The coaching staff has intensified preparations of the national men’s and women’s sevens rugby squads ahead of the two-day North American Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Seven’s tournament which kicks off on November 9 in the Cayman Islands.
Both squads were seen going through fitness drills as well as simulation game activities when Stabroek Sport visited the rugby field in the National Park yesterday.
“With seven to eight weeks left we are trying to fine tune things” Laurie Adonis told this publication.
“Tuesdays and Thursdays we do a lot of technical and defensive stuff, Wednesdays and Sundays are our fitness days but even after the fitness sessions we still do some work in other areas and from this Saturday we will be having the first set of simulation games to gauge their game fitness,” he said.
President of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU), Peter Green also stated that union will also be staging 15s and 10s club matches on the off days.
According to fitness coach, Barrington Browne however: “Most of them (the players) are aerobic and anaerobic unfit, so for the next two weeks we will be doing a lot of aerobic work, one-mile runs, three-mile runs, and shuttle runs.”
Browne added: “Eight weeks is enough time to get them where they should be as long as they have adequate training, rest and nutrition.”
The fitness coach also revealed that a BEEP Test is planned in mid October to get a clear indication of the ruggers’ fitness levels.
A mixture of familiar names as well as new comers makes up both squads.
The male ruggers, who are the former six-time champions, were dethroned last year by Mexico after six years of ruling the NACRA kingdom and will have redemption on their minds. They will be coached by Canada-based Spencer Robinson who has committed his services to the team.
The men’s squad reads: Ryan Gonsalves, Theodore Henry, Walter George, Dwayne Schroeder, Avery Corbin, Rhondel McArthur, Rickford Cummings, Akeem Fraser, Leon Greaves, Kevin Joseph, Lance Adonis, Troy Bascom, Elwin Chase, Blaise Bailey, Breon Walks, Carl Lewis, Trenton Braithwaite, Claude Alexander, Grantley Williams and overseas based players Richard Staglon, Vallon Adams, Peabo Hamilton, Ronald Mayers, Kevin McKenzie, Claudius Butts and Dominic Lespierre.
The women’s squad will include: Sabola Gray, Tricia Munroe, Collette Hope, Latoya Cordis, Nicole Nero, Alicia Mentore, Alicia Fortune, Therese Torres, Sherryann Prowell, Andrea Lashley, Carren Skeete, Grace Jarvis, Maurees Skeete, Shennel Daniels, Fiona Ward, Cindy Fraser, Vionette Proffii, Karren Norville, Alexis Gordon, Princesa Wilkie, Nicolette Shako, Debbie Sampson, Sasha James, Odessa Romeo, Claotea Dublin, Lashana Castillo, Yara Silva and Valarie Hunter.
