Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) Junior Vice President Rawle Toney has promised a more proactive approach by the Union, especially with regards to garnering funds for the national teams ahead of international engagements.
Often, the Union was guilty of attempting to accumulate funds for foreign engagements on the eve of these crucial events.
Intense rugby action returned to the National Park on Saturday with the Hairoun Beer Sevens
Players even admitted that uncertainty over participation in tournaments owing to financial constraints was a major detraction.
But Toney, speaking on the sidelines after a successful Sevens tournament – the most lucrative of its kind as $200,000 was up for grabs – posited the new executive which continues to be led by Peter Green, would be the agent of change.
“We will be proactive in reaching out to corporate Guyana. You wouldn’t see the usually thing whereby on the eve of tournaments, we reach out to corporate Guyana begging them to support the Green Machine. What you will see is the Union reaching out to corporate Guyana telling them these are our scheduled activities for 2018,” he explained.
While time may be on their side, they have a packed schedule on the road, having to play in the Central American and Caribbean Games July 19-August 3 in Colombia. Still in the Spanish-speaking country, they will turn their attention to the Americas Rugby Challenge 15s from August 24 to September 1.
Next on the agenda will be seeking to reclaim their Rugby Americans North 7s title in Barbados from September 22 to 23 and, in turn, earn a spot at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2019.
Toney, who stands firm on his point of view that the sport is one of the most successful national sports and can help the country substantially in making a mark as a sport/tourism attraction, revealed that Saturday’s tournament was only one of many in the pipeline aimed at attracting foreign teams to the “Land of Many Waters”. (Akeem Greene)
