Inexperience was the main ingredient that caused the national under-19 ruggers’ cookie to crumble at the eight-day North America and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) 15s tournament which concluded in Trinidad on Saturday.
So said Coach, Larry Adonis during a telephone interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday.
“I think the players really gave it their best each in every game but their inexperience as well as injuries played a major part in us losing two of the three games”, said Adonis.
“We have to get back to the drawing board, keep this team intact and build on what they learned because most of them are still eligible to play next year and the year after”.
After drubbing St Lucia 29-10 in their first game, the teen ruggers were walloped 34-nil by the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and thrashed 51-nil by the Trinidad President’s Select.
“The score line does not really reflect the true nature of how competitive the games were” Adonis declared. “We plan on putting the games on tape to let people see what really went on, the players really competed but some unforced errors as well as bad decision-making cost us the games but like I said it was all because of inexperience, with more knowledge of the game and time to jell this team can return to the dominant days that we had”.
It was the first time in three years that a national under 19-rugby team competed in the tournament. Financing had prevented attendance in previous years.
So what is planned for the under-19 rugby team for the rest of the season after returning home empty handed on Sunday?
According to Adonis “We plan on having them assemble every Saturday in the National Park to train as well as compete in domestic competitions”.
TCI was the eventual winner of the Trophy segment which Guyana competed in while the Cayman Islands team was victorious in the top tier Cup competition.
