-to aid preparation ahead of Commonwealth Games
The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) has received five million Guyana dollars from the government of Guyana to assist with preparation of the National Men’s Sevens Rugby team ahead of participation in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, from October 3-14.
His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo, on Tuesday, met with GRFU boss Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento and members of the team at the Office of the President, where the announcement was made.
Nascimento welcomed the head-of-state’s generosity and called it an “investment” in the team.
“I would call it an investment in the team, and that’s what he (the president) called it. He said that he is exceedingly pleased that the team has delivered at world class level; we are going to play at world class level. He understands that that needs the full support of the country and the government and the public.
He has donated five million dollars to help us with our expenses going forward to the Commonwealth Games,” Nascimento said during an interview after the meeting with the head of-state.
Earlier this year, the team copped gold at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games and won the North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) championship for an unprecedented fifth year in a row. Both championships were hosted at the National Stadium, Providence, where Guyanese were given a chance to view the team in action against teams from the Caribbean and Central America.
Nascimento has acknowledged that the team will face much stiffer opposition in India, but he’s confident the local ruggers will do well.
“Right now, our focus is on the Commonwealth Games. We think we will do well. I’m looking for a minimum of a bronze medal.
That in itself is a huge challenge.” He added, “The Commonwealth Games is the largest multi-sport event in the world behind the Olympics and the soccer (Football World Cup). So it’s a big event and it will have huge television coverage. What the president discussed with me was that he understands the television (coverage of rugby) in our part of the world as compared with cricket is minimal.
That’s largely because in the United States, Canada, and in the Caribbean, rugby is still a minority sport.
He has undertaken personally to help us promote the game domestically (in Guyana) by speaking with our (local) television stations, encouraging them and NCN to help promote rugby as a major sport, so we can get our youngsters involved.” The Commonwealth Games tournament will feature IRB World Sevens circuit champions New Zealand, Samoa, Wales, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda, England, Scotland, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Canada, and Guyana.
