The National Sports Commission (NSC), and by extension the Director of Sports, Christopher Jones on Thursday, handed over a number of trophies and plaque to Troy Yhip, Events Coordinator of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU).
“This is in support of the Goodwill Rugby Competition which will see Guyana and French Guiana competing for top spot,” the NSC said in a statement.
“The NSC wishes the best of luck and urges the public to come out and support our athletes as they represent Guyana to their best ability.”
The Union will host a 58-member French Guiana contingent for the one-day development tournament at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary, on Saturday (February 2).
The categories to be contested are Under-17, Under-19 and Male and Female Senior Sevens. Guyana had sent an Under-15, Under-19 and Senior Female team to French Guiana in March 2017.
According to Yhip, who heads the Union’s youth department, Guyana’s team will consist of the players who were on tour in 2017 and this helps in transitioning them to the senior team.
“This is the kind of development we want to transition the Under-19s into the senior team. Most the guys who (were) Under-19 in French Guiana are vying for a spot in the senior team now.”
Yhip continued that if Guyana is to truly see development of the game, there needs to be financial input.
“We have new players coming through; it is just to garner the youth programme but that comes with a lot of funding so we can have coaches go into schools. These coaches, we need a salary. We don’t have full time coaches and that it something we are lacking.”
The tournament is supported by the National Sports Commission, Banks DIH Limited and the Guyana Police Force.
