USA South Panthers Win RAN Championship

The USA South Panthers are the 2017 Rugby Americas North (RAN) winners. The team’s 23-19 away win over Guyana this afternoon sealed the RAN Championship.

Played in muddy conditions, scoring was not always so simple. It took 19 minutes for the first points to be scored. A Zach Miller penalty gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead. Ten minutes later the visitors were 8-0 ahead thanks to Hein Erasmus going over for the opening try.

With five minutes left in the first half the USA South scored again. Second-rower John Bryant powered over for the Panthers for what was another unconverted try. With no further points before the interval it meant the home side was 13-0 down at the midway point in the match.

Early in the second half the USA South continued to control play. A frustrated Green Machine defensive effort gave away penalties and in the 54th minute Miller would find target. His penalty gave the Panthers a 16-0 advantage.

Needing to score three times the Guyanese looked to use the entire width of the field in search of finding space. A chance finally appeared. A break from replacement Patrick King resulted in a lone range score. It was converted by Allen Crawford to cut the deficit to 9 points.

An error from the Green Machine in the 73rd minute would prove costly. The USA Panthers punished the mistake with flanker Jordan Gunderson crossing. Miller’s conversion made it a 16-point gap with only seven minutes left in the match.

The Green Machine would not give up and two impressive tries from Osei McKenzie in the 77th and 80th minutes meant they finished the match strongly. Godfrey Broomes added the conversion for the final try but the Guyanese required further time to overtake the Panthers.

The match was uncapped. The reason being that the USA South is not a recognized country but, rather, part of one. As such no rankings points will be exchanged between the teams. With the RAN Championship having been completed for 2017 attention in the region now turn to Rugby 7’s.

SCORING

GUYANA 19
Tries – P. King (64′), O. McKenzie 2 (77′, 80′)
Cons – A. Crawford 1/1 (65′), L. Adonis 0/1, G. Broomes 1/1 (80′)
Yellow cards – A. Isaacs (54′)

USA SOUTH 23
Tries – H. Erasmus (29′), J. Bryant (35′), J. Gunderson (73′)
Cons – Z. Miller 1/3 (74′)
Pens – Z. Miller 2/2 (19′, 54′)
Yellow cards – W. Chermley (59′)

TEAMS

GUYANA
1 Jason Tyrell, 2 Rickford Cummings, 3 Rondell McArthur, 4 Dwayne Schroeder, 5 Ahmed Isaacs, 6 Richard Staglon, 7 Jamal Angus, 8 Vallon Adams, 9 Ryan Gonsalves (capt.), 10 Peabo Hamilton, 11 Patrick King, 12 Ronald Mayers, 13 Claudius Butts, 14 Avery Corbin, 15 Lancelot Adonis

Replacements: 16 Cyon Kitt, 17 Allen Crawford, 18 Cloyd Prowell, 19 Kevon David, 20 Godfrey Broomes, 21 Toby David, 22 Dillon Downer, 23 Osei McKenzie

USA SOUTH PANTHERS
1 Stephen Cappello, 2 Jamal Hadley, 3 Alex Nazon, 4 Wayne Chermley, 5 John Bryant, 6 Jordan Gunderson, 7 Lyall Harrison, 8 Hein Erasmus (capt.), 9 Jarrett Gartin, 10 Adam Channel, 11 Mikey Sanders, 12 Colton Cariaga, 13 Matt Hughston, 14 Cormac Kenan, 15 Zach Miller

Replacements: 16 Matt Fontana, 17 Amro Gouda, 18 Kyle Hudson, 19 Calvin Storey, 20 Todd Sherer, 21 Charlie Hutchings, 22 David Coleman, 23 Nathan Ring