– Jamaica pip Guyana again to repeat as RAN 7’s Champions!

DÉJÀ VU is said to be the feeling of recollection, or having lived through a specific moment. However, following the result of last evening’s Rugby Americas North (RAN) Men’s Sevens Championship final, the word will have another definition; “Déjà vu, the way Jamaica beat Guyana every year in the RAN 7’s final.”

In a similar fashion to 2017, Jamaica repeated as RAN 7’s Champions after defeating Guyana 22 – 17 in a humdinger at the Bellevue Plantation & Polo Club in St Michael, Barbados.

Lancelot Adonis, just like had happened in 2017, made a mistake that could be seen as the play that handed Jamaica a back-to-back title.

Jamal Angus, who along with Claudius Butts and Avery Corbin were the try scorers for Guyana in the finals, was also guilty of making a play that added to the Guyanese demise at a crucial point in the game.

Guyana only have themselves to blame for the loss which means that they will not be heading to Hong Kong next year to play in the IRB World Series. Guyana, however, has qualified for next year’s Pan Am games in Lima, Peru.

The Green Machine’s path to the final wasn’t an easy one, but on Day Two, they defeated the Dominican Republic (12 – 5) in the quarter-finals and long-time rivals Mexico (17 – 12) in the semi-finals to set-up a showdown with the ‘Reggae Ruggers’, who also played undefeated in the tournament.

The team featured an all Guyana-born and bred unit, while Jamaica once again featured a squad heavily laden with players out of England.

In the final, Jamaica got things going first, registering the first try of the game to take a 5 – 0 lead, but the conversion was no good. However, Guyana bounced back when Angus faked a pass in his side’s 22 that made the defence collapsed, which opened a clear path down the middle of the field to score.

The scoreboard had Guyana with a 7 – 5 advantage, but Jamaica, once again capitalised on a defensive error by Guyana to score a try and a conversion and saw them going up 7-12.

Corbin, on the stroke of half time, scored a try to bring things even at 12 – 12, giving them (Guyana) momentum heading into the final stanza of the game.

Butts, using his speed and experience, exploded down the wing to score a try to put Guyana in winning position.

With a 17 – 12 advantage and victory in sight Angus was the first to make a critical mistake which resulted in Jamaica scoring a try and evening the score (17 – 17).

Jamaica took the lead (17 – 22) after Butts was sent off and sought to capitalise on Guyana being a man short. The conversion from the try was not successful.

Twenty seconds on the clock, trailing Jamaica by five points and the championship on the line, Guyana had another chance but Adonis fumbled the ball from a Richard Staglon pass.

Adonis was not being contested at the time.

And just like in 2017, the Guyanese players sat in sorrow on the field, as Jamaica celebrated another title.

While Jamaica will go on to represent RAN at the Hong Kong Sevens in the World Series, Guyana, by virtue of reaching the final, will be present at next year’s Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s female team finished 7th in the 10-team women’s tournament which was won by Mexico.