Seven Guyanese players have earned selection to the West Indies men’s and women’s squads set to compete at the prestigious Tropical 7s Rugby Tournament in the United States on April 18 and 19.
The squads comprise a mix of home-based and overseas players, with representatives drawn from Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad & Tobago. The teams will take on elite talent from across the globe at the two-day tournament, which takes place in Tampa, Florida. Both West Indies sides arrived in Florida on April 13 for three days of pre-tournament training.
Jamaica’s Ronaldeni Fraser will captain the men’s team, which features compatriots Matteo Cherwayko and reserve Kyan Cherwayko. Barbados’ Daniel Ramsay lines up alongside Bermuda’s Hadleigh Tucker and Jahniko Francis. Guyana are represented by Godfrey Broomes, Lionel Holder, Owen Adonis, Tyrese Prescod and Vallon Adams, while Jerrell Vincent and Shaydon Delaney fly the flag for Trinidad and Tobago.
On the women’s side, Jamaican Veronica Blair takes the captaincy and is joined by fellow Jamaicans Aniya Smith, Mercedes Coles, Morgan Brown and Naomi Dodd. Trinidad and Tobago’s Leah Kintiba has been named vice-captain, alongside team-mate Nathalia Cadiz, who has been listed as a reserve.
Bermuda’s Corrie Cross and Najee Pitt-Clarke have also been selected, with Guyanese duo Carrin Carter and Renetta Reynolds earning spots in the squad. Saint Lucia round out the group with Mary Roberts and Shammah Philgence.
While rugby has yet to establish itself as a leading sport in the Caribbean, efforts to grow the game remain consistent, with a continued push to develop players through local and regional competitions across the region. International tournaments are valuable development platforms for Caribbean athletes.
