Rugby push in the works

Rugby players of all ages across the island are set for a busy few weeks of domestic and regional action.

This has been confirmed by public relations officer of the Barbados Rugby Football Union (BRFU) Kathie Daniel, who told Barbados TODAY that junior players and those new to the sport will have an opportunity to broaden their skillset and knowledge base in the coming days.

“Pelican Rugby Academy is hosting its very first camp from April 15 to 19 at the Garrison Savannah, which is open to persons between the ages of 14 and 18. It’s not just rugby, they are going to be doing fun things with team building exercises and I think they have even planned to do a Barbados Ninja Warrior course, so that’s going to be fun,” Daniel said.

Daniel revealed that a Rugby Sevens competition will also take place.

“All of these activities will be done at the Garrison Savannah of course, the home of Barbados rugby. The tournament itself will probably be like touch rugby, because a lot of these people are very new to rugby and one of our core values is safety. You know it’s a full contact game when you play it full out and you have to work up to that,” she explained.

The senior men’s team will also be in action in June, when Barbados participates in two international matches against Guyana and Grand Cayman.

Daniel disclosed that the national team will take on Guyana at home on June 6 before travelling to Grand Cayman the following week.

She said the rugby facility at the Garrison Savannah had undergone a number of major upgrades over the past few years, with a new irrigation system and lighting being added. 

“The training sessions are already in high gear and let me tell you, national coach Joe Whipple knows what he’s doing. He knows a lot about this sport and he knows how to inspire the players and kind of polish the diamond to get the best out of them,” she said.

Daniel says the men’s team will then travel to the Dominican Republic in July for a major outing.

“Barbados is going to be playing in the men’s Sevens in the Central American and Caribbean Games, which are set for the Dominican Republic from July 24 to August 8. We were able to qualify for that event last year. We came second in Caribbean 15s, but we also qualified in the 7s which as you know, is the short version of rugby, it’s like T20 cricket,” she said.

kurtishinds@barbadostoday.bb