By Emmerson Campbell
in Trinidad and Tobago
The national rugby team was booted out of the NACRA Senior men’s championships after receiving a 20-nil drubbing from Trinidad and Tobago yesterday at the University of the West Indies campus ground here in St. Augustine, Trinidad.
Tries by Jesse Richards (12th minute), Captain Adam Fredericks (48th) and Anthony Lopez (67th) coupled with a penalty and a conversion by Kelson Figaro put paid to the local team’s hopes of facing United States of America South in the final which will be played in the Twin-Island Republic later this month.
“No tries today” were some of the chants by the Calypso Warriors as they exacted revenge over the local ruggers who also thrashed them 20-nil the last time the teams met last year in the qualifiers for the 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup.
Guyana, a fit, confident, well-trained and perhaps too confident outfit arrived in T&T on Thursday looking to secure another victory.
“I think the guys were a bit overconfident,” said Coach Theodore Henry. “I don’t want to be critical of the players but I thought some of them showed up thinking that just because we are Guyana we can just show up and win,” he added.
Henry also pointed out that he was not too impressed with how the game was officiated but nonetheless gave credit to Trinidad for the win.
“I can safely say some of the whistles did not go our way but Trinidad did what they had to do, they came out, put us on the back foot and we never recovered, all credit to them,” he said.
Six minutes after the first whistle, Figaro put his team up three-nil after burying a penalty kick.
Compliments of Guyana’s porous defence, the score ballooned to 10-nil after Richards breached Guyana’s defence and Figaro converted.
Guyana’s hopes of a second half comeback like they did against Barbados two weeks ago suffered a setback two minutes after the half when Trinidad’s skipper recorded a try.
Nineteen minutes later, the hosts added another try compliments of a rampant Lopez running down the left flank.
At about 10 minutes to go with Trinidad enjoying an unassailable lead, Henry emptied his bench to allow debutants, Carl Lewis, Kevon David and Jacques Archibald, who he praised in the post match interview, to gain some championship experience.
When the final whistle blew, the hundreds of red clad spectators loudly cheered the 2010 champions who regained the Southern Championship from Guyana.
Trinidad’s starting 15 was Richards, Figaro, Fredericks, John Hill, Felician Guerra, Melville Eastman, Rowell Gordon, Graeme Alkins, Wayne Kelly, Jonathan O’Connor, Anthony Lopez, James Phillips, Joseph Quashie, Kwain Manswell and Keishon Walker.
Guyana started 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.
