Top ruggers see finance as major hindrance ahead of Hong Kong 7s

By Treiston Joseph

Two of Guyana’s top ruggers, Patrick King and Avery Corbin, have pointed to financial constraints as the major bugbear ahead of the Hong Kong Sevens, set for April. News Room Sport caught up with the two players on Saturday at the Guyana Rugby Football Union’s national trials, which were held at the National Park Rugby Field.

Ruggers turned out in their numbers in hope of impressing the selectors ahead of the Hong Kong Sevens. While Head Coach of the national team, Kenneth Grant Stuart, is happy with what he saw, the trials were basically held to sort out the best combination of players in time for the major tournament that will field some of the best rugby nations in the world.

Corbin gave some insight into the team’s fitness level, despite the weather not being too accommodating for training. “The trials come around fairly good, at least we have a lot of number at first because normally at the start of the year we don’t get this much in numbers so the numbers is okay, but the weather we can’t do nothing about the weather, we just got to play.

“Right now the fitness level is at 70% because we started gym earlier in the year with our trainer so our fitness right now as a team is at 70%,” Corbin stated. Corbin stressed that the team is in need of financial assistance should they really be able to perform in Hong Kong.

“I think that… one; we need more support financially, well the weather with the ground at least if it continues like this we will need a venue. I don’t know how that will work, but we need financial support moving forward to Hong Kong,” Corbin noted.

Meanwhile, King, who is the fastest winger in Guyana and probably the Caribbean, is also of the belief that financial aid is needed for the team to really progress, especially since rugby has been consistent with winning.

“I think we need a lot of sponsorship, we need people to get onboard and support the rugby team, rugby is a very successful sport in Guyana and I think what we need is more corporate people coming in, Government coming onboard and supporting this team because when we go out there we put out our all and we represent Guyana strong,” King highlighted.

King noted that he was impressed with the turnout on Saturday and revealed that fitness has been a key point for the players. The Sevens squad is expected to be named sometime in February.