THE conditions were right. Glorious sunshine a dry turf and a healthy unit, but at the end of 80-minutes, Trinidad and Tobago would come out the winners of the NACRA 15s game against the defending Champions Guyana.

The win gives them the title as Southern Caribbean Champions and they now advance to the finals against Mexico on April 25.
Playing at the Fatima College ground in Port-Of-Spain, the Guyanese came out looking to score on every run. And they briefly threatened the TT defence on two plays, but they would lose the ball.
T&T after 22 minutes of play scored their first try (5pts) through James Phillips – Blaise Bailey charging but not stopping Phillips’ run. There was no conversion.
On 37 minutes, Samuel Roberts put the homeside up 10 points and Felician Guerra added his name to the score sheet with two points for the kick (conversion) 12-Nil at the half it would be.
Dwayne Schroder in the first half had a clear-cut try disallowed, but there was no appeal.
Some colourful language during the break from Wing Forward Richard Staglon spurred the Guyanese on in the second half.
With the team now settled, two minutes into the half – Australian-based Kevin McKenzie collected a perfect pass and took off for the zone – Guyana’s first 5 points on the board.
Captain Ryan Gonsalves took the kick, but it wasn’t converted. It would be a bad day for him – he missed four attempted to add eight points on the board. He was however better on the run.
Trinidad would add to their seven point cushion, when they forced a try from the right flank through Johnason 17-5 in the 60th minute.
Avery Corbin cut the deficit for Guyana in the 64th minute with a try; again no conversion 17-10. On 69 minutes, TT further extended their lead with a break-away run from Andre Caberra in the 69th minute, but the fight was not taken from the Guyanese.
The ever dependable Staglon with the backing of his team, and their formation, one head at a time hit the touch line 15-22 in the 72nd minute.
McKenzie added his second try, again, breaking away with a pass and barrelling down to the touch line down the left flank 20-22. With the team hoping for the conversion and levelling of the scores in the 78th, Gonsalves again came up short.
From the half-way line, Guyana made a final push in the final minute for a try and the win, but when the ball was knock out-of-bounds, Australian referee Alistair Robertson blew the game off, some 20 yards out from the touchline; giving T&T the win, the title of Southern Zone Champions and the opportunity to face Mexico on April 25 in the finals.
After the game, an upset Guyana Rugby Football Union President Peter Green said he was not too pleased with the refereeing of the game. He was upset at the try that was disallowed by the referee in the first half.
Coach of the team and player Theodore Henry said his charges played well.
With a chuckle he said “we gave up I would say one soft try in the first half, I would say the referee made a blunder on a few calls resulting in them scoring two tries and it really took the game away from us.”
Team captain Ryan Gonsalves said the focus is now on the NACRA 7s.
“It could have gone anyway today (Saturday), that’s how sport goes, you don’t win everything.”
Of the refereeing, Gonsalves said “I was disappointed in some of the calls. It was hard towards us but that’s how it goes. Referees don’t see everything and you just can’t blame them.”
The Team returns home today.

By Leeron Brumell in Trinidad & Tobago