Cayman Islands clinched the 2008 U19 Championship final with a convincing 22-3 win over Mexico to become NAWIRA's representative along with the USA in the 2009 U20 Junior World Trophy.
Cayman Islands U19 Team. Winners of the 2008 NAWIRA U19 Cahmpionship
Fly half Joel Clarke and inspirational forwads leader Daniel McGrath led from the front and secured Cayman's entry to the 2009 Junior World Trophy Finals. Mexico opened the scoring with a penalty by centre Christian Hennings after only 1 minute, only to see McGrath touch down for Cayman after 14 minutes to give Cayman a 5-3. Gulliame Hammersley added the conversion to take the scores to 7-3 at half time. Cayman dominated much of the game with fly half Clarke pinning Mexico back into their own 22 meters with some excellent tactical kicking. Cayman extended their lead with another Hammersley penalty before Cayman scrum half Michael Wilson scored a well deserved try to make it 15-3. Hammersley again added the conversion to put the game too far ahead for Mexico, before 2nd row Taron Forbes touch down for Cayman to give the 2008 Caribbean Champions a 22-3 final victory.
The road to the 2008 NAWIRA Championships has been a long one for coach and Techincal Director of Cayman Rugby Richard Adams. A delighted Adams said afterwards that the victory was a monumentous occassion for rugby in Cayman and without doubt the most impressive achievement in the Unions history. Praising his team, he paid tribute to the players, many of whom had come through the Islands youth development programe and had worked hard for 3 years to get to this stage. Mexican President Miguel Carner agreed with Adams when he said that just getting to the final was a huge step for the further development of rugby in their respective Unions. Carner paid tribute to Cayman for implementing and executing a superior game plan, though at the same time was encouraged and enthralled by the vast steps in progress made by his young Mexican side in the last couple of years. Indeed most Mexican players will be eligible to play in the same tournament next year. More importantly, as Santiago Leboreiro, the Mexican captain mentioned afterwards, the acheivement by Mexico this week will hopefully encourage more Mexican youngsters to take up rugby and without doubt is a giant step forward for the development of the game in his home country.
Bronze Medal Result: Jamaica 12 Guyana 0 Referee: George Nicholson (Barbados)
In the match for 3rd place, Jamaica rediscovered some of the form that they had been missing in their first games of the tournament. Both teams played an expansive running game, looking to move the ball away from the break down whenever possible and utilise their speedy backs. Unfortunately good defence from both teams resulted in stalemate at half time with neither teams registering any points. In the second half Jamaica came out the stronger with Andre McFarlane touching down after 42 minutes, followed by another shortly after by Dervel Rodney to take the Jamaicans into a deserved 10-0 lead. Andre O'Connor added the conversion to extend the 2007 Champions lead to 12-0, which remained the final result.
Three tries from Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) centre Derande-Jones Mandessa provided the platform for T&T to record their first win of the tournament, over an up and coming Barbados team. Mandessa scored hs first after only one minute when a well executed up and under kick provided the opening for Mandessa to score beneath the posts. Fly half Zane Campbell added a penalty to extent the lead to 8-0. On 15 minutes Mandessa added his second, this time an interception try from half way, which Campbell converted to give T&T a 15-0 lead. Tahier Niles pulled the scores back for Barbados after 24 minutes with a try, which he converted himself to leave the scores at 15-7 to T&T, at half time. Christian Preece scored a try for Barbados shortly into the second half, which Niles converted, leaving Barbados within 1 point, at 15-14. 2nd row forward Biko Beckles gave Barbados a 19-15 lead, much to the delight of the home supporters, only for Mandessa and Campbell to strike once again, to give T&T a 22-19 victory.
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