Clouded with secrecy, the National Men’s Rugby squad departed these shores on Monday en-route to Mexico City for the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens Champions which be held from November 25 to 26.
In a release from the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) which named both male and females squads, there were some shocking omissions from the men’s team, which is commonly called the Green Machine.
Top of the list of would be regular captain Ryan Gonsalves, Vallon Adams, Blaise Bailey and Godfrey Broomes, all of whom would have recently represented Guyana in the RAN fifteens championships (they finished second overall to United States South ) and did so commendably.
Dwayne Schroeder (with ball) will be the new captain of the Green Machine
The Squad listed in the release read: Dwayne Schroeder (Capt.) (Guyana Defence Force), Avery Corbin (Guyana Defence Force), Patrick King (Guyana Defence Force), Rondel McArthur (Panthers), Jamal Angus (Panthers), Lancelot Adonis (Panthers), Rickford Cummings (Pepsi Hornets), Peabo Hamilton (Pepsi Hornets), Richard Staglon (Trinidad Based), Claudius Butts (Trinidad Based), Ronald Mayers (Trinidad Based), Dominic Lespierre (England Based). Management: John Lewis (Manager) Laurence Adonis (Coach) Philip Browne (Physio).
A source close to the GRFU explained to <<Guyana Times Sport>> on Monday that the national team training would have commenced six weeks ago, primarily on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
“Among the regulars that attended training were are Ryan Gonsalves, Dwayne Schroeder, Avery Corbin, Blaise Bailey, Rondell McArthur, Jamal Angus, Rickford Cummings, Patrick king, Godfrey Broomes”, the sourced revealed.
It was further stated, “Krista Mars, O’Neil Charles came seldom along with Ryan Dey and Kevin David to trials games. Absent were Lancelot Adonis and Osie McKenzie who was on work duties and could not make training”.
It is understood that Lancelot who is also the son of the coach (Laurence Adonis) was released and attended training last Thursday and Friday trails game at Georgetown Football Club.
“He was present for about the first week or two of the commencement of training and he’s in the final 12?’, the sourced questioned.
“How could Lancelot Adonis make the squad in front of players who are training and playing through the preparation for this tournament?”
However, the release from the Union stated, “With 2018 beckoning as an extremely active international year and with the goal of rotating its experienced players to best ensure that its National sevens and fifteens teams are adequately stocked and the Nation well represented”.
The championships will also be serving as qualifiers for the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Central American and Caribbean Games in 2018, with Guyana men being the number one ranked team and Caribbean defending champions despite their despite their loss in the final to Canada 5-52 in Trinidad and Tobago last year November.
Guyana who are in pool A will meet the force of their counterparts from Barbados and Cayman Islands. Pool B pits together Jamaica, Bermuda and Dominican Republic while Pool C contains the host along with Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao and British Virgin Islands.
The men’s competition on day 1 will be a pool round robin, with seeding based on the 2016 standings. On day one, the top two teams in each pool go through to the play-off in two further pools and the remaining four teams will play off in a separate round robin tournament. The format allows for 6 teams after day one to be in contention to win the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Women’s team will depart today and consist of Collette Hope (Capt.) (Pepsi Hornets), Tricia Munroe (Pepsi Hornets), Alisha Mentore (Pepsi Hornets), Latoya Cordis (Pepsi Hornets), Cloetta Dublin (Pepsi Hornets), Kean Andrews (Pepsi Hornets), Mandy Browne ( Guyana Defence Force), Abioce Heywood (Guyana Defence Force), Sasha James (Guyana Defence Force), Shonette Mc Farlane (Guyana Defence Force), Sabola Gray (Yamaha Caribs), Cindy Fraser (Police Falcons). Management: Petal Adams (Manager), Theodore Henry (Coach), Abiola Blair (Physio).
The female team finished fifth overall in the championships and fourth in the Caribbean after winning the “bowl final” 17-12 against Bermuda will certainly hope they can top the six other teams.
The other teams will come from Mexico, Bermuda, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago and French Guiana. On the women’s side, a round robin tournament over two days will take place, where every team will play each other (3 matches each day per team) and final positions will be based on the standings.
Meanwhile, the release also saw the union express their gratitude to the President David Granger for intervening and affording the National teams the chance to participate at this high level along with contributions from the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Noble House Sea foods.
