Sunday, 25th July 2010Guyana Win CACSO Games Sevens Gold
Guyana win CASCO Games Rugby Sevens Gold Medal
Home team and pre tournament favourites Guyana, maintained their dominance on the Caribbean Sevens circuit by winning the inaugural Central American and Caribbean Games seven a-side rugby tournament. Guyana defeated surprise finalists Jamaica by 31 points to 7 to pick up the gold medal.
On day 1, Guyana had little trouble over turning Bahamas (21-7), Cayman Islands (38-0) and Costa Rica (54-0) and topping Pool A. Bahamas courtesy of a 17-5 victory over Cayman came 2nd in Pool B, with Cayman placing 3rd and Costa Rica 4th. In Pool B, Trinidad & Tobago (T&T), the 2009 NACRA Sevens runner up, topped the group with wins over Venezuela (20-7), Mexico (14-0) and a 5-5 draw against Jamaica. A 7-5 victory over Jamaica secured 2nd spot for the ever improving Mexicans, while Jamaica narrowly took 3rd place from Venezuela courtesy of a superior points margin from all of their matches on day 1
Day 1 results set up some interesting quarter finals with Cayman paired against Mexico, Jamaica taking on neighbours Bahamas and the Caribbean NACRA powerhouses of Guyana and T&T taking on their counterparts from Consur, Venezuela and Costa Rica respectively.
Guyana eased through to the semi-finals with a 28-7 win over a gutsy Venezuelan side, who held them to 14-7 at half time, before the superior fitness and speed of the Guyanese stretched the lead. In the other quarter finals, Mexico narrowly defeated their frequent sparring partner Cayman 14-0, while Jamaica's somewhat surprising defeat of Bahamas 15-0 set up a re-match against day 1 opponents T&T in the second semi-final, after T&T easily disposed on Costa Rica 33-5 in the final quarter final game of the day.
Guyana advanced to the final with a comprehensive 31-0 win over Mexico, while Jamaica pulled off one of the few upsets of the tournament by out playing T&T in the second semi-final and running away 21-10 winners, to set up the clash with Guyana in the final.
In the battle for positions, Cayman defeated Costa Rica 38-0 to take 7th position, while Bahamas ran out 26-15 winners against Venezuela to take 5th spot. In the play off match against the losing semi-finalists, Mexico took the bronze medal with a 10-5 victory over T&T.
No team came close to toppling Guyana who will go into the NACRA Sevens in a few days time, as clear favourites.
Overall Standings:
1st Guyana
2nd Jamaica
3rd Mexico
4th Trinidad & Tobago
5th Bahamas
6th Venezuela
7th Cayman Islands
8th Costa Rica
