One of the core players who contributed to Cayman rugby’s rise to new heights in recent years is leaving. Tony Elliot, 32, has closed out a notable 11 year career for the Cayman Islands. He is returning to Scotland, the homeland that injected a love for the game in his blood in early childhood.
‘I’ve had great memories here,’ said Elliot. ‘The [Cayman Islands] Rugby Club is like family and I will always maintain a connection. I may be leaving the island but I am not leaving the Club.’
‘Tony was a very good player for us,’ said Cayman Islands technical director Richard Adams. ‘He was always very fit, resilient and tough. He’s a quiet guy but he was very effective as a captain. He has the kind of personality that people naturally bond with. He was always mild-mannered. He led by example instead of relying on screaming and rousing changing room talks. His style is probably the best form of leadership.
‘We will definitely miss him,’ Adams continued. ‘We have young players coming up that will replace him but we will miss his personality. He was an excellent role model.’
Elliot played on every national team game from 1994 through 2005, serving as captain for the last three years. He says he is pleased to see Cayman’s programme take off in recent years.
‘There has been massive change,’ he said. ‘When I came, we weren’t even affiliated with the IRB [International Rugby Board]. Now we are doing well regionally and we have a very good junior progamme in place.’
Elliot believes the Cayman Islands has great potential despite a small population pool.
‘The next five years are going to be good as the young players come in and replace the old guys like me. I think we will climb in the world rankings [Cayman currently is ranked 60th]. It’s fantastic to see this improvement. It’s great to see so many juniors coming down to train on Saturdays. That’s what it’s all about. Rugby is in the schools now so it’s only going to get bigger and bigger.’
The departing captain says two highlights standout in his memories: serving as captain of the Cayman Islands sevens team that competed in the 1998 Commonwealth Games (Malaysia) and leading Cayman to its first-ever victory over rival Bermuda.
‘Beating Bermuda was big. I’ll always remember that. For years and years we played them and always came up short. Finally, we beat them.’
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