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The place to be in the Caribbean on Saturday is the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town. Playing a test match will be the home favorites Cayman Islands and Bermuda in a Rugby Americas North Championship match that has taken on added meaning.
News was passed around this week that Trinidad & Tobago had officially withdrawn from the remainder of the RAN Championship. With the USA South Panthers ineligible for the new Americas Rugby Challenge (aka Americas Rugby Championship ‘B’) it means that what would have been a regular round-robin contest will now effectively become a straight knock-out with the winner taking on the winner of Mexico vs Guyana for a spot in the inaugural ARC ‘B’ later this year.
For the Cayman Islands the fixture is their first of the 2018 RAN Championship. Bermuda, on the other hand, have already played two. Their first match was 48-28 loss against the USA South Panthers. In game two they fell 27-24 away to Trinidad & Tobago in a thriller last month.
The Caymans were due to play against Trinidad & Tobago on June 23 but that has now been scrapped. In 2017 a strong campaign saw the Caymans downing 28-15 Bermuda away and also toppling Mexico 39-17.
The combined results make the Cayman Islands the odds-on-favorites to win against Bermuda on Saturday. For Bermuda it was to be a do-or-die match. Losses in their prior RAN Championship outings this year mean Bermuda was on the verge of being relegated to the RAN Cup, the second division, though it’s not clear how that might change with Trinidad & Tobago’s decision to withdraw.
After several retirements the Caymans will field five new caps in the run-on side. Second row Shane Cusack, flanker Jeffrey Robinson, scrumhalf Dave Stringer, inside center Phil Parker, and fullback Killian Everard are all on debut. Their outside backs remain dangerous with Fijian star Venasio Tokatokavanua and flying winger Justin Wight particularly threatening.
Bermuda have some speed demons of their own and welcome back star winger Corey Boyce and fullback Dan Cole. Experienced halfbacks Tom Healy and Brian Archibald lead the backline with second row Peter Dunkerley again skippering the side. With regular flanker Tashon DeSilva unavailable Darren Richardson will fill in on the blindside.
Kickoff is set for 4pm local, 6pm Bermuda time. A live stream will be available for those unable to attend.
CAYMAN ISLANDS
1 Jordan Southway, 2 Andy Hall, 3 Jonny Gibson, 4 Shane Cusack, 5 Chris Kennedy (capt.), 6 Jeffrey Robinson, 7 Shane Westin, 8 Ben Blair, 9 Dave Stringer, 10 Morgan Shelver, 11 Iain Currie, 12 Phil Parker, 13 Venasio Tokatokavanua, 14 Justin Wight, 15 Killian Everard
Replacements (one to be omitted): 16 Richard Adams, 17 Dan Florek, 18 Peter De Vere, 19 Dylan Bostock, 20 Mark Soto, 21 Robbie Cribb, 22 Morgan Hayward, 23 Ian Smith, 24 Barry John Goude
BERMUDA
1 Pernell Brangman, 2 Conor McGlynn, 3 Dustin Archibald, 4 Peter Dunkerley (capt.), 5 Dan Pell, 6 Darren Richardson, 7 Thomas Greenslade, 8 Aldo Campbell, 9 Tom Healy, 10 Brian Archibald, 11 Corey Boyce, 12 Tyler Kendell, 13 Alex Brown, 14 Mike Dill, 15 Dan Cole
Replacements: to be confirmed
Date: Saturday, June 9
Venue: Truman Bodden Sports Complex, George Town
Kickoff: 16:00 local (14:00 Pacific, 17:00 Eastern)
Broadcasts: Live Stream
