By Stephan Sookram

GUYANA’S ‘Green Machine’ are now ranked at 46th in the 15s world, following their 23-18 thumping of Trinidad and Tobago last weekend when they won the South Zone of the Rugby Americas North (RAN).With last weekend’s win at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, the Guyanese are now ranked at their highest-ever in the world and the Americas (46th and 8th respectively) with Argentina leading the Americas and New Zealand leading the rest of the world.
Prior to Saturday’s match, the Guyanese were ranked 10th in the Americas and 55th in the world.
Meanwhile, Guyana await the winners of the North Zone which will be decided on July 23 between Mexico and the Cayman Islands.
Should Mexico win, Guyana will have to travel to that country to contest the RAN overall title while if the Cayman Islands win, they will have to travel here.
Guyana opened the scoring early in the 6th minute when Ryan Gonsalves scored off a penalty kick before Kevin McKenzie scored the first try of the game for Guyana, after which Lancelot Adonis missed the conversion. The score was Guyana 8 Trinidad 0.
TT entered the second half with a bit of momentum on their side after scoring a try on the stroke of halftime through James Phillip. The half ended 8-5 in favour of Guyana after TT’s Jonathan O’Connor missed the conversion kick.
In the second period, Guyana again landed the first blow with a try from Claudius Butts.
Adonis converted this time to make it a 15-5 lead. The hosts, bolstered by a boisterous crowd, fought back into the contest through Adam Frederick whose try trimmed the deficit but O’Connor missed his second conversion of the game with Guyana ahead 15-10 through 49 minutes.
T&T drew level with a try from Jesse Richards but a switch of kickers made no difference as Felician Guerra missed the conversion.
In the 68th minute, though, the hosts snatched the lead for the first time in the game with a successful penalty kick from Leon Pantor. In front, 15-18, the TT defence could not hold off Guyana as they scored their final try at the 79th minute of the game. Adonis would make the conversion kick to end the game.
The team returned home on Sunday.