THE two-day North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Rugby Sevens World Cup Regional qualifier kicks off today at the Twin Elm Park, Ottawa, Canada. The Guyana male rugby team will be making their sixth consecutive title defence against Bahamas, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Bermuda, Mexico, Cayman Island, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. Also in the hunt for qualification are USA and Canada.
There was good news for Guyana last evening as Richard Staglon and Ronald Mayers have now acquired their Canadian visas following talks with Canadian Consular officials and Director of Rugby in Guyana, manager Mike McCormack.
In Group A are USA, Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines; while Group B consists of Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Bahamas and in Group C Guyana will battle Cayman Island, T&T and Barbados.
The event will kick off at 09:00hrs with hosts Canada going head to head with Bermuda in the men’s competition.
That first segment of the day continues with Mexico versus Bahamas, Guyana versus T&T, Cayman Islands versus Barbados and USA versus Jamaica.
In the second segment Canada take on Bahamas, Mexico challenge Bermuda, Guyana clash with Barbados, Cayman Islands meet T&T and USA collide with St Vincent.
Wrapping up the day will be the third segment which has Canada going up against Mexico, Bermuda challenging Bahamas, Guyana facing Cayman Islands, T&T versus Barbados and Jamaica against St Vincent.