“THE CAC Games are now behind us and it’s time to move on”. Those were the sentiments expressed by Technical Director of Guyana’s Sevens Rugby team, Joe Whipple, after the hosts defeated Jamaica 31-7 last Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium to win gold at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Sevens Rugby tournament. With the win, Guyana’s Ruggers snatched their country’s lone gold medal at the CAC games so far and also sealed a placed in history by becoming the first country to win the event which was added to the CAC calendar for the first time.
It was also Guyana’s first gold medal in a team event since their participation at the games.
Jamaica and Bahamas were the only two teams to score against Guyana in the entire event – each scoring seven points – as the home side displayed a type of rugby that was never before seen by their opposition.
This according to Whipple was the outcome of their hard work over the years and the players’ dedication to the cause of transforming Guyana’s sevens rugby team to match any of the world’s top rugby-playing nations.
“In preparing for the Games, we had a four-day camp where the players all dedicated their time and worked hard … and to me what people saw today (Sunday) was just the output of that hard work.
“We came here to win, yes, but for us it’s just another tournament. Myself and the players didn’t sign on to win the CAC games, we signed on to make Guyana the best thing playing Sevens Rugby in the Caribbean,” said Whipple.
The North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Caribbean Championship began yesterday with the women’s version and the men’s event will be played over two days (Thursday and Friday).
Guyana will be defending their silverware which they have won four consecutive times but while retaining their title and claiming that fifth one might be important. Whipple is of the opinion that it would be just another phase in their quest to become the best in the business.
“Look, I don’t know, but for us, it’s not a big deal, like I said, I didn’t sign into the programme for that, if it comes, fine even though I know that the guys wouldn’t want to lose so I know they’ll play hard, but again our goal is to get to a high standard before the Commonwealth Games which is in a few months,” said the Canadian Whipple.
Guyana, by virtue of winning last year’s Caribbean Championships hosted in Mexico, have qualified for the Commonwealth Games, set for Delhi India in October and with that in sight, Whipple said their aim is to at least win a game at the prestigious event which he said is no easy task.
Whipple and his troops had their first taste of first class Sevens Rugby when they participated in the IRB USA Sevens World Series.
Though some of the players have played at that level before such as Guyana and West Indies captain Claudius Butts, Kevin McKenzie, Theodore Henry, Richard Staglon just to name a few, competing as a country was a total different experience and despite the fact that they didn’t win, their performance was the talk of the tournament.
The Guyanese salvaged a 12-12 draw against France who are ranked number three in the world in Sevens Rugby behind Australia and New Zealand and according to Whipple that was a mental wake-up call.
“When we went to the USA Sevens, we went there to compete knowing that coming up against teams like New Zealand and Australia, it would have been impossible to snatch a win but when we played against France it was a wake-up call and the guys realised that we can actually play among them and the Commonwealth Games is no different.
“The draw against the French did a lot for us and it lifted the way the players saw themselves and so we came back and worked on getting to where we are right now and have a way to go, but I say that if we play to our potential it would be hard to beat us at this level, so winning the NACRA is one thing but getting to be a world competitor is the ultimate goal,” the Guyana Technical Director said.