Trinidad and Tobago ruggers gear up to give fans a surprise at RAN 7s

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s senior men’s rugby team begin their 2024 Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens campaign against Mexico at Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima on November 22, from 3.34 pm.

The ruggermen compete in tier one alongside seven other nations with the champions qualifying for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger in 2025. Among them are Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Cayman Islands and Bermuda.

TT have also fielded two teams in the women’s division. The A team opens their account against Barbados from 2.50 pm while the B team faces Mexico one hour later, both on November 22. Among them are Barbados, Mexico, Jamaica and Dominican Republic.

The women’s winner also qualifies for next year’s Sevens Challenger.

The top two teams, excluding Canada who are pre-qualified, from the tier one men’s and women’s brackets will qualify for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games’ Sevens.

Additionally, the men’s tier two comprises Curacao, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic. This category winner will be promoted into tier one in 2025 in a promotion-relegation format.

The TT men’s team is being coached by Larry Mendes and Jonathan O’Connor while the women’s coach is Richard Staglon.

O’Connor said the mood in the camp is good and he is expecting a spirited performance.

“We’re going to surprise a lot of people. These players have been working really hard for the past three months and I think they’re coming out there to do their very best represent their country.

“We are very hopeful we are going to do very well in this tournament, at least top four, make the semi-final. That is our main goal but I think we could surprise the Caribbean islands because the boys have been working very hard in the short space of time.”

O’Connor believes their opening test against Mexico is a tough one and is banking on venue familiarity to gain an edge on their opponents.

“We’re hoping for home advantage. Mexico plays at high altitude so they’re going to be very fit. But our boys have bought in to what has been imparted on them, regarding patterns we want to do and play. I think we’re going to have a good performance against Mexico,” he added.

While the 12-man team’s main goal is to win, he wants the squad to prove to the regional rugby community that TT has what it takes to compete among the Caribbean’s top flight.

He confirmed, however, that nations such as Barbados, Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Canada boast a wealth of foreign-based players who will bring a high level of competition across the three-day tournament.

“We have to play aș a team and support one another throughout the competition, that’s the main thing we’re bringing out there. They have the technical ability, and they have the skill to do it.”

RAN Sevens November 22 Matches

1pm - Turks and Caicos vs Curacao (men tier two)

1.22pm - Dominican Republic vs St Vincent and the Grenadines (men tier two)

1.44pm - Canada vs Guyana (men tier one)

2.06pm - Barbados vs Bermuda (men tier one)

2.28pm - Jamaica vs Cayman Islands (men tier one)

2.50pm - TT A vs Barbados (women)

3.12pm - Jamaica vs Dominican Republic (women)

3.34pm - Mexico vs TT (men tier one)

3.56pm - Mexico vs TT B (women)