Crocs just miss out on Rugby Americas North title
Published:Sunday | July 16, 2023 | 12:12 AMOrane Buchanan - Staff Reporter
DESPITE A valiant effort from Jamaica’s under-19 men’s rugby team, the Phil Davis-coached unit suffered a tough 15-18 defeat to USA South in the final of the 2023 Rugby Americas North (RAN) men’s and women’s tournament at the University of the West Indies Mona Bowl yesterday.
Both teams entered the showpiece event undefeated and put on a good display of aggression and tactical astuteness, but it was the Jamaicans who would have run out of steam after leading for the majority of the fixture.
USA South, on the back of tries from vice-captain Quinn Vorster and captain Jaxson Patterson, lifted their second straight RAN title. Jamaica’s Darnell Simeon-Gordon and Diontay King scored tries in the close defeat.
With both teams scoring two tries, the deciding factor came down to penalties and conversions with John Dardis scoring a conversion from one of the US tries and Volster scoring two penalties.
The Jamaicans failed to convert on any of their tries but had a penalty scored by Mackenzie Davies.
Despite the defeat, Davis was pleased with the performance of his team.
“The performance of the boys is something that I can’t question, from the first second of the game to the very last. These were boys who were carrying injuries, including pulled muscles. So you can’t question their commitment for a single second,” said the coach.
Davis added that losing to the Americans for the second year in a row wasn’t a cause for concern.
“It isn’t about what we’re lacking. Iit’s just that the circumstances were different. Last year we got steamrolled, but this year, they were fighting with us,” Davis voiced.
Mark Williams, head coach of USA South, in his reflection on the final, lauded the challenge posed by the Jamaicans, saying the result could have gone either way.
“Well, it was really a tough game. Jamaica proved to be a pretty tough team and it could have gone either way. We were lucky to come out on top,” said Williams.
USA South, who trailed 15-11 with 13 minutes remaining, overturned the tide to eventually claim victory, admittedly a nervy experience said the American coach.
“It definitely aged me by some years as they made it hard for me. They fought hard, but we were fortunate to come away with the victory,” said Williams.
In the third- and fourth-place playoff, Bermuda defeated Trinidad and Tobago 7-6, while in the fifth and sixth place playoff, Cayman Islands routed Guyana 52-0.