TEST RUGBY RESULTS: Caribbean Championship

28.06.2014
Guyana 30, USA South 27 in Marietta (Carib. Champ.,Final)-After extra time
Mexico 96, Turks & Caicos Islands 0 in Mexico City (Carib. Ch.,Div.2, North)
Bahamas v Jamaica in ? (Caribbean Champ., Div.2, North)-Result to come

Briefly
For the first time since entering this competition a few years ago the USA team has lost a game. They lost the final 30-27 at home after extra time. Guyana is the new Caribbean champion.

In the other game played Mexico crushed Turks and Caicos Islands at home. The promotion-relegation playoffs will be played in September.

 

NACRA CARIBBEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 28 June

28.06.2014
Guyana v USA South in TBA (Caribbean Champ., Final)
Mexico v Turks and Caicos Islands in Mexico City (Carib. Champ.,Div.2, North)
Bahamas v Jamaica in Nassau (Caribbean Champ., Div.2, North)

Briefly
The big game here is the final. It will be a huge task for Guyana to win this one away from home and in a very unfamiliar environment which is the US of A. I can’t see USA South losing this one.

Prediction: USA South by 20 points

The other two games are the final ones in the round robin series

Mexico by 30 v Turks and Caicos Islands
Bahamas by 5 v Jamaica

NACRA CARIBBEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

17.05.2014
Barbados v Guyana in St Michael (Caribbean Champ.,League, South)
British Virgin Is. v St Vincent & G. in Tortola (Caribb.Cup, South)
Turks & Caicos Islands v Jamaica in Providencia (Caribb.Cup, North)

Preview
Barbados and Guyana clash in the first match of the Championship League South ZoneThe Caribbean senior men’s 15’s rugby competition has taken a step forward this year. Organised into two divisions for both the north zone and the south zone there appears to be a pathway of progress that teams can make.

The top tier of competition is called Championship leagues whilst the second tier is called Cup leagues. The winning teams of each League will play for the Caribbean title. The winning team of each Cup section will play the respective 3rd placed team in the leagues for promotion.

Championship League, North

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BP	TOT
USA South	1	1	0	0	33	6	27	1	3
Bermuda	1	0	0	1	6	33	-27	0	0
Cayman Is.	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

USA South has already stamped its mark in the North league with a comfortable home 33-6 win against Bermuda

Championship Cup, North

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BP	TOT
Bahamas	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jamaica	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Turks Caicos	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

The Turks and Caicos Islands takes on Jamaica in the first game in this

Championship League, South

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BP	TOT
Barbados	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Guyana	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Trin. Tobago	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

As already mentioned Barbados and Guyana clash in the first game for this zone.

Championship Cup, South

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BP	TOT
Curacao	1	1	0	0	56	7	49	1	3
St Lucia	1	0	0	1	7	56	-49	0	0
Br Virgin Is	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
St Vincent	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Curacao has already chalked up an impressive 56-7 win over St Lucia in this zone.

Predictions
Guyana by 1 v Barbados
BVI by 20 v St Vincent
Jamaica by 15 v Turks & Caicos

TEST RUGBY RESULTS: NACRA Round 1

19.01.2013
USA South 50, Mexico 23 in Atlanta (NACRA North R1)
Jamaica 31, Turks and Caicos Islands 13 in Providenciales (NACRA North R1)

USA South and Jamaica will square off in the final of round 1, with the winner progressing to Round 2

This weekend will see St Lucia v British Virgin Islands in the second South Zone game. The winner will play Curacao in the final of Round 1 with the winner progressing to Round 2

Turks and Caicos Islands v Jamaica NACRA Championship Round 1, North Zone

19.01.2013

Venue: Meridian Fields, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands

Referee: Edward Gardner (USA)

Preview

My records have other games played by Turks and Caicos Islands in the past. This may well be their first full test rugby match. I’m waiting to here back from the TCRFU to throw light on this topic.

Whatever the true records say this is the first time that the Turks and Caicos Islands have participated in the NACRA 15’s Championship. They have a first up task in the form of Jamaica who have a long history of rugby in the Caribbean.

My records at www.rugbyinternational.net (go to A-Z at the top) show that Jamaica first played test rugby in 1975 and entered the then Caribbean Championship in 1977.

In 2011 Jamaica entered the NACRA Championship after a short break from test rugby. They lost in the Round 1 North Zone knockout by losing away to Cayman Islands 24-36. Later in 2011 they played a friendly against USA South in Kingston, losing 5-52.

In 2012 Jamaica was back into the championship. This time the competition was a part of the 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifying stage. The lost 14-68 to Mexico away but surprised everybody by defeating Cayman Islands 19-18 at home. It wasn’t enough and Caymans went through to round 2. But that win would suggest that Jamaica is improving fast.

I expect they will have too much experience for the home side.

GWC Rugby Rankings do not apply as Turks and Caicos are yet to register a game.

Prediction: Jamaica by 30 points

TEAMS

Jamaica squad not available

 

Turks and Caicos Islands squad not available

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015 QUALIFYING-NACRA

07.04.2012
Cayman Islands v Jamaica in Kingston (WCQ Americas-NACRA R1)

Venue:

Referee: Keith Hodgkins, (Bermuda)

Preview
Cayman Islands accounted for Jamaica in last year’s Caribbean Championship. Jamaica has the advantage of having already played a test match this year (against Mexico 2 weeks ago) and also the home ground advantage. I expect Caymans to have the edge over the local team.

Previous Encounters
16.04.2011 Cayman Is 36-24 in Grand Cayman (Caribbean Champ., North R1)
26.04.2008 Cayman Is 11-10 in Grand Cayman (NAWRA B, Shield Final)
08.06.2005 Cayman Is 18-8 in Nassau (WCQ Americas, Caribbean, North)
28.02.2004 Cayman Is 41-14 in Grand Cayman (Mayfair Cup)
08.11.2002 Cayman Is 32-27 in Montego Bay (Mayfair Cup)

Jamaica has never defeated Cayman Islands, the first game being in 2001.

Last Year at Caribbean Championship

Cayman Islands
16.04.2011 v Jamaica in Grand Cayman W 36-24, North R1
15.05.2011 v Mexico in Mexico City L 20-34, North R2 (eliminated)

Jamaica
16.04.2011 v Cayman Islands in Grand Cayman L 24-36, North R1 (eliminated)

Jamaica lost 14-68 to Mexico two weeks ago in Mexico City in the opening games of this competition and of the 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifying games.

GWC Rugby Rankings
NACRA Table-Cayman Islands 9th, Jamaica 10th

IRB Ranking Points
Cayman Islands 41.23, Jamaica 35.84

Prediction: Cayman Islands by 10 points

Teams

CAYMAN ISLANDS

15		Joel Clark
14		Christopher Bunce
13		Venasio Tokatokavanua
12		Jon Murphy
11		Robert Cribb
10		Morgan Hayward
9		Ross Connerton
8		Joshua Clark
7		Shaun Gerard
6		Phillip Fourie
5		Yohann Regnard
4		Daniel Bond
3		Mark Stabler
2		Michael Kehoe
1		Benjamin McDonald (Capt.)
16		JS de Jager
17		Paul Parker
18		Douglas Anderson
19		Benjamin Blair
20		Alexander Pineau
21		James Waters
22		Barnaby Richardson
		HEAD COACH: Bradley Cowdroy

http://www.facebook.com/caymanrugbytv
http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4036&start=30

JAMAICA

Team not yet available

2015 RUGBY WORLD CUP. The First Game!

24.03.2012
Jamaica v Mexico in Mexico City (WCQ Americas, NACRA R1)

Venue: Universidad Iberoamericana

The Web Ellis Trophy. The Rugby World Cup.

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Preview
NACRA stands for ‘North American and Caribbean Rugby Association’. Essentially it represents the Anglophile part of the Americas. Mexico would seem to be a strange inclusion when you think Coast Rica, just down the road, plays in CONSUR, the mainly Spanish speaking southern areas.

For those of you who don’t follow the smaller rugby nations today is a huge day for Jamaica and especially Mexico. Today’s rugby test match is the first qualifying fixture for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, hosted by England.

Lawrence Dallaglio, the former England player, will also be in Mexico City as the official 2015 Rugby World Cup ambassidor

These two teams have never met before.

2011 NACRA Competition Results

Mexico
09.04 v USA South W 25-9 in Mexico City
15.05 v Cayman Islands W 34-20 in Mexico City
28.05 v Bahamas L 12-17 in Nassau
05.06 v Bermuda L 7-26 in Mexico City

Jamaica
16.04 v Cayman Islands L 24-36 in Grand Cayman
Jamaica were eliminated at this point.

Friendly
25.06 v USA South L 5-52 in Kingston

For more information on the structure of the NACRA Americas Zone go to www.rugbyinternational.net

For other articles
http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/qualifying/news/newsid=2061578.html#mexico+jamaica+itll+like+fiesta

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/qualifying/news/newsid=2061571.html#joubert+ready+kick+road+rwc+2015

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/qualifying/news/newsid=2061595.html#the+golden+caribbean+rugby

GWC Rugby Rankings
NACRA Table-Mexico 8th, Jamaica 10th

IRB Rankings do not apply. Mexico is not a full member of IRB. It means they cannot actually progress beyond NACRA stage. If they do win this section then the second placed team will progress.

Prediction: Mexico by 26 points

Teams

Mexico Squad

Juan Pablo Andrade (Capt.) (Jaguares RFC)

Roberto Calderon (Lobos Guadalajra RC)

Miguel Carner (Black Thunder RFC)

Erick Castillo (Jaguares RFC)
Alejandro Chavez (Tazmania RC)
Luis Hernandez Cruz (Pumas Rugby UNAM)

Max Douek (Tazmania RC)
Christian Henning (Black Thunder RFC)
Geraldo Gil Hernandez (Templarios RFC)

Fernando Herrejon (Black Thunder RFC)

Patrick Jouan (Wallabies RFC)

Juan Manual Matamoros (Templarios RFC)
Pascal Nadaud (Black Thunder RFC)
Samuel Gythu Nyaga (Rhinos RC, Guadalajara)
Pablo Pagano (Wallabies RFC)
Simon Pierre (Tazmania RC)
Pablo Pinedo (Jaguares RFC)

Carlos Prieto (Black Thunder RFC)
Bruno Rodriquez (Black Thunder RFC)

Luis Rosete (Black Thunder RFC)
Carlos Susarrey (Lobos Guadalajara RC)

Gonzalo Taddei (Wallabies RFC)

Head Coach: Simon Pierre

Adapted from http://mexrugby.com/website/noticias/48-noticias/393-lista-oficial-mexico-vs-jamaica.html

 

  
(Not sure which one is their official logo)

Jamaica Squad not available as yet.

TEST RUGBY MATCH: USA South Too Good For Jamaica

25.06.2011
USA 52, Jamaica 5 in Kingston (Friendly)

Briefly
This rugby test match slipped under our radar last weekend. According to the report below this test match was sanctioned by the IRB. Both teams were eliminated in the first round of the Caribbean Championship so decided to square off. This is excellent initiative by both unions. Lets hope this sort of arrangements continue and that the Caribbean gets more rugby exposure at this level.

Article at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/american_rugby-news/message/4092 and thanks to ‘Seahorse’ at http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3678&start=75

INTERNATIONAL TEST RUGBY TOURNAMENT: NACRA

Today two further matches in the NACRA 2011 Caribbean  Championship will be played in both the north and south zones. These are the other round 1 matches.

Last weekend Mexico won the first north zone match, defeating USA South 25-9, whilst British Virgin Islands defeated St Vincent and Grenadines 25-13 to win the north zone fixture.

16.04.2011
Barbados v St Lucia in Bridgetown (South R1)

Venue:

Referee:

Previous Encounters
13.08.2005 Barbados 81-0 in Georgetown (WCQ America, Caribbean South)
12.10.1996 Barbados 31-14

No rankings available

Prediction: History tells us that Barbados will be too strong for their smaller neighbour. Barbados by 45 points

Teams

Barbados Squad
Nico Blunt
Jae Bowen
Jathaniel Brathwaite
Harold Bynoe
Omar Bynoe
Kevin Carter
Stuart Copeland
Rondel Cumberbatch
Murray Dow
Raj Edwards
Neil Forde
Dwight Forde
Ramon Gibson
Jamal Gonsalves
Che Goring
Mario Holder
Leandro Jordan
Mark Leacock
Phil Mayers
Stephen Millar
Greg Moseley-Clarke
Kevyn Murrel
Adon Rodgers
Dario Stoute
Sean Ward
Thanks to Dennis Hargreaves, Barbados RFU Development Officer

St Lucia squad not available

16.04.2011
Cayman Islands v Jamaica in Grand Cayman (North R1)

Venue:

Referee:

Preview
The past two encounters between these two nations have been close affairs and I’d expect the same today.

Previous Encounters
26.04.2008 Caymans 11-10 in Grand Cayman (NAWIRA B, Shield final)
08.06.2005 Caymans 18-8 in Nassau (WCQ America, Caribbean North)
28.02.2004 Caymans 41-14 in Grand Cayman (Mayfair Cup)
08.11.2002 Caymans 32-27 in Montego Bay (Mayfair Cup)
13.02.2001 Caymans 48-0 in ? (Cancun Trophy)

Rankings do not apply

Prediction: History is with the local side. Cayman Islands by 7 points

Cayman Islands
Ben McDonald; JS de Jager; Peter de Vere; Dan Bond; Doug Anderson; Craig Morgan; Josh Clarke; Ben Blair; Simon Crompton; Sam Sage; Keswick Wright; Joel Clarke; Michael Wilson; Dow Travers and Robbie Cribb.

http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3678&start=15

Jamaica squad not available.

2008 A Year of Rugby Part 4

North America

The main features about international rugby in North America was the NAWIRA (North American and West Indies Rugby Association) World Cup qulaifying matches and the USA v Canada Churchill Cup clash.

12th Costa Rica
Costa Rica participated in the CONSUR B (South American Zone) competition in 2006, held in Caracus. They were outclassed in all their games and stayed away from international competition to rebuild. In 2008 they hosted the Cayman Islands losing 17-20 in San Juan on 17 May. This was a very good effort considering the Caymans had particpated in the NAWIRA World Cup qualifying matches in April. Coast Rica may well look to NAWIRA for future competition.

11th Saint Vincent and Grenadines
This country, like Costa Rica, re entered the international scene after a year's absence. They played Mexico at home in late March to decide the final place in the NAWIRA World Cup qualifying tournament on Grand Cayman. The Mexicans, also playing for the first time since 2006, won easily 47-7.


10th Jamaica
Jamaica was one of a number of Caribbean nations to reappear on the international scene after a few years absence. Jamaica lost all their games but they were all close encounters, including a 3-10 loss to Guyana, one of the tournament finalists, in the first World Cup knockout match.


9th Cayman Islands
The hosts of the NAWIRA World Cup qualifying tournament could well be disappointed with their 7th placing. They were outplayed by eventual tournament winner Trinidad and Tobago in the first match, a World Cup knockout match, then lost to newcomers Mexico in the second and then defeated Jamaica in the Shield final. Caymans then travelled to Costa Rica in May to narrowly defeat their hosts 20-17.


8th Mexico
Mexico qualified for the NAWIRA Tournament after a 47-7 win against St Vincent and Grenadines away. At the tournament they nearly caused a major upset in their first game, just losing 20-21 to Barbados in the World Cup knockout round. They then suprised the hosts Cayman Islands to win 13-7 but lost their last game to Bahamas.


7th Bahamas
The Bahamas lost their first game of the NAWIRA Tournament 13-29 to Bermuda in the World Cup qualifying knockout round. They went on to win the other two matches against Jamaica and Mexico to take the tournament's bowl prize.


6th Barbados
Barbados was the team that won the 2005 NAWIRA World Cup qualifying tournament, which included a 25-17 win over Trinidad and Tobago. The Barbadians went on to play the USA and Canada for a place in the World Cup Final. They lost heavily to the two North American giants but were expected to fare well again at this tournament. They started with a very shakey 21-20 win over Mexico and were humbled 0-56 against Trinidad and Tobago in the next match. A dispirited team then lost the plate final to Bermuda 6-17 to end a disappointing tournament.


5th Bermuda
Bermuda has been around the Caribbean Championship scene for over thirty years. Their most recent matches were losses to Cayman Islands and Canada Under 21 in a tournament in the Caymans in 2006. At the 2008 NAWIRA tournament they started in style defeating the Bahamas 29-13 but then lost 13-25 to eventual finalist Guyana 13-25. In their last match they defeated Barbados 17-6 to take the Plate final.


4th Guyana
Guyana had defeated Trinidad and Tobago 29-21 back in the NAWIRA Tournament in 2005. After winning their first two games at the 2008 NAWIRA tournament, the Guyanese were pitted against the Trindadians in the final. They showed great spirit in the final only to lose to the better side 24-40.


3rd Trinidad and Tobago
The Trinidadians defeated Guyana 40-24 in the final and won the right to play the CONSUR B finalist Brazil to move to the next World Cup qualifying stage. Althought they lost both legs of the games against Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago can be proud to be the champion team of the Caribbean until the next NAWIRA competition.


2nd United States
For the third year running the USA had to play second fiddle to their northern neighbours Canada. The USA lost 10-26 to Canada in Chicago in the Churchill Cup 5th/6th (Bowl) playoff.

1st Canada

Part 5 will look at Africa (CAR-Confederation Africa Rugby) placings 20th to 29th