… Guyana looking to reclaim RAN 15s title on July 29

THE Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) is hoping that good weather prevails, as Guyana prepare to host USA (South) on July 29, in the finals of the Rugby Americas North (RAN) 15s Championship.
According to information reaching Chronicle Sport, while the Rugby field at the National Park is the preferred venue and the one that’s currently being prepared for the historic match, should the country continue to see sporadic heavy rainfall, the GRFU could be forced to find an alternative venue.
It was noted that the St Stanislaus College ground on Carifesta Avenue is that alternative venue – the same one used for Guyana’s 24-17 win over Trinidad and Tobago last month in the RAN South Zone final.
The USA side will be making their maiden voyage to Guyana for the second meeting between the two countries and are scheduled to arrive on July 27.
Two years ago, Guyana’s National Rugby team, popularly known as the ‘Green Machine’, etched their names in the history books after edging the mighty USA South to claim their maiden Rugby Americas North (RAN) (formerly North American and Caribbean Rugby Association) 15s title with a come-from-behind 30-27 win.
Guyana will have a chance to not only reclaim the title that was won by Mexico last year, but also do something that several teams in RAN have never done; that is to beat the USA twice.
The visit by the USA will be their second in the Caribbean after travelling to Trinidad and Tobago in 2013 where they left with the RAN 15s title, winning 26-18.
The Americans will want to exact revenge for their 2014 defeat to Guyana in Atlanta Georgia in rather dramatic fashion.
The good thing for Guyana is that their squad of players who had beaten the USA are still playing together and had improved in the 15s format.
Guyana’s players are known for their dominance in the game’s shortest format (Sevens), but since their win against the USA in 2014, the GRFU had made a commitment to have their National side pay more emphasis on 15s Rugby.
Since then, the Green Machine have won back-to-back South Zone titles, and missed out on winning a second overall RAN 15s title when they went down 32-3 against Mexico last year.