The national 15s rugby team delivered a Golden Jubilee Independence victory to the nation yesterday against Jamaica.
Following their 23-5 win against the reggae ruggers at the National Park, their union was then presented with a cheque by Director of Sport, Chris Jones.
It was a tale of two halves as the ‘Green Machine’ transformed into robot mode following the half time whistle.
Clinging to just a three-point lead (8-5) at the half of their Rugby America’s North (RAN) fixture, the locals turned the tides on by blanking Jamaica much to the appreciation of the fans who were given a treat of a match.
True to form, Jamaica came out playing at a blistering pace and ferocity that any team would struggle to match.
On the muddy field, Guyana matched their physicality, but it was not long before Steven Miller produced a try to put the visitors up five. Then it all went downhill.
Rondel McArthur buried a penalty try to put Guyana on the score sheet.
Then Lance Adonis padded the score line with a gem of a diving try, needling four defenders from about 30 yards out to put Guyana up 8-5.
The teams went back and forth with hard tackles and stalemate scrums and went to the locker room with the same score line.
Guyana however went into the locker room with a psychological advantage but after halftime you would have believed that there were down 20.
The result? Recording three tries and conceding none.
Inspired by the fresh legs in the engine room in the form of wingers, Patrick King and Godfrey Broomes, Team Guyana stole the second half show.
Saran Wrap Defence and tries by Ronald Mayers, King and Claudius Butts put paid to the efforts of the Jamaicans.
Up next for Guyana in the RAN campaign is an away game versus Trinidad on June 19.
Meanwhile, Jones presented president of the GRFU, Peter Green with a cheque worth $1.1M to offset some of the expenses for the U-19 team for the Regional Championships, renovation of the changing room and construction
of scores board. (Emmerson Campbell)
