THE Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) yesterday released the names of the players who will be representing Guyana in the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) USA Sevens, at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas from February 12 to 13. Grouped with England, France and fellow South American representatives Argentina in Group A of the two-day tournament, player/coach and promoted captain Theodore Henry told Chronicle Sport he believes the team selected was the best  based on its resources.
The players selected are: Theodore Henry (captain), Claudius Butts, Ryan Gonsalves, Dominique Lespierre, Rupert Giles, Pebo Hamilton, Ronald Meyers, Walter George, Avery Corbin, Elwin Chase and Dane Parks.
“Looking at what we have to work with, this is the best possible 12 that was selected,” an upbeat Henry said.
This would be Guyana’s second outing in Vegas, having first played last year where they gained the attention of the world with their clinical draw against France, who were then ranked fourth in the world by the IRB, before losing to New Zealand and Australia.
The team will be without the services of three core players in Kevin McKenzie, Dwayne Schroder and Albert La Rose – all been very influential in the team’s success over the years – following disciplinary actions taken against them by the GRFU. Henry, being true to himself, stated that their services will be missed.
“We (are) heading out there with about three new players and while we have a better draw than last year, it’s still going to be hard.
“We will miss Coco (La Rose) and Kevin (McKenzie) because of what they have been giving us over the years; they are some of our main players. But we will still go out there and do our best. I think the guys are all talented and we can match our opposition well,” said the dreadlocked Henry.
“I like this team, I mean we all have one common goal which is to go out there and win, and unlike last year, I think this is an easier group in the sense that we don’t have to face New Zealand and Australia in one group, but we also have England and Argentina to deal with.”
While adding that the team is well put together, Henry hold no bones in saying that the team can work better as a unit.
“We are playing as one, yes, but like I told them the other day, it was a challenge where I said that we need to start being a team rather than a unit. We have talent, we have everything else but we are yet to be a team, so I think the coming week will be crucial for our preparation.
However I think the guys fully understand what we have to do and I must say that improvement has been made since, so we’re getting there,” Henry exclaimed.
Canadian Robinson Spencer will be the Technical Director for the tour and was due to arrive in Guyana last week but due to the dreadful winter weather being experienced in North America, he’s expected to arrive today.
Henry said that with Spencer not being able to be with the team, it has been a setback, given the fact that “he will have less time to work with us”.
“It’s a bit of a setback because with me being a player/coach, I was taking up the slack while he was away and working with instructions he left when he was here the last time. So I thought that with him now coming in back a week before I would be able to focus on my playing.
Nonetheless, I think the players understand that the situation is beyond our control and I fully understand my role and so we’re awaiting his arrival to get down to more work,” Henry said.
The team will depart for Vegas next Tuesday and Henry said that two practice matches are planned against Canada on Wednesday (9th) and a club side the following day.