Jamaica down Barbados in NAWIRA opener

Defending champs Jamaica opened their NAWIRA Rugby Under-20 Championships account with a late 22-11 win over hosts Barbados at the Garrison on Saturday, holding off the steely nerved Bajans, who were led by the athletic play of Liam Cooper-King.

However, the Jamaicans refused to lose their cool and grabbed the win in the second-half of the competition's opening match by pulling away with 10 minutes left to decision. The Barbadians matched the away team early in the game in almost every asset of play. The superior speed of the Jamaican back players made the difference in a game where the play of the forwards cancelled each other out.

Jamaica's Matthew Brathwaite used his superior speed and strength to put his team on the scoreboard first with a successful try and afforded them a 5-0 lead to start, until Jay Bowen of Barbados levelled the score, 5-5- before the halfway mark.

Golden boy, Brathwaite, once again took the initiative in the second half and doubled his team's score with another try, and team-mate Clifford Clarke made it 11. Jaheir Niles converted two consecutive penalty goals for Barbados to level the score but another successful try from Clarke gave the Jamaicans the winning lead.

Cayman come from behind to defeat Guyana

Kizan Brumble of Guyana opened the scoring for his team but they squandered an 8-3 half-time lead to go under 21-13 to Cayman in the second match at the Garrison on Saturday.

Guillam Hammersley of Cayman was instrumental in his team's turnaround by scoring three times for his side. Hammersley got his team on the scoreboard with a penalty goal in the first half and put the icing on the cake to score the final points to seal the win.

Source Barbados Advocate