Cayman among favourites for regional rugby 7s tournament

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 19 October 2016

The Cayman Islands men’s team has been billed as a top competitor for the Rugby Americas North (RAN) sevens tournament in Trinidad & Tobago next month.

The 12-13 November tournament will be played at St Mary’s College in Port of Spain and will attract 14 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams.

On the men’s side, Mexico is expected to be a dominant force after the fifteens side won the recent regional RAN 2019 Rugby World Cup Qualifier. Cayman’s men’s team, which impressed at the Hong Kong Sevens earlier this year is also expected to be a top team.

Other men’s teams scheduled to compete are: Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada Maple Leafs, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Turks & Caicos Islands, and hosts Trinidad & Tobago.

Cayman’s men have been drawn in Pool C with Barbados, Curacao and Dominican Republic.

Cayman’s women’s sevens are in the competition with other sides including Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada Maple Leafs, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Turks & Caicos Islands, and hosts Trinidad & Tobago.

Cayman’s women are pooled in the preliminary round with Canada, Jamaica, Bermuda and Turks & Caicos Islands.

RAN Tournament Director and General Manager Niall Brooks said he anticipates this year’s tournament will attract high interest as teams compete for further international action.

“The annual RAN Sevens is one of our region’s flagship tournaments,” Brooks said. “Attracting the vast majority of the region’s teams, we look forward to the high level of competition.”

He said this year there is also added incentive as the top two men’s teams will earn a spot in the 2017 Hong Kong Sevens Tournament.