THE Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) on Saturday was given a financial boost by the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) as both their men’s and women’s squads prepare for this weekend’s Rugby America’s North (RAN) 7s Championship.Set for Trinidad and Tobago, both teams are currently in training for the two-day event with the men’s team departing on Tuesday and the ladies on Thursday for the tournament,set for the St Mary’s College Sports Ground in Port of Spain.
During a simple ceremony at the National Park over the weekend, Vice- President of the GOA, Noel Adonis handed over a cheque valued at $1.2M to Secretary of the union, Petal Grant.
According to Adonis, the money is to offset expenses incurred by the teams during the tournament.Being a former president, he reminded of the prestige and honour that comes with taking a title of that calibre.
President of the union, Peter Green expressed gratitude to the GOA but in the same breath noted that the GRFU is still in the red by approximately half of a million dollars.
Apart from the actual tournament, there will be a variety of administrative and educational events to further develop rugby.
Meanwhile, the pool-draw which was released recently, has 14 nations in the men’s event where the teams have been divided into two groups of four and two groups of three.
Guyana’s Green Machine will be up against Jamaica, Turks and Caicos and Martinique in Group D.
In the women’s category with two groups of five, Guyana’s team will be in Group B with hosts,Trinidad and Tobago,along with Mexico, Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.