Cayman Sevens Final
Sunday, 19 June 2005
George Town, Grand Cayman
Samurai-Red Rock 17
Ecosse 7
Call it Fijian Conquest II.
Just like last year, Samurai-Red Rock, a team made up of elite Fijian players, ran around and over the competition in the Deloitte Cayman Sevens held Saturday and Sunday at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town. Facing tough, fast and experienced Ecosse (Scotland) in the final, Samurai-Red Rock had no easy road to the trophy. Ecosse won the inaugural Cayman Sevens in 2001 and hungered for a return to the top.
The fierce Fijians took their explosiveness to another level in the Sunday evening final, however, scoring a try in the first 20 seconds and promptly adding another just a minute later. And just like that, Ecosse was on the ropes.
Reeling but unbroken, the Scots narrowly missed a try in the final minutes of the first half. All the tournament’s teams may have had tired legs after two days of sevens rugby in the steamy tropics, but both sides in the final had plenty of heart to compensate.
Four minutes into the second half, an Ecosse player scooped up a loose ball for a try. It was too little, too late, however, as Samurai-Red Rock was simply too sharp and too tough to let go of the trophy they first won last year.
‘We love coming here to the Cayman Islands,’ said Samurai-Red Rock captain Suli. ‘The competition is very good. One reason we do well is because seven-a-side rugby is professional in Fiji. We play two matches every week.’
Suli says the primary source of his team’s impressive skill and drive is their religion.
‘We believe in God,’ he said. ‘Without God, nothing can help us.’
Claude Logerasida, the manager of Samurai-Red Rock, was pleased with his team’s performance over the two-day tournament.
‘I think we were better than last year,’ he said. ‘I think this tournament is getting better and better. ‘We thank God for what has happened here. We do well because we believe in God. We are not only about rugby. We put God first. God is with us at all times.’
Overall, players and coaches alike were impressed by the Cayman Sevens once again.
‘This is the toughest club tournament in the world,’ said Bill Gardner, manager of Nova (Northern Virginia, USA). ‘We have been here twice now and we love it. They do a very good job with this tournament.’
‘The sheer quality of rugby in this tournament is fantastic,’ added Alasdair Robertson, one of the tournament referees and a Cayman Islands youth coach. ‘The players who come down here for it are great. It should really inspire out juniors when they see this level of play.’
‘I think this tournament is very good for Cayman,’ said Sports Minister Arden McLean. ‘It is obvious that it is well supported. Maybe they should have it twice per year instead of once per year. This is a very good boost for tourism. I really enjoyed watching the competition.’
Chris Jackson, one of the event’s organisers, is satisfied with the fifth edition of the annual tournament. ‘This tour-nament keeps building from strength to strength. There are ways we can keep improving it and making it better and we will try to. But we are really pleased this year, especially given all the turmoil we went through [Hurricane Ivan].’
Tevita Navuki, a Fijian who has lived in the Cayman Islands for more than a decade, helps host the Samurai-Red Rock team each year they come.
‘I’m so excited every time,’ he said. ‘It’s a blessing for me when they come here. It gives me a chance to speak Fijian with them. This tournament is good for the people in the Cayman Islands. It encourages the young people here to de-velop their talent. There is a lot of talent here; many players here can become professionals if they work hard.’
Kurik won Sunday’s Plate Final over OMBAC.
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