Changes To 2019 RAN Competitions

Changes have been made to the 2019 RAN competitions. These see a two rather than three tier Rugby Americas North structure in place this year. The alterations fall following last weekend’s test match between Bermuda, and Jamaica.

The 2019 RAN Championship will not involve Americas Rugby Challenge (ARCh) participants Mexico, and the Cayman Islands. Instead their only test matches this year are to be in that competition against each other in addition to Colombia, and Paraguay.

Mexico competed in the 2018 ARCh as did Guyana. The change for 2019 with the Cayman Islands taking the place of Guyana has resulted in reshaping the RAN Championship with Bermuda, and Jamaica being the only teams in the North Division.

Missing from RAN in 2019 are Barbados who unilaterally opted against competing in international competition. In 2018 Barbados and Jamaica played home-and-away in what was the second division of RAN.

Without the Bahamas the third division has taken the name of the 2018 second division. Like the RAN Championship the 2019 RAN Cup will be structured according to north and south.

The RAN North Cup is to be a Tri-Nations competition in which the British Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos Islands all play each other. Similarly in the RAN South Cup competition, Martinique, Curacao, and Barbados will all play each other.

The RAN South Championship Division has also suffered with Trinidad & Tobago having decided not to play. Added to Barbados, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico this sees Guyana as the lone RAN South competitor.

RAN have adjusted their competition as best as possible with Guadeloupe promoted to face Guyana. This means that Guadeloupe have skipped a division after having played in the 2018 RAN Trophy (third division).

Bermuda’s win over Jamaica sees them into the 2019 RAN Final. With the non-involvement of the above mentioned Caribbean countries this will see them facing the South Champions (Guyana or Guadeloupe) in the final.

FIXTURES

South Championship
April 27: Guyana vs Guadeloupe

North Championship
March 09: Bermuda 43-14 Jamaica

South Cup
March 16: Martinique 43-19 Barbados
March 23: Martinique vs Curaçao
April 06: Barbados vs Curaçao

North Cup
April 13: Turks & Caicos Islands vs Dominican Republic
May 04: British Virgin Islands vs. Turks & Caicos
TBA: Dominican Republic vs British Virgin Islands

Friendlies
TBA: St Lucia vs St Vincent & the Grenadines
TBA: Cayman Islands vs USA South Panthers
July 27: Mexico vs Capital Selects