victory would set up a finals clash against Northern Champions, USA South in Guyana at a date to be announced.
The last time the teams met, Guyana mauled the Warriors 20-0 and booted them out of qualifiers for the 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup.
Guyana, a fit, confident, and well-trained outfit arrived in T&T on Thursday to capture another victory.
“We are a confident bunch and we are locked in at the task in front of us” said Coach Theodore Henry via telephone yesterday. “Most of the guys in the squad have a lot of championship experience; they know what it takes to win on foreign soil because we have been in this kind of situations many times.”
So what are the keys to victory?
“We need a good start,” Henry declared. We also need to minimize the unforced errors than our opponent, a high tackle percentage and play the game in the opposition’s half”.
The host however which won the NACRA 15s title in 2010 will be in high spirits after a 19-6 away win against Barbados at the Garrison Savannah last week.
One week prior at the Providence National Stadium, the national ruggers clawed their way back from a nil-17 half time deficit to stun the Bajans 19-17.
Guyana’s projected starting 15 is Captain Ryan Gonsalves, Claudius Butts, Ronald Mayers, Elwin Chase, Rondell Mc Arthur, Peabo Hamilton, Rickford Cummings, Jason Tyrell, Avery Corbin, Dwayne Schroeder, Dillion Downer, Richard Staglon, Cloyd Prowell, Breon Walks and Lance Adonis.
Kick off time is 16:00hrs.
