Green Machine ready for battle in Mexico City as RAN Sevens scrums off today

Nov 25, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ns-scrums-off-today/

Ten men’s and sevens women’s teams from the Rugby Americas North region including Guyana will square off in Mexico City today and tomorrow with places at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 up for grabs. The Rugby Americas North Sevens Championship returns to Mexico City for the first time since 2014 with a lot more than regional pride at stake.

Confidence is high in the Guyana camp ahead of what is anticipated to be two days of grueling competition in cold conditions but both teams have adjusted to the conditions and are ready for the business end of the tournament.
Many of the nations have strengthened by calling up their overseas based players for this competition but the Green Machine, a well oiled unit is ready for the task at hand. It is predicted that the men will go all the way, while the women will place in the top three.
One men’s and one women’s team will qualify for next year’s Rugby World Cup Sevens and the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series qualifier in Hong Kong, while places at the Commonwealth Games and Central American and Caribbean Sports Organisation (CACSO) Games are also on the line.
Based at the picturesque, Campo Marte, a military and equestrian venue in the heart of Mexico City, the RAN Sevens features 10 men’s teams, split into three pools, and a seven-team, round-robin women’s tournament.
As six-time men’s champions, Guyana will start as one of the favourites to claim the coveted title and a ticket to San Francisco for RWC Sevens 2018; the Guyanese Green Machine return to the scene of their last triumph with the likes of talisman Avery Corbin on board, although regular captain Ryan Gonsalves is a notable absentee. Dwayne Schroeder will wear the captain’s armband instead.
Guyana find themselves in Pool A alongside Barbados and the Cayman Islands. The Caymans were beaten by Barbados in the play-off for seventh place at last year’s RAN Sevens in Trinidad and Tobago.
Jamaica, Bermuda and the Dominican Republic are in Pool B, while Pool C consists of Trinidad and Tobago, hosts Mexico, Curacao and the British Virgin Islands. The top four teams in the men’s competition and the top three in the women’s will qualify for the CASCO Games.
Twelve months ago, Jamaica’s women finished as runners-up to Canada who are not taking part this year. Mexico ended with the bronze medal. Trinidad and Tobago are the next highest seeds at this year’s event, followed by Guyana, Bermuda, Dominican Republic and French Guyana.
The winner of the RAN Women’s Sevens will complete the 16-team line-up at RWC Sevens 2018, as all the other regional qualifiers have already taken place.
Guyana’s women will face off with Jamaica in their first match today from 08:00hrs with the defending men’s champions taking on the Cayman Islands at 08:44hrs. The women will then face Trinidad and Tobago at 10:12hrs, Dominican Republic at 12:02hrs with the men back in action at 13:08hrs against Barbados to close out day one play.
Tomorrow’s final day will see the women battling Mexico at 09:20hrs, Bermuda at 11:30hrs and French Guiana at 14:00hrs. Guyana’s participation would have been made possible with the intervention of His Excellency President David Granger after the Guyana Rugby Football Union encountered challenges raising the requisite funds. Also stepping up to assist were the Guyana Olympic Association, Noble House Sea Foods, Ministry of Natural Resources, Minister Joseph Harmon and Minister George Norton, among others.