National XV’s U20 Academy
2003 U8
July 14th 2008 Champions!!!! Ok the boys have arrived home to a warm reception as the champions of the tournament and well they deserved their victory and well does the Cayman Rugby Union deserve it's victory for like the players the Union has stuck to it's guns and President Haines and his executive have ensured that the junior development programs have remained the number 1 priority in the Country for the past seven years. It is interesting if you look at the two photos at the top of the page that you will see some familiar faces in the 2003 picture and the 2008 picture and that is what development and success are all about. Bare with me here! I have been congratulated by telephone, email and text and I have enjoyed the congratulations on behalf of the players fine performances and focus but I would also like to make plainly clear that this success belongs to so many dedicated individuals over the past years and indeed today. Our junior coaches (too many to mention but you know who you are) show every Saturday morning to coach our youth programs and to all of you thank you, your work was in all of these players. To those that have worked directly with this team - Steve Clark who has been with these boys for ever it seems and given so much, to Keswick Wright who gave up so much time for the fitness of the team, John Wagner, Peter De Vere, Kervin Glidden, Stacy Adams, Graeme Thomson, Kristen Thomson, Joe Westin, Danny Porte, Michael Montague, Mr. Chisholm and Rankine McMillan all have coached, managed or just plain looked after these players over the past three years, and all have helped shape the team to allow it the focus it needed with so much distraction all around. I am very proud and I look forward to the challenge of the next few months and getting this same group not just ready but competitive for the next massive step when the Cayman Islands Under 20 team will compete with the relative giants of world U20 Rugby at the Junior World Trophy Competition. Junior World Trophy. The International Rugby Board in 2007 decided in agreement with it's member Unions that the world U19 and World U21 championships should be replaced by one two tiered system at the U20 level. The top 16 teams in the world would participate in the Rugby World U20 Cup. The sixteenth place would be relegated each year, while the winner of the tier two competition would be promoted. Teams 17 to 24 would be invited to compete in the Junior World Trophy by way of winning their respective regional qualification tournaments and joining the relegated team from the year previous. So Cayman will be joining the USA (relegated in 2008) and six other regional champs come next April, destination and dates as yet unknown. We will compete in the top 24 teams of the World. Future. So much has already been done in this regard, our U10 and U12 played full international matches this year V Bermuda and in 2009 we will add U14 and U16 to this list. Our current batch of U13 players have been in the program for some six years and are well equipped to take over from the current batch of U20's, those behind will become better still. The Union is reviewing all of it's development programs, modifying delivery and improving performance. Now that we have had a taste we do not want to let it go. Work will soon commence with this batch and those behind to fine tune, finance and prepare the players in this regard. A massive thank you to our sponsors, the government and the IRB for funding support.
July 12th Cayman V Mexico - Match Report - 2008 KO 4:30pm The strong easterly wind blew harder than it had all week, Cayman are in yellow due to a jersey clash and it is drizzling. Coach Adams has made his game plan adjustments, talked in detail with individual players and said his last few words to the team. McGrath who has led from the front all week reminds the boys of what is to come. There is an expectant note in the air as the teams line up for the national anthems. Mexico blast out a fine rendition and then Cayman join voice as one in the National song, heads held high, chests proudly displayed the notes and words of the Cayman song hang in the air and the challenge is met. Cayman will play into the wind. At the kick off the ball is fielded by Cayman and the referees whistle shrieks through the wind. Cayman are called for crossing and an easy penalty opportunity ensues which is duly converted and Mexico lead by three. Adams looks at his charges for signs of worry. He finds none. McGrath quietly talks to his troops and is met with knowing smiles and nods. Cayman slowly turn the screw and inch by inch they press into the Mexican half, then inside the 30 meter and finally into the Mexican 22 meter area and simply refuse to be pushed out. Mexico hold, just. For twenty minutes they repel the onslaught of attack until finally McGrath has enough and powers through the dam to open the floodgates, Mexico do not know it yet but the damage has been done and there are not any dutch boys to poke their fingers into the widening breach. Guillaume Hammersley make no mistakes today and adds the convert ion with precision. Mexico try and push back but Martins, Hale, Glidden, Westin, Arch and McGrath make sure that everything that moves forward with a ball is simply smashed back toward where they came. Jonathan Jorge, Stephen Chin and Taron Forbes carry the ball forward time after time making yards and feeding the ball back to be recycled. Michael Manderson, Justin Vasquez and Hammersly have the back field and wide options closed down and Michael Wilson is terrier like in his attack and defense at all times. This leaves the injured Joel Clark to be the general and to run the plan for the day which he does with a masterful display. Late in the first half Forbes dives over the Mexico line but the referee deems the ball to be held up and the half ends. At the half Cayman turn to have the wind at their backs - a huge advantage as they have worked on the high ball game for exactly this situation and are confident in their ability to pull this style of rugby off. The plan is changed for the second half. Adams points out that the Mexicans are out of options, they have tried every tool in their arsenal and been repelled at every turn, "we must increase the pressure every time Mexico wins the ball and we must work harder", are his parting words. Almost immediately after the restart Willson launches a high ball and Cayman give chase, Mexico bobble the ball and Cayman end up with a penalty which Hammersley converts and Cayman take a seven point lead and some breathing room. Ten minutes later Willson again launches a high ball, the Mexican fullback can not gather, Willson gets the bounce and launches himself for the line and Cayman take a fifteen point to three lead, Hammersley converts and Cayman relax into finishing off the match which is now 17 to 3 in Cayman's favor. Adams now looks to his bench and with no quarter for the Mexicans he starts to exchange tired players with fresh, eager replacements, Alex Roberts is first for Stephen Chin and immediately makes a difference in the scrum and loose. This is followed by Jeffrey Robinson who has yet to play in the tournament. Jeffrey takes the opportunity with both hands and rampages from start to finish through the remaining Mexican team. Cayman continue to pressure and attack and with ten minutes to go Taron Forbes uses his formidable size and power to push through the last Mexican defender to score his first international try. Hammersley this time misses the kick but Cayman are home and dry at 22 - 3. Clay Ebanks, Dane Campbell, Julius Hubbel, Arley Chisholm, and Taylor Foster are all thrown into the frey as Mexico launch one last attempt at the Cayman line. All is turned back as Cayman refuse to let the Mexicans in at the death and a five minute goal stand by Cayman ensues, no one gives quarter and finally the referee ends the game and the celebrations commence in earnest! All 26 players in the squad have participated at game time, training time and social time, it is a tight group of players that have achieved something special through hard work and effort. Their national pride is high as the national song is belted out through Barbados on the return trip to the hotel!
July 13th Now we have to get up at 4am and go home! Thanks for reading and supporting, the emails, calls and texts it has been overwhelming. Grizz July 12th 2008 Finally managed to get the photos downloaded and onto the gallery enjoy and thanks to Mathew Hales friends who took some excellent shots. Team breakfast is at 10am this morning at the Bean & Bagel, a breakfast of huge proportions which follows on from last nights meal where one lucky camper was rumored to have eaten 11 fajitas! The weather is overcast and we had a huge downpour around 5am this morning, the wind continues so all in all it promises to be a great rugby day here in Barbados. Our kick off is between 4 and 4:30 as we keep getting differing reports! We will arrive for the 4pm KO and go from there. We have to wear the Barbados second string kit which is yellow as we have a color clash with Mexico (who normally wear Green!) and they won the toss, oh well. Training was solid yesterday although Clark niggled his strained quad again and has been with the doc ever since the new adjustments to the game plan went well and the squad quickly picked them up and put them to use at the training run. Hammersley spent 20 minutes kicking at goal and seemed to be back on song and is spending another 40 mins or so this am doing the same so fingers crossed any chances we get through the boot he can take. Taylor Foster is the latest to seem to be coming down with the flu after Kramer went down with it on Thursday. Everyone else is on good shape, good form and ready for today and hopefully the Doc has worked his magic with Taylor and he also will be feeling better today. Coach Adams met with the player yesterday before training to outline the game plan changes and to thank the players for their excellent performances so far on and off the field as well as to congratulate the first ever group of U19 players from Cayman to be crowned U19 Caribbean Champions. He stressed the need to continue through today with the same determination, control and passion and that once again today, the game would be won with aggressive defense. Coach Adams will talk with the squad for the last time prior to the match before handing it over to the inspirational captain Danny McGrath. Thanks for all of the well wishes via phone and email it has been overwhelming!
July 11th 2008 It's now official Cayman are the 2008 U19 Caribbean Champions having been crowned yesterday by Pearse Higgins president of NAWIRA as the highest ranking Caribbean team in the tournament ahead of Saturday's finals in the NAWIRA U20 RWC Qualifiers. A Historical day for the Cayman RU.An overcast day in the St Lawrence Gap this morning and a good breeze continues to dominate the weather. A little rain but it has dried up somewhat over the past 24 hours. Saturday's forecast is for winds from the East at 17mph and a 50% chance of rain or thunderstorms. Today the players continue to rest up ahead of Saturday's finals. Doctor Teeling has passed all players fit for selection. Coach Adams has announced his starting line up Vasquez will start ahead of Parker for religious observations and Jonathan Jorge has decided to stay and play in the finals allowing Captain McGrath and Coach Adams a full squad. At 3pm today Coach Adams will go over the game plan adjustments with the team and then at 4pm the team will have a walk through on the Garrison ground before eating a meal together at the Jungle restaurant at 6:30pm. Home and a good sleep to follow. Cayman V Mexico July 12th 2008 KO 4:30pm
July 10 2008 The team will rest today. The players are on their own for breakfast and no doubt the smell of frying bacon and eggs will once again be floating around the place! They will then assemble at ten am for a sight seeing and beach barbeque day, allowing them to be off their feet, see some of the Islands sights and rest and eat at the beach. The team will meet today at 7pm with Coach Adams who will outline the basics of Saturday's game plan adjustments after reviewing the match statistics of the Mexicans past two performances today. Early to bed. Friday will be a training day. It has rained a fair bit here for the last 24 hours and if it continues the now very hard clay surface may well become wet and sticky the wind which caused the kickers so many problems yesterday is also still strong today.
9 July 2008 - Cayman 5-5 Trinidad The team had breakfast this am at the hotel at 10am and the mood was good among the players and staff. Coach Grizz did not make the morning meal after succumbing to the flu all week and then a bout of upset stomach the Doc suggested some extra rest. In the team meeting at 1:45 Coach Adams reminded the players how tough a game they would face against a big strong and rejuvenated Trinidad team who would throw everything at the Cayman lads because, they, simply put ' had nothing to loose at this point and everything to gain'. Doc Teeling passed all the player fit for selection and the team departed the hotel for the match. It was an emotional singing of the Cayman National Song by the team just moments prior to kick off and then the game was underway. Cueme Parker replaced Justin Vasquez as the starting wing due to a lingering injury worry to Vasquez. Cayman came out of the blocks much better and immediately put Trinidad under considerable pressure within their 22 meter area. This lead to a penalty 25 meters out and 20 meters to the right of the uprights. Hammersley put this one to the left of the posts and the chance went begging to take an early lead. Ten minutes later Hammersley had a second chance this time 20 meters out and in front of the posts but again the ball flew to the right of the posts and the score stayed nil nil. Clark then decided that the best way to get points on the board was to score a try and duly ran through five or six defenders to ground the ball under the posts un touched. Again Hammersley missed the kick but Cayman now had an eleven point buffer with their superior points difference from the first match. Right on the stroke of half time Hammersley again had a shot at goal this time from 30 meters out and this attempt came off the right post and out, so the half ended 5 - 0 Cayman. In the second half Trinidad applied lots of pressure to Cayman who suddenly found themselves on the wrong end of a series of penalty calls from the referee and Trinidad ate up the ground toward the Cayman line. Trinidad in turn missed two penalty attempts during this period of play and great defensive work from Martins, Forbes, Westin, McGrath and Glidden kept the Cayman team ahead - Just. At the 20 minute mark Trinidad equalized and what was worse touched down under the posts. Somehow the kicker missed the attempt and the game was tied. The second half ran 48 minutes long and the last 28 minutes were sheer grit and determination from Cayman and sheer force of numbers from Trinidad. Replacement lock Shemiaiah Grant was sin binned for the last eight minutes so Cayman were reduced to fourteen men but Captain McGrath who had led from the front not just with words but with actions once again proved his leadership abilities with a series of bull like runs and devastating tackles, Martins, Hale, Westin, Glidden and Vasquez also rose to the task with some crashing hits to keep Trinidad out at the death. It was not a clinical display of Rugby from Cayman by any means but it was proof of the depth of passion that this team has to win this championships. It also now means that Cayman is the number 1 placed team of all of the West Indies Rugby Union teams at this level. Replacements - Alex Roberts replaced Steve Chin at the half, Shemiaih Grant replaced Taron Forbes at the 45 minute mark, Justin Vasquez replaced Mike Manderson at the 50 minute mark and Kramer Bell replaced Eric Arch at the 60 minute mark. Injury report - Joel Clark has a strained Right quadriceps and will undergo treatment and a late fitness test prior to Saturday's final, Steve Chin sustained a blow to the head and will undergo a concussion test prior to Saturday's match. Jonathan Jorge returns home on Friday for a prior engagement. The team was happy after the game but very tired and bruised. Captain McGrath held a closed players meeting at 7pm to discuss the next three days with the players and their code of conduct to each other. It was an early night for everyone. In the second game of the day hearts were kept well and truly in the mouth as Mexico and Barbados swapped tries for 70 minutes. If Mexico won they went in to the final. Barbados had to win by a margin of eighteen points to advance into the final. If Barbados won by a lesser margin then Jamaica advanced to the final. The end result was Mexico 20 and Barbados 18 and it was a last minute try at the the death by Mexico that won them the day. So a Cayman V Mexico final at 4:30 local time on Saturday July 12th.
Squad V Trinidad 3:00pm KO July 8th 2008 Coach Adams announces no changes to the team that beat Guyana for Wednesday's all important clash with Trinidad & Tobago pending one or two last minute fitness tests tomorrow.
Tuesday July 8th - We have had some rain overnight and few clouds are hanging around after a blisteringly hot afternoon yesterday, but the sun is making its presence felt and the mercury is slowly rising once again. Had a solid training session yesterday afternoon at the Garrison ground prior to the two matches of the afternoon. Trinidad played against Guyana in the first match and beat a much improved Trinidad side fifteen points to ten with some excellent speed and great counter attacking as well as some good goal kicking. Trinidad for their part showed that they have a very solid forward pack, scrummage and line out and a skillful number 10 who is capable of kicking, running and passing well to a swift and effective back line. In the second game of the afternoon Jamaica faced their bogie team of last year Mexico and once again it was Mexico that came out on top of the encounter after a ground out display of determination and national pride thirteen points to ten. The Jamaicans were left at the end of the game with no one but themselves to blame and a sense of wonder at how this Mexican side had once again contrived to their downfall. The warning signs were also there for all the other teams with the Mexicans having a world class goal kicker who helped greatly with their cause. Jamaica's future is now in the hands of Mexico when they face Barbados on Wednesday, if they win Mexico go through and Jamaica the current champs will be out. If Cayman beats Trinidad on Wednesday they also will move to the final on Saturday but Cayman are going to have to dig deep and use every tool at their command to overcome this Trinidad team who will be that much better now that they have a game under their belt. The team retired to the hotel where the management had arranged for KFC which was happily greeted and for probably the first time on tour there was actually some food left over at the end of the feasting as well as full bellies and happy smiles! Twenty six seventeen to nineteen years can be likened somewhat to the biblical locust hordes of historical past.
Cayman trains today at 3pm in order to sample the heat of the day as they will play at this time tomorrow. Coach Adams does not foresee a long session with the need to keep the players off their feet and well rested to take advantage of the fact that they have had three days rest between matches as compared to Trinidad who have just one. The Cayman team compiled match statistics on three teams yesterday being Mexico, Jamaica and Trinidad and the management team along with the players will be evaluating these statistics and what they mean later today in the squad meeting prior to training in order to help them better prepare for Wednesday's big match up. Coach Adams had a long look at these stats last evening with reference to Trinidad's performance and will be making a few small adjustments to the teams games plan according to the Trinidad teams style of play which will be introduced at training this afternoon. The team gets to rest this am with breakfast and lunch being at their leisure before coming together at 1:30 for the management meeting. 2:30 will see the squad onto the bus and off to the training ground where they will walk through some game plan adjustments for Trinidad on Wednesday. Back to the hotel and into the pool for hydrotherapy. Doc Sean will be working on a few of the players carrying small injuries today both in the am and pm. Supper is planned for 7pm and it will be a pasta, bread and salad evening as a team in a local restaurant the Jungle, then home to bed and prep for match day on Wednesday. Spirit is high and a quiet confidence exudes from the Cayman camp we are all however very aware of last years results and will be keeping reality very close to our hearts at all time for the next 36 hours or so. Monday July 7th - Ok think that we have managed to resolve the server and internet connection problems! The picture gallery should be running by this evening! Thanks for sticking with us. Cayman has the day off as far as plying goes but will train at 1:30pm and will then watch Trinidad & Tobago take on Guyana while Jamaica face Mexico in the second game. Mexico have looked much improved from 2007 at their training sessions and having beaten Jamaica last year may once again prove to be a thorn in their side. Trinidad and Tobago are enjoying an already very successful year with a massive influx of support from their government in the form of Rugby financing, as well as wins in the men's and women's 2008 Caribbean Championships. Trinidad may well be the form team and the team to beat in this tournament. It is a great opportunity for Cayman to watch and conduct statistical reviews of the Trinidad performance as they will face Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday July 9th at 3 pm, while Barbados will face Mexico. Doctor Teeling arrives from Cayman this evening. Sunday July 6th - The team has enjoyed a day off today after a brief meeting with Management this morning at 10am. The Management staff has provided each room with groceries allowing the players to prepare their own breakfast and lunches on non game days and the players are happily munching their way through the supplies as I type. In the evening we went to the Lucky Horseshoe for the team dinner where the management arranged for the New Zealand V South Africa game to be shown during supper and what a game it was. Home to the hotel and in Bed by midnight Saturday July 5th - Back at the hotel and we are all feeling pretty good, the management have arranged for Pizzas to be delivered to each room and we are all starving. No real injury worries although Vasquez has a sore knee, Parker a sore Hamstring and Martins some skinned knees that will all need further attention. McGrath's wrist stood up well but will need some serious ice treatment to get it right for Wednesday. Match Report V Guyana July 5th 2008 At the U20 Rugby World Cup qualifiers held in Bridgetown Barbados from July 5th to 12th inclusive, day one saw current champions Jamaica see off a spirited Barbados performance 22 points to 11. Barbados led much of the game until Jamaican late arrivals joined the fray scoring a couple of late tries to pull away. In game 2, third seed Cayman Islands faced the might of second seed Guyana for the first time. With Guyana known to have superior pace the Cayman team had made several adjustments ahead of the game and now was the time to see if they would work to stem the onslaught of outright speed. Cayman came out well but too many errors led to them being under quite a bit of pressure during the opening stanza and not really being able to move the ball down field. It was Guyana who scored first after Cayman lost possession in a ruck on halfway. Guyana scooped up the ball and attacked an un-marked blindside to score in the corner. The conversion was missed and Guyana led 5 to 0. Ten minutes later after a long succession of possession Cayman were awarded a penalty which Hammersly duly slotted bringing the score to five points to three points in Guyana's favor at the half. At the half Forbes was replaced by Geary at Lock, Chin was replaced by Roberts at Tight Head and Vasquez was replaced by Parker on the wing. In the second half Cayman continued to dominate possession with a very solid scrummage and line out. With deft passing from the three quarter line of Willson, Clark, Glidden and Martins to bring their back three of Hammersley, Vasquez and Manderson through the Guyanese defensive line continually the Guyaneses defense was left unsure of where the next attack would come from. The back row of Westin, Arch and Hale was in good evidence and maintained possession in the loose while the tight five of Jorge, McGrath, Chin, Forbes and Connolly counter rucked with extreme success turning over numerous possession. It was Westin who after a series of latch and drive plays close to the Guyana line put the Cayman Islands into the lead with a well taken try ten minutes into the second half. Hammersley missed the conversion and Cayman led 8 points to 5. Six minutes later Cayman were awarded a second penalty wide out but Hammersley made no mistake this time and Cayman took a 8 point lead at 11 to 3. From the ensuing kick off the ball was knocked-on deep in the Cayman half and from the resultant scrummage the big Guyanese number 8 broke through the Cayman defense to score and bring the match closer at 11 points to ten. Guyana missed the kick to remain behind by one point 11 points to 10. From here it was all Cayman as they applied pressure constantly for the final twenty minutes of the match determined not to let this game slip away. It was Matthew Hale from a set piece penalty play ten meters from the Guyana line who again gave Cayman the lead and Hammersley duly converted giving Cayman 18 to 10 point lead. Ten minutes from time Cayman were awarded a further penalty which Hammersley converted taking Cayman to the critical lead of 21 points to 10 meaning Guyana had to score twice. Guyana slotted a penalty goal of their own but it was too little too late finishing up with Cayman leading 21 to 13 at full time
Friday July 4th. After a long day of traveling we have arrived to the hotel and eaten the sandwiches provided and are now off to a much needed bed and rest, big game tomorrow but we all feel pretty good about it!
Squad V Guyana 4:30KO July 5th 2008
Inter squad match Wednesday June 25th 4pm KO - Players should be ready by 3:45pm. Warm up matches. Wednesday June 25, 4pm KO
Cayman Junior Rugby Development Fund Under 19 Rugby World Cup Qualifier fundraiser Raffle Cost CI$10 First Prize: Holiday for four including air fare, accommodation and seven day pass to Disney in Florida Second Prize: $500 travel voucher from Cayman Airways Third Prize: Ticket to Miami on Cayman Airways Fourth Prize: $350 Fifth Prize: $300 Sixth Prize $250 Seventh Prize $200 Eight Prize: $150 Ninth Prize: $100 Tenth Prize:$50 Draw July 11th at the annual players dinner at the Marriott
Training continues to go well as the team prepares for the 2008 championship. The squad is happy to welcome back Eric Arch and Bryan Martins from overseas colleges as well as welcoming Mathew Hale who will be old enough to participate for the first time this year. Unfortunately Robbie Cribb has had to pull out of the squad for 2008 with a shoulder injury and will be sorely missed. Traveling Squad announced .
Forwards: Stephen Chin, Theron Forbes, Daniel McGrath, Jonathon Jorge, James Geary, Alexander Roberts, Jeffrey Robinson, Shemaiah Grant, Taylor Foster, Mathew Hale, Kramer Bell, Edward Westin, Dane Campbell, Arley Chisholm, Garret Conolly, Eric Arch
Backs: Michael Wilson, Joel Clark, Bryan Martins, Cueme Parker, Mathew Glidden, Justin Vasquez, Darren Montague, Michael Manderson, Julius Hubbell, Guillaume Hammersley,Clay Ebanks
Management: Coach: Grizz Adams Manager: Graeme Thomson Doctor: Sean Teeling Assistant Manager: Kervin Glidden Fundraising and administration: Stacy Adams & Kristen Thomson The squad is now preparing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 4 - 5pm and Saturday 9 - 10am.
Four day training camp information commencing June 30th Monday June 30th
Tuesday July 1st
Wednesday July 2nd
Thursday July 3rd
Tournament details Pool A Pool B Points system Win = 3 points
3.30 p.m. Jamaica v Barbados
3.30 p.m. Guyana v Trinidad & Tobago
3.30 p.m. Cayman v Trinidad & Tobago
1.00 p.m. Third Place Pool A v Third Place Pool B Cayman's 2008 U20 National Academy team are preparing for the 2008 World Cup qualifiers to be held July 5th - 13th in Barbados, with Barbados, Cayman, Jamaica, Guyana, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago all set to compete in the seven day event. Cayman finished third in the 2007 event held in the Cayman Islands behind Jamaica 1 and Guyana 2 having notched up wins against Mexico and Barbados. In 2006 they finished 5th in Guyana at their very first tournament. In 2007 the International Rugby Board changed the format of the two world championship youth tournaments at U19 and U21 combining them into a single 3 phase U20 championship. This means that the U20 world competitions now happen every year and this is a great target for our emerging academy players as we now have annual international competition. The first phase is a regional qualification tournament. From these six tournaments six teams move into the Junior World Trophy tournament joining the two relegated teams from the year previous relegated two teams from the Junior World Cup finals and making up an eight team tournament. The top two teams from this tournament then move forward to join the top 14 teams from the previous world Youth Cup. In 2007 Jamaica qualified to move into the Junior World Trophy where they competed in April. The Junior World Cup kicks off on June 6th 2008 in Wales. With both Canada and the USA in the top fourteen in the world the winner of this years tournament will automatically advance to the Junior World Trophy tournament in April 2009. Currently 36 players are training three times a week representing schools, community programs and the national academies. This pool of players will be reduced to a final traveling squad of 26 players. It is anticipated that as many of seven of these players will be playing in this championship for the third time bringing a wealth of experience to the team a further eight will be attending the tournament for their second time and the remaining eleven will experience the tournament for the first time ensuring continuity for the next few years as they become the more experienced players leading the team. The coaching and management team consists of Richard Adams, Steve Clark, Dan Porte, Graeme Thomson, Keswick Wright and John Wagner. To assist with team preparation and tournament expenses the team is holding a raffle which it is hoped will raise some $15,000 toward the players expenses. Currently each player will have to pay CI$800 for the tournament but with the raffle it is expected that this can be reduced to as little as CI$200. The prizes are very good with first prize being a holiday for two adults and two children to disney for seven days including accommodation, disney passes and flights there are a further 9 prizes including cash prizes and airline tickets. All U20 academy players and staff will be very happy to sell to you! please support the team.
Training 2008 Every Monday & Wednesday @ 4:00pm & Saturday 10:30am for the whole squad. Sponsorship Opportunities - Currently we are seeking one main annual team sponsor for the U20 program that will participate in the annual Rugby World Cup U20 Qualification tournament. The U20 playing kit, polo's and tee shirts that the squad will wear this year will carry the sponsors logo on the chest and between the shoulders.
The team sponsor would also receive advertising on the web page www.caymanrugby.com/nationalXVacademy.html in the form of logo or banner advertising as well as links to their own web site, also a full page advertisement in our annual program alongside information regarding the national U20 Academy program, four pitch side banners to be displayed at the rugby grounds, naming rights to all media related information regarding the team and program. Ideally we would like to form a sponsorship partnership for a period of three years at a sum of CI$10,000 per year. We are also offering 4 separate packages for sponsorship as follows CI$3000 includes - company Logo on the team shorts back of leg, sleeve of team shirts, sleeve of tee shirt and polo shirt, 1 banner pitch side and your company logo on the team web page. Contact U20 sponsorship for more information |
