In Paris, just less than half a year ago, South Africa lifted the most precious prize in the World of Rugby. They conquered the 6th World Cup. Now, not so long after that conquest, the Webb Ellis Trophy will restart its journey throughout the world to captivate souls and bodies, tears and gold.


People, it's time. Kilometres and time zones away from the Eiffel Tower, we head to the Cayman Islands, in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, to preview the first tournament with direct involvement in New Zealand 2011.


Last time around the privilege and responsibility of opening the process rested in the hands of Andorra and Norway when they kicked off the road to France 2007, while playing the first match of the European Qualification. NAWIRA will be, this time around, and for the first time in the history of the tournament the Association in charge of clearing the path to New Zealand. This tournament, as part of the Americas Qualification, will start next Sunday, when the first whistle will be heard and the hosts, Cayman Islands will be facing the Calypso Warriors from Trinidad and Tobago. That match will be acknowledged as the first one by the IRB.


Nevertheless, as this columnist considers it, we should take into account as well the pre-qualifier match held on March 29th, in Arnos Vale, Saint Vincent. That match had the importance of being Mexico's first ever under IRB full membership. Las Serpientes took care of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by beating them 47-7. Physical dominance was the key that made the Aztecs prevailed over the Amazona Guildingii, to therefore qualify for Cayman Islands' showdown. While Juan Pablo Andrade and Carlos Petersen scored two tries each, Richard Quintana, Luis Bullrich and Gabrielle Nanni added to the account for the tricolores, while Dugal James scored for the Vincentians. As stated by RugbyBahamas website, Jacquie de Freitas, president for the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines RFU and her volunteers gave first class accommodation and transportation, with the venue, pre and post match arrangements including national anthems, flags, catering, announcements, post-match Vincentian meal, ambulance and medical personnel all coordinated. We'll be posting an interview we had with Jacquie in the next few weeks to get a wider view on Vincentian rugby.

Follow up:

From previous World Cup Qualifying there's one actor missing: Saint Lucia. While there are no clear facts on why they are not taking part of this process, according to the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee, their Secretary Brian Lewis, through an initiative from the IRB and NAWIRA, is assisting Saint Lucia Rugby with the development of a five year strategic plan to increase the practice and find paths to grow the game in the island. Lewis has already travelled to Castries to facilitate a two day strategic planning workshop, repeating an exercise which has been conducted as well with the Jamaica Rugby Union in 2007. The other member which yet has never played an international as a full member or participated during a RWCQ process are the British Virgin Islands. While regulars at the Sevens, they haven't been active in the XV's game.


The format for this tournament itself it's a do-or-die business, with a single knockout elimination to make every single match on the Winners' side as important as it should. 3 wins and you're into next round to face the winner from South American B championship later in the year; 1 defeat and your dreams are shattered. Is it fair, is it not? As we've already discuss on the topic in the first ever article of this section when we talked about Mexican Rugby, on my point of view, a League format should have been the best choice. With just a couple of more days NAWIRA might have been able to hold a two four-team group structure with crossover matches to determine final placements and thus, the qualifier. Yes, it may be true that it could have been a possibility that in some of the games, no prizes would be at stake, specially with two eliminated teams in a last round fixture. But it's real, as well, that if you've made a slow start, you'll be punished and out of the contention. This means all the teams should focus to their best for this Sunday and of course for the rest of the tour. It will be for them mentally and physically demanding as a Tennis tournament. In one way or the other, at the end of the championship, every team will have their own place in the ladder, whether fair or not, that will be another story.


It was only for the 1995 RWCQ when any of these teams took part in a World Cup Qualifier. Only Bermuda, by the time, faced the USA and got out in a single match issue. For 1999, with Guyana withdrawing, Trinidad beat Brazil and advanced in the South Group, while in the North one, Bermuda got rid of the Bahamas and Barbados. Both teams were kicked out by Chile, with Bermuda still claiming the Caribbean proud by beating the boys form T&T by a considerable margin. The straight-knockout format to be used for 2011 resembles the one used back for 2003. Trinidad and Bermuda were the finalists that time around as well (a likely scenario this time around), but that time the red-and-black ones advanced to then lose in a two-legged playoff against Brazil.


In 2005 and in road to World Cup 2007, the first match was a pre-qualifier between Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent, that went to the formers. Then the teams were divided in two groups by geographical disposition. Except the matches played by Saint Lucia and considering the 9 matches in the group stage, the biggest margin was… 12 points. Yes, less than two tries. Barbados left behind their powerful neighbours Guyana and Trinidad. The Bahamas, on the other hand, left behind Cayman Is, Jamaica and Bermuda. After the groups were disputed, Barbados trashed the Bahamas to later face Canada and USA. The Blue Bajans, as the Barbadians are known, then suffered huge mismatches against the two giants of North America and World Cup regulars, the Canucks and the Eagles. This scenario is unlikely in the future as, Robert Showan, Secretary for the Barbados RFU, pointed out to HeavensGame: "For most of us being part of the RWC setup which won the Caribbean Championship in 2005 and playing against Canada and USA, even though given a beating, was a dream never likely to be repeated". The reorganisation of Rugby World Cup Qualifying and the way in which more and more money is being pushed into Tier 2 countries and a certain group of Tier 3 ones will broaden the nowadays enormous gap. While it's a huge help for the Romanians, Japanese, North Americans, Pacific Islanders, the teams behind the bold line which marks approximately the first 22 sides of the world and the rest will surely suffer from this.


Close matches are expected in the NAWIRA Qualifier, as it has happened back in 2005 but quantities are certainly unknown. Last August the imminent threat of Hurricane Dean left George Town, as well in the Caymans, rugby-less. The Caribbean Championship had to be cancelled and we are now stood in a situation where all teams and their international peers will compete as national sides for the first time in the last 3 years. During this time gap, Youth tournaments and Sevens championships have been run, but they might not be a real showing of the teams' playing standards. The only one with a strong wind behind, confidence and nothing to lose will be Mexico, after their defeat of Saint Vincent. The rest are a big question mark for themselves and for all the rugby world.


The teams have been seeded accordingly to final standings of the last Rugby World Cup Qualification tournament who was staged back in 2005. The seeds are as follows: 1st Barbados, 2nd Bahamas, 3rd Cayman Islands, 4th Guyana, 5th Jamaica, 6th Trinidad and Tobago, 7th Bermuda, 8th Mexico.


The tournament outcome is totally unexpected and due to previous facts, the IRB Rankings should not be taken into real consideration as they would not reflect the real status of the teams.


Much remains unknown about the teams make up and style at the current time. Then, HeavensGame tried to get a look and find out on how the preparations have been undergoing.


The hosts have been preparing for the tournament since the start of this year and the tournament will find themselves, as many of the nations, at the end of their rugby season. With previous defeats of touring teams from the USA, Bayonne Bombers and the Rhode Island University Browns, the team has been gearing for this Blockbuster. Cayman's squad faces a transition period for the 2011 RWC Qualifiers. Many of the team members from the 2005 lineup that tied for first place in the northern qualifier have since retired and have been replaced by their younger counterparts. Richard Adams, Technical Director for Cayman Islands RFU, pointed out: "The team still boasts some excellent experience as five players from 2005 squad remain. The remainder of the squad will be playing in their first World Cup Qualifier and between them have excellent talent, speed, fitness and desire". Over the past 2 years, the style, intensity and shape of the Cayman's game has changed quite considerably producing faster and more intense match ups at all levels, thus the team, based on past styles and trends of the opposition might expect to be stronger than they've been in the past. "The knock on effect", underlines Adams, "is that players are reacting and making decisions more quickly, enabling the game speed and decision making to pick up. This has led the national coaching staff to work at base skill levels in order to improve the core rugby essentials for some time throughout all of the unions programs. In turn this has created a new style of player and team in the Cayman's and one which will improve and grow over the foreseeable future as more and more players from the junior ranks qualify to the senior national programs".


The Cayman's match against Trinidad and Tobago will not only open the fire, but seems to be next Sunday's main highlight.


Not so long ago the Calypso Warriors, once held the number one ranking in Caribbean Rugby, but, those glory days are gone. They consider to be the fittest team and mental toughness as their keys of success. Rhett Chee Ping, T&T Coach underlined to HeavensGame: "The preparation has been going very good with an extremely upbeat spirit and commitment at training sessions. While we might be lacking a bit in actual game play, as it is our off season, we have had a lot of support from other players to help with the preparation of the team with make up games. We had a minor setback with one of our front row players sustaining a broken leg however the others have worked hard in order the team does not suffer. We, T&T, expect a good result from this tournament and hope to regain our #1 standing which we had in the past. I believe the key to our success for the Qualifier will be the willingness of the whole team (Management and Players) to brought back that #1 spot to Port of Spain. We are all focused to achieve the same goal".


Whoever wins that first encounter will have the luxury of seeing the other six teams compete and will then have two days to plan and train accordingly into their next match.


If we happen to go by the seeds, Barbados is the team to beat. They've won the qualifier last time around with comprehensive defeats of Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and the Bahamas. After those matches they had to play two World Cup sides: Canada and USA. They hosted the Canucks in Bridgetown and went to San Francisco to face the Eagles. Robert Showan, continues with his memories about those glorious times: "I was a Team Manager for the Bahamas and Canada matches, so I don't remember much, as it was all a bit of a blur. Suffice it to say that my doctor banned me from going to San Francisco for the USA match as my blood pressure was too high!" And now, he focus on the actual matters: "We know that all sides will be gunning for us, so all the Bajans know we've to be prepared for anything, as every game is a do-or-die match. Our strength might be reduced. Some retirements, the timing to coincide with the critical part of the UK season where we've important players and the squad with exams at University can play against us. But we're hopeful that the replacements will do us proud", express Showan. They know most teams will be targeting at them. At last their main goal is to remain as top team in the Caribbean. As this match, in paper, might sound the one with most disparities, Mexico might be the surprise package. With a team made up of players mainly from Tazmania, Wallabies and Celaya, they're bound to repeat the feat of Arnos Vale.


In the paper, another close encounter and what we might consider the second highlight of the day will be the one between Guyana and Jamaica. While the Reggae Rugby Boys are taking part in the U20 World Trophy in Chile, the adult side will try to emulate the Youth in the same land that saw them victorious past July. That time around, the last team eliminated by the Jamaicans was… Guyana. And the difference break came only after a penalty showdown, once the extra time scoreboard saw both teams still tied. With both sides been Sevens dominating powerhouses, a High Speed tempo match could be the rule. "We had in a training squad of 35 players who have been working with our Coaches for the past six weeks and we have just made the final cut. Preparation has been going smoothly and emphasis has been placed on physical and mental fitness and a general mastery of the fundamentals of the game: keeping it simple", recalled Noel Adonis, president for the Guyana's RU, as HeavensGame asked him about the Guyanese. At present the team is ranked fourth in the region. This fact should not put out the boys from South America as their initial goal, as stated by Adonis is to win the stage and move forward to the next round, where the winner from South American B championships will be on the way. So, it's true that Trinidad and Bermuda had historically been the forces in XV in the region, but will be time for Guyana and Jamaica to copy and paste their Sevens success?


Last but not least, the Bahamas and Bermuda are in the bottom side of the draw. The clash of the northern teams appears to be wide open. With the Bermudans been a certain disappointment last time around and the Bahamas surprising everyone to reach the Finals while advancing in front of the Cayman Islands on points difference, this could be a revenge time for the little island of the north to revenge the 9 point defeat that left them almost out of contention back in 2005 and became again a major force in the Caribbean as it has been in the near past. The Bahamas on the other side, will try to produce a similar campaign to that previously stated, though the odds will be heavy to confront.


This is the Complete Schedule for Cayman Islands Tournament:


Sunday April 20th
Match 1. 10.30 am > Cayman Islands vs. Trinidad and Tobago

Match 2. 12.30 pm > Guyana vs. Jamaica
Match 3. 2.30 pm > Bahamas vs. Bermuda

Match 4. 4.30 pm > Barbados vs. Mexico


Wednesday April 23rd
Match 1. 10.30 am > Loser (Barbados / Mexico) vs. Loser (Cayman / Trinidad)

Match 2. 12.30 pm > Loser (Bahamas / Bermuda) vs. Loser (Guyana / Jamaica)
Match 3. 2.30 pm > Winner (Bahamas / Bermuda) vs. Winner (Guyana / Jamaica)

Match 4. 4.30 pm > Winner (Barbados / Mexico) vs. Loser (Cayman / Trinidad)


Saturday April 26th
Match 1. 10.30 am > Shield > Loser 5-8 vs. Loser 5-8

Match 2. 12.30 pm > Bowl > Winner 5-8 vs. Winner 5-8
Match 3. 2.30 pm > Plate > Loser Semi vs. Loser Semi

Match 4. 4.30 pm > Cup Final > Winner Semi vs. Winner Semi


We expect here at HeavensGame this NAWIRA tournament to be a huge success to therefore be constituted as an annual and regular fixture of the Association in the sooner future. Then, if lucky, we might have a proper Caribbean tournament running every year to better reveal the rugby of these lands known by their Cricket but fighting for their rugby, the rugby that we want to show in View of the Americas.


Source: Heaven's Game