nov.16.2009

Yesterday at the Roberto Mendez Stadium in Mexico City, Guyana won the North America and Caribbean (NACRA)7s Rugby Championship for the fourth consecutive time when they defeated reigning Caribbean 15s Rugby Champions T&T 12-10 in the championship game. In last year's edition Guyana edged T&T by an unconverted try(5-0).This time the margin was a conversion(two points).

With Rugby 7s now an Olympic Sport Guyana will reap the reward of playing at the high profile 2010 Commonwealth Games ,and IRB World Seven Series USA leg in Las Vegas. Deserving reward for their Caribbean domination of the 7s format.T&T 's disappointment ,however,will be made even more acute as two missed conversions swung the pendulum Guyana's way.

The harsh reality of international sport is that the margin of defeat oft times is left to small details.In the sport of rugby the thin line between victory and the agony of defeat hangs on the ability to get the basics of kicking right.

At one time, T&T dominated the Caribbean in both versions of the game representing the region at the1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games .In 2004 the Calypso Warriors earned an invite to the prestigous IRB World Sevens Series USA Leg.

In those pre Olympic days.T&T's acceptance of the IRB invite was contentious as the West Indies Rugby Union(WIRU) was pushing the West Indies team concept.The fact that it was individual nations that participated in Rugby World Cup events and IOC multi sport events did not hold sway.

Times have changed since the IOCs vote last October to include Rugby 7s on the Olympic programme. The IRB is now required to create a pathway that will afford all of its member national rugby unions the opportunity to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Guyana with their slim win over T&T claimed the gilt edged prizes at stake in the new dispensation that is Olympic Sport status.T&T did not come away empty handed from Mexico City.The Calypso Warriors qualified for the 2010 Central America and Caribbean (CAC)Games.The historic inclusion of Rugby 7s on the multi sport CAC Games will debut in Guyana.

For the second straight year T&T will endure the bitter pill of losing a close 7s final to Guyana. Yet again the challenge of deep soul searching presents itself. But the battle has now started. Guyana in the Olympic sport of rugby 7s has the lead.

Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Football Union (TTRFU) president Leslie Figaro is confident that T&T will rebound.

"Murray Roulston ( Technical Advisor) is with the team in Mexico.He also assisted John Williams(interim coach)with the team's preparations. His audit , evaluation and recommendations will form the platform for our high performance programme .He arrived six weeks ago.Let us be honest. Correcting the problems requires more than six weeks. If he was here for eighteen months then it would be a different story."

Figaro said the TTRFU will not lose sight of the big picture because of the admittedly "huge" disappointment of missing out on the 2010 Commonwealth Games. " At the 2010 CAC and 2011 Pan Am Games .I strongly believe that we can podium finish. My priority right now is implementing the recommendations that Mr Roulston will make .The clarity of his analysis , constructive and mature approach is what T&T Rugby needs ." said Figaro

Figaro said that he is proud of the effort of the T&T team .

"They did not disgrace the country.You have to respect Guyana for their 7s rugby track record . They have held the crown for the last four years.The TTRFU with the support of the Ministry of Sport ,nothwithstanding the ecomomic environment, will seek to provide the T&T players and coaches with the technical support that is necessary ."

The T&T women's team,the current Caribbean 15s Champions, did not participate in Mexico City due to financial constraints.

The T&T men's team is scheduled to return home Tomorrow at 4.pm