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.

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Rugby gears up for international qualifiers


This week sees the arrival of the William Webb Ellis Trophy, commonly known as the ‘Bill’, on Grand Cayman.


The Bill is rugby’s equivalent of the Olympic Torch and arrives at the start of the third largest sporting event anywhere in the world, the 2011 Rugby World Cup , which will officially start at the South Sound Rugby Ground at 10:30 am on Sunday, 20 April. The Cayman Rugby National men’s team will play Trinidad & Tobago in game one of the International Rugby Board (IRB) qualification tournament for the NAWIRA region.


The two teams are the highest ranked Caribbean participants in the tournament, holding 57th and 58th places respectively.


In total, 96 countries will participate in the RWC 2011 over the next four years, until 20 teams emerge at the finals to be held in New Zealand on 23 October 2011.


The Cayman Rugby Football Union (CRFU) and the Cayman Islands have received this almost unique accolade due to hard work, dedication to youth development programmes and their track record of hosting excellent events over the past few years.

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This Exchange Program, which was first brought to our attention in November 2005, has been fantastic for Unions in the West Indies.
With huge thanks to Mr. Robert Houston and his BOOST charity, and to Dave Morris of Loughborough University, the program continues to grow. Here is a sampling of some of the activities.


Aims:

West Indies coaches in the UK
· To deliver a “mind blowing” coaching and cultural experience to committed and properly qualified West Indies coaches

· To “cascade” the skills gained to further benefit and develop West Indies Rugby, upon their return.
· To culturally enrich colleagues in the UK and share coaching experience.


Loughborough students in the West Indies
· To engage in an eye opening, character forming cultural experience

· To participate in education and training of coaches and officials and
continue to develop their own coaching.
· To provide coaching to children/youths/adults in developing areas

· To cause a “cascade” enrichment effect on the development of players, coaches and officials in the West Indies
· To feed back experiences to contemporaries in the UK


Exchanges to date 2006

Jamaica to UK: Victor Hyde, Kevin Gordon and Uriah Martin
Loughborough coaches to Jamaica: Geraint Davies and Rob Birchall (both graduates)

Guyana to UK: Larry Adonis, Sherlock Solomon
Loughborough coaches to Guyana: Max Malkin and Matt Gracie (both 2nd years)


2007

Jamaica to UK: Patrick Alexander
Loughborough coaches to Jamaica: Laura Eddie and Katie Smith

Guyana to UK: Alton Agard
Loughborough coaches to Guyana: Ian Murray (1st year), Chris Quick (2nd year)

Trinidad and Tobago to UK: Carlton Felix and Simone Andrews (Kitty)
Loughborough coaches to Trinidad and Tobago: Rob Gilbert (1st year) and Mark Rawlings (1st year)

Loughborough coaches to Barbados: Robin Giles (4th year) and Alex Laybourne (1st Year)


2008
Jamaica to UK: Sheldon Philips

Loughborough coaches to Jamaica: Geraint Davies
Guyana to UK: Clinton Clarke

Loughborough coaches to Guyana: Callum Convery (1st year) and Alex Laybourne (2nd year)
Trinidad and Tobago to UK: Karl Muckette

Loughborough coaches to Trinidad and Tobago: Liam St John (2nd year), Ian Murray (2nd year)
Loughborough coaches to Barbados: Neil Sweeney (2nd year) and Charlene Barter (4th year)


The exchanges have been very successful with huge personal development and coaching development learning taking place.


British Virgin Islands Rugby Development Officer pilot scheme Max Malkin who went to Guyana in 2006 on the exchange took up the RDO post on 5th September 2007.


Source: IRB by email

NAWIRA is delighted to announce the appointment of Scott Harland as its new Regional Development Officer. His role will primarily be to assist West Indies Unions with a broad range of development activities, and the planning and delivery of NAWIRA championships.


Scott has served Rugby for over twenty years in refereeing, coaching and administration. While he has refereed at the national level and coached at the international level, he is most proud of the work he has done to help develop women's and youth Rugby. He was accredited as an IRB Educator of Officials in 2006, and IRB Trainer in 2007. Scott has recently returned from the UK where he was Head Coach of the Canada Under 19 women's team tour.
His employment history includes several years coordinating sports and recreation programs, and working in Canada's disadvantaged communities. Since 2004 he has been Acting Executive Director of the Manitoba Sport Secretariat, a role that saw him assist with the development of government policy regarding sports development and event hosting. The position also gave Scott an opportunity to support, advise and monitor a wide range of sports organizations and event host committees.

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Juan Pablo Andrade scored the first two of Mexico’s seven tries as they ran out 47-7 winners over St Vincent and The Grenadines on Saturday March 29th in a pre-qualifier for the right to enter the NAWIRA qualifying round in the Cayman Islands for Rugby World Cup 2011.


Mexico were physically superior to their hosts and dominated the set pieces and possession at the National Cricket Stadium in Arnos Vale, establishing a 23-0 lead at half time with centre Richard Quintana touching down after fly half Andrade’s double.
Wing Carlos Peterson increased that advantage with Mexico’s fourth try before centre Dugal James gave the home fans something to cheer by touching down for SVG in the 51st minute.

Lorson Lewis kicked the conversion to make it 28-7, but Mexico responded with tries from replacements Luis Bullrich and Gabrielle Nanni before Peterson claimed the final score of the match four minutes from time.
Jacqui De Freitas (SVGRFU President) and her band of volunteers were in many ways the story of this event. Accommodation and internal transportation were first class, the hosting friendly, and the venue excellent, with a full size bowling-green-quality pitch, national anthems, flags, catering, announcements, post-match Vincentian meal, ambulance and medical personnel all coordinated, and team needs taken care of superbly. The crowd wasn’t great, which is a shame, but in all other ways (but for the loss) this was a banner day for the Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Rugby Football Union.


Source: IRB, by email