Buoyed by promise, ‘Green Machine’ aiming to rediscover winning formula

Guyana’s national men’s rugby team, the ‘Green Machine’, finished ninth at the recently concluded Rugby Americas North (RAN) 13-team Sevens tournament in The Bahamas.

It is a regression from a fifth-place finish at the previous tournament and according to the team’s Manager, Ryan Dey, while they have to revisit the formula to success, there are some positive signs to work with.

Drawn in Pool B, Guyana lost both group matches, firstly to eventual Caribbean Jamaica 0-34, then Curacao 5-21.

It meant Guyana could not finish within the top half of the group to move to the knockout rounds and challenge for an eighth Caribbean title.

However, the national ruggers proceeded on a winning run in the placement matches, as they defeated The British Virgin Islands 34-10, The Turks and Caicos Islands 36-5, The Bahamas 31-21 and Belize 27-0.

“The team’s performance left a sour taste in our mouth,” Dey told News Room Sport on Wednesday.

“The guys didn’t play up to standard on the first day, but they went out and redeemed themselves on the second day. We know it was a little bit too late, but we have some good to take out of it. The guys know how hard they have to train now…this is a young team and they can only get better.”

Dey, also a former player and current President of the Guyana Rugby Football Union, indicated that management saw some positive signs for the future.

First-timers Michael Barrow, Michael Edwards, Owen Adonis and USA-based Mathew Talbot all scored.

Adonis, who is also a national sprinter, played in the winger position and had the most tries (six) for the team over the two days.

The two-day event doubled as a Qualifier for both the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, and the Rugby World Cup (RWC) Sevens 2022 in Cape Town South Africa.

The Canadian Women’s team took out Mexico to secure their place at the RWC Sevens in South Africa, while their counterparts – the Canadian Men – defeated Jamaica to book their ticket to both the RWC Sevens.

Men’s runners-up Jamaica will also join Canada and represent RAN at the Commonwealth Games in England, as well as take on this year’s RWC Sevens in Cape Town.

Next up for Guyana is a tournament in Mexico City in November.