Rugby Americas North Sevens Championship…Guyana lose title to Jamaica in final minute of championship match

Nov 27, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...-championship-match/

Mexico are female champs

A final minute try by Jamaica in the championship match against Guyana’s Green Machine made all the difference and it was the only blemish that Guyana made in five matches; a costly one though as they surrendered the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens championship title to Reggae land yesterday.
The match brought an end to two days of extreme battles in Mexico City at the Campo Marte athletic grounds which tested all the teams (10 male 7 female) physically, mentally and otherwise.
Mexico ran away winners of the female title and like Jamaica have each earned spots to the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in San Francisco.
The final seven minutes of the men’s final was evenly poised with the score tied at 14 all. While Guyana went ahead during the half and held a slim lead going into the final minute, Jamaica stormed down field at the business end to snatch the title form Guyana.
On the way to the final, Guyana defeated Trinidad & Tobago 14-7, while Jamaica handed home team Mexico their first loss of the competition 26-12 to advance. Earlier, Guyana were held to a 19-19 draw by Bermuda, while Jamaica had edged the Cayman Islands, 19-17.
In other male results, Mexico rallied to beat Trinidad and Tobago 22-14 to end the championship as the third best with the twin island republic fourth, while the Cayman Islands beat Bermuda to the fifth place, 21-14.
The female team, playing under severe emotional pressure as one of their own, Abiose Heywood suffered a head injury on Saturday which resulted in her being rushed to the ICU to be treated for swelling of the brain, mustered a 7-7 draw with Bermuda in their second match of the day.
They were hammered by French Guiana 0-36 in their final match whilst also losing their first yesterday 12-17 to host nation Mexico. The two days of grueling matches saw the local ruggers coming away with a single win against the Dominican Republic on day 1, a draw against Bermuda yesterday, while they suffered four losses.
Mexico ended as the top female team following the round-robin format with French Guiana second, Jamaica third and Trinidad and Tobago fourth.
Jamaica qualified for a spot in Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in San Francisco, as well as the annual Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens tournament, a part of the World Rugby Sevens Series.
The Reggae team also made it to the 2018 Commonwealth Games while Jamaica, Guyana Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago have qualified for the Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO) Games.
On the women’s side, Mexico, French Guiana and Jamaica will head to the CACSO Games while Mexico has also earned a place in Rugby World Cup Sevens, July 20-22. Only unions that are members of World Rugby are eligible for Rugby World Cup Sevens and the 2018-19 World Rugby Sevens Series.

Women’s results from final day

Mexico v Guyana 17-12
Guyana v Bermuda 7-7
Guyana v French Guiana 0-36
Mexico v Bermuda 34-0
French Guiana v Dom. Republic 22-7
Trinidad & Tobago v Jamaica 5-29
Bermuda v French Guiana 12-31
Jamaica v Dominican Republic 24-14
Trinidad & Tobago v Dom. Republic 21-5
French Guiana v Jamaica 14-26
Mexico v Trinidad & Tobago 5-0

Men’s results from final day
Guyana v Bermuda 19-19
Jamaica v Cayman 19-17
Barbados v Curacao 42-0
Dom. Republic v BVI 28-0
Trinidad & Tobago v Bermuda 22-19
Mexico v Cayman Islands 33-0
Barbados v British Virgin Islands 40-0
Dom. Republic v Curacao 40-7
Guyana v Trinidad and Tobago 14-7
Jamaica v Mexico 26-12
British Virgin Islands v Curacao 28-5
Barbados v Dominican Republic 21-5

Abiose Heywood who suffered a head injury on Saturday. (Imago7/Álvaro Paulin)