Guyana’s senior Men’s rugby team- the ‘Green Machine’- on Monday received $1.2 million in support from the National Sports Commission as they prepare to depart Guyana on Thursday to compete in the Rugby Americans North (RAN) Sevens tournament in the Turks and Caicos.
Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle made a presentation to the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) at his Middle Street office, where he highlighted the NSC’s pleasure in being able to support one of the country’s most successful sport teams.
“Rugby is one of our 12 core sports disciplines. And not because it is a core sport, we would want to assist as many sports disciplines as possible. We understand that this is a very important tournament and that is why we try to muster as much support as possible,” Ninvalle said.
According to Ninvalle, “This is not the last that we (the NSC) will be lending support to the GRFU. We do wish them well and hopefully they can come back with the highest accolade.”
Meanwhile the GRFU’s Assistant/Secretary Treasurer, Tiffany Spencer, lauded the NSC for the timely support, calling it a “great assistance.”
The GRFU said they were in a deficit of approximately US$19,000 to make the team’s participation possible, as Spencer pointed out the NSC’s contribution “will assist the team a great deal. We only have a little more to go, which we can handle. But we’re grateful for the assistance and we will be coming back again.”
The new-look ‘Green Machine’ will scrum off their quest to reclaim their RAN Sevens title against Belize on Saturday October 16.
Organisers released the tournament fixtures ahead of this weekend’s showdown, that will feature nine countries vying for the coveted title.
The two-day tournament, set for the Meridian Fields in Providenciales, will see Guyana in Group C alongside Bermuda and first time participants, Belize.
Three-time winners Jamaica were placed in Group A with the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and the Turks and Caicos, while in Group B, Mexico will come-up against Barbados and Curacao.
The ‘Green Machine’, seven-time winners of the prestigious tournament, will send a 12-man squad blended with both youth and experience.
Jamal Angus will lead Coach Theodore Henry’s team of experienced players, which includes Godfrey Broomes, Osei McKenzie, Rondel McArthur, Lancelot Adonis, Avery Corbin and Peabo Hamilton.
Phibian Joseph, Tyresse Prescod, Oniel Charles, Jonathan Garnett and Lionel Holder are the other players on the team that will seek to return the RAN trophy to Guyana since Guyana surrendered the title to Jamaica in 2017.
This year’s RAN tournament marks the return of international rugby to the Caribbean for the time since the COVID-19 global pandemic began in 2020 and also acts as a qualifier for next year’s World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series.
