Bermuda defeated pre final favourties Guyana 11- 0 last Wednesday in the North America and Caribbean Rugby Association(NACRA) Caribbean 15 a side rugby Championship final played in Georgetown Guyana.
The last time Bermuda lifted the title was ten years ago. The new Caribbean rugby kings have risen to number 47 on the International Rugby Board(IRB) world ranking list demoting former champs T&T to 48th.
Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Football Union(TTRFU) president Leslie Figaro while congratulating Bermuda on their success this year said that T&T rugby will face up to the renewed challenge posed by Bermuda.
" There was a time when Bermuda considered themselves masters of Caribbean 15 a side rugby. But.. when the IRB tightened up on the eligibility rules Bermuda were caught out as the majority of their players at that time were expats. To their credit they have since focused on developing home grown talent. They are the reigning Caribbean under 19 champs so they must be doing something right."
Figaro believes that the revival of old rivalries between Bermuda and T&T will only serve to raise the standard of rugby in the region .
" For the Caribbean 15s rugby championships to raise its profile and be more marketable. The rebirth of fierce regional rivalry is great. Here in T&T. I am trying and continue to strive to get the stakeholders to take our destiny into our own hands. As I have said over the years at the national team level there is no room or place for players with a social and recreational mindset. An important issue remains the players taking responsibility for their strength and conditioning. "
T&T's recent 22-20 home loss to Guyana was deeply disappointing said Figaro but he remains firm in his belief that it is a necessary wake up call.
" I am beginning to sound like a stuck record. But T&T rugby stakeholders must stop looking for a rugby saviour. Our destiny is in our own hands. If we prefer social and recreational rugby. Then so be it. Let us forget international and regional ambitions,goals and objectives and focus on social rugby. If we are serious about achieving our full potential as a rugby nation-small as we are- then stop the blame game."
Figaro believes the decision by the TTRFU selection committee to 'blood" thirteen uncapped players and to entrust the national senior men's team fortunes in the hands of new coaches -Larry Mendez,head coach, and Dale Trotman ,assistant coach is a necessary development.
"As far as I am concerned maintaining the status quo represent stagnation. Medicority is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. It is time for T&T rugby to look forward. I understand that with the loss the knives will be out but it comes with the territory. Larry(Mendez) and Dale(Trotman) understand the realties and can only improve. The same can be said about the young players.We missed eight conversion attempts thats a total of twenty points. We know that there is work to be done. Lets buckle down and do it and stop the finger pointing."
Team TTO
Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee