The International Rugby Board ( IRB ) has formally announced that The Bahamas Rugby Football Union (BRFU) has won the bid to host the IRB World Championship (2009) Qualifier.


The event will be held in Nassau on October 25th & 26th, 2008.


The Bahamas outbid Trinidad & Tobago to win the right to host this major regional tournament, due in part to the success of the 2007 North America & West Indies (NAWIRA) Sevens that were hosted by the BRFU in November of this year.


The top two teams in the region will go on to represent NAWIRA in the World Championships which will be held in Dubai in February 2009.


The World Championship Qualifier is bigger than the NAWIRA Sevens in that every team in the region will attend and there is much more at stake. As well as the NAWIRA teams that played in November, we should also see women's teams from Trinidad & Tobago, Cayman, Bermuda, Barbados and The Bahamas, wile the USA & Canada will send a full strength squad and not development teams.
In the Men's competition, we can expect Mexico, Cayman, Barbados, Guyana, Bermuda, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and The Bahamas to be joined by the British Virgin Islands and St. Lucia, while the USA and Canada will also be sending their strongest possible squads.

Martinique, Guadeloupe and Turks & Caicos will not be represented because although they are members of NAWIRA, they do not have full IRB status.


Being awarded this prestigious event is another indication that Bahamian Rugby is gaining respect within the region. Its now down to our players to ensure they play their part.....

Guyanese rugby players Theodore Henry, Albert La Rose and Claudius Butts, members of the West Indies team which will compete in the World Rugby Sevens tournament in the United States of America next Saturday and Sunday were presented with their tickets to Trinidad and Tobago yesterday during a press conference at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) building.


The trio will travel to Trinidad tomorrow where they will meet their teammates for the West Indies Rugby Team before travelling to the US.


The tickets were handed over with the compliments of Caribbean Airlines (CA) by representative Trevor Beckles.

"Caribbean Airlines has donated funds to 50 percent of the team's travel expenses and are proud to do so in the essence of promoting rugby in Guyana and the Caribbean. I trust that they (Guyanese rugby players) would perform well in San Diego,"

Beckles said yesterday. President of the North American West Indies Rugby Association (NAWIRA) Kit Nascimento, expressed thanks and said that the airline has been very supportive of rugby.

"I am proud that we have four of our very own Guyanese players to represent us on the West Indies Rugby Team for the second time (the fourth player Kevin McKenzie is in Trinidad).
"Last year they participated and did well but however, this year they are stronger and better prepared for the tournament."

Nascimento remarked that having players perform at the international level was one of the association's objectives since outside of cricket, rugby was the only sport the West Indies compete in at the international level.


According to Nascimento, the West Indies is one of the top regional teams and this is their third invitation to compete in the World Sevens series. He encouraged the players not to be satisfied with their present performances.

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Curtis Nero a former Trinidad and Tobago rugby captain will manage the West Indies Sevens Team at the International Rugby Board ( IRB ), World Sevens Tournament in San Diego, California, United States, in February.


The IRB World Sevens Series features the world’s best sevens rugby nations, players and coaches.


The West Indies 7s team has been invited by the IRB and hosted the USA in another leg two years ago.


There were doubts that the regional team would have received an invitation for the 2007 tournament after a struggle to cope with the competition.


Commenting on his appointment, Nero said he was honoured to be selected by the West Indies Rugby Union (WIRU) as team manager.

"Outside of the IRB 7s World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, the World Seven series is the next prestigious event in the rugby world and to be asked to manage the regional team is a privilege. I welcome the challenge".

Nero was also the manager of Trinidad and Tobago’s rugby teams in the recent past.


He expressed the view that local and regional rugby players are in need of experience to improve themselves.

"Getting an invite to the IRB World Seven series is highly coveted. Caribbean rugby players have the talent and potential but they need ongoing exposure at international level competitions if rugby in the Caribbean is to develop.

"I commend the USA and IRB on their foresight,"

said Nero.


Source: Newsday (Trinidad & Tobago)

The International Rugby Board ( IRB ) has announced a new international schedule for the world’s leading Rugby Sevens tournament series, the IRB Sevens World Series.


Following a major review of the Series by the IRB in consultation with relevant stakeholders, eight countries will once again host a tournament, but there are two new tournament locations with Adelaide (Australia) and San Diego (USA) included for the first time.


Last season’s IRB Sevens World Series broke all previous attendance and broadcast records and the 2006/07 series is the most eagerly anticipated to date. The series will again kick off in Dubai on 1 December, visiting George (South Africa), Wellington (New Zealand), San Diego, Hong Kong, Adelaide and London before concluding with an eighth location. This location will be announced in the near future.
2006/07 IRB Sevens World Series dates are as follows:

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