‘Our first game will set the tone for us’ – Butts
AS 10 of the 12 players selected by the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) to represent this country at the Commonwealth Games in India next month departed these shores for Barbados and then to England, captain of the team, Claudius Butts, believes their first game against New Zealand will set the tone for the remainder of the tournament. “Definitely, the first game which will be played against the mighty New Zealand who are the powerhouse of the rugby world, will set the tone for us in this tournament, which is a first for a rugby team from Guyana,” stated Butts.
He was invited to make a comment after Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) Dr Frank Anthony had met the team at his Main and Quamina Streets office, prior to their departure for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport yesterday morning.
“At the moment, we have the best combination to compete in this prestigious tournament, in terms of players playing in specific positions and together with the training schedule which was given to us by the technical director and executed to the last letter, I think we are ready to go out there and make a name not only for ourselves, but Guyana on the whole,” stated Butts.
He added; “The experience we gained while competing in the IRB World Sevens series in Las Vegas will serve us in good stead, as we have a fair idea what to expect from our opponents in India and I think we can go there and place Guyana on the international stage of rugby.”
Dr Anthony wished the team well and asked them to continue riding the victory waves which they themselves developed from both the North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) and Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) this year.
“Certainly, you are on a winning streak at the moment and we would like to see same continue while you are in India, especially with the fact of you being the first rugby team from Guyana to compete in the Commonwealth Games,” stated Dr Anthony.
He continued, “You have the necessary tools and players to go a long way in this tournament and I wish to let you know that all of Guyana will be behind you and we know that you can succeed and return with one of the three medals up for grabs.”
Manager of the team and president of the GRFU Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento echoed the sentiments of Dr Anthony, saying the team will be going forward with the Government and the people of Guyana behind them.
“We are going out there, knowing very well you will be behind us, for which we are grateful. We plan to take each game one at a time, knowing that we will be facing nine top teams out of the 16 that have entered the tournament,” stated Nascimento.
He added; “Nevertheless, we are the lone Caribbean team at these games and the first to go there too, since Mexico participated in same as a South American country and we will be looking to represent the Caribbean with pride, a promise made to His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo who called me this morning.”
The team will continue their preparations for the next five days in Barbados before going on to England where they will have another stint, then to India. But they will be doing so without the services of Kevin McKenzie and Avery Corbin who were unable to travel with the squad which left yesterday due to British visa problems.
However, Nascimento, who was high in praise for Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) who supplied the team with blazers said McKenzie would be departing on Wednesday. He will join the team in Barbados, while Corbin may do so with the other Guyanese contingent this weekend.