SVG prepared for NACRA outing in Mexico

Despite being not one of the top seeded teams in the North America Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA), St Vincent and the Grenadines is expected to give a good account in the Sevens outing this week in Mexico.{{more}}

Inspiration from the efforts put in by the players during the last six weeks has led to such confidence by the man who prepared them.

Rory Tonkin, who was on top of the preparations, is bubbling with confidence ahead of the team’s engagements with the likes of host Mexico A, the Cayman Islands and Guyana.

“The team has worked hard, having extra sessions during the week, as well as the regular sessions…I believe they are more than capable of not only representing the country well, but representing their families well,” Tonkin told SEARCHLIGHT.

Admitting that the players made a lot of personal sacrifices, Tonkin noted: “We focused a lot of personal fitness outside of the training… We worked on the specifics of Sevens rugby and we have a specific style that we play and if we play that I am more than confident that we will score a lot of tries in Mexico.”

Tonkin said that the team was able to fine tune some of its moves last weekend during a visit to St Lucia in which some matches were played against their counterpart there.

But Tonkin of Wales, who has been attached to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Rugby Union from September 22 this year, and who would not be travelling with the team as he has to return to his homeland for “personal reasons,” said that there are capable persons to carry out the technical and tactical responsibilities in Mexico City.

Cognisant of the challenges in high altitude, Tonkin said that both physical and mental preparations have been undertaken in this regard.

The players selected, who left yesterday for the Central American country, are Recardo Dallaway, Guy Hadley, Benson Nanton, George Kruger, Leonard Matthews, Delllon Durrant, Shakqurn Ryan, Godfrey Matthews, Jayvan Lucas, Anizo Lewis, Gilan Comas and Brian Alexander.

The Vincentians are among the 11 countries participating in the tournament, which also has a women’s component.

St Vincent and the Grenadines had to miss the tournament last year because of lack of funds (RT)