The Key Biscayne Rugby Club, known as the Rugby Rats, land in Grand Cayman, on Friday 1 March, for the return fixtures of rugby at the Cayman Rugby Club in South Sound.
The previous weekend saw teams from Cayman Rugby’s Kaya U12 and Kaya U14 teams travel to Miami with a strong cohort of over 40 players.
Key Biscayne travelled to Cayman with more than 50 players spanning the four age groups from U12, U14, U16 and their flag ship U19 team. With over 50 travelling supporters it was a big day for the Cayman Rugby Club and the Club would like to thank all of the parents, coaches and supporters for making our guests feel welcome on island, it reciprocated the outstanding hosting Cayman Rugby received from Key Biscayne Rugby the previous weekend.
Coach Sam Sage said “the Kaya U12 Cayman team was thrilled to play a home and away series against the Key Biscayne Rugby Rats”. This was the first set of return fixtures in the history of the U12’s rugby program. In another first, and evidence of the blossoming junior girls program, this was the first time that Cayman sported four girls in a starting line-up. The games were hard fought and closely contested but always in the true spirit of the sport.
The Cayman Kaya U14 boys took on Key Biscayne in the return fixture after a hard fought 27-17 loss away last week. The game experience and a week to work on a couple of weaknesses identified in last week’s loss paid dividends for the boys with a 32 all draw being a fitting reflection of where the two sides sat at the end of two very physical contests.
Coach Ben McDonald said, “the players didn’t want for heart or courage in either match, what was most encouraging was they we identified some issues with width, both in attack and defence, and the players addressed that at training and applied it extremely well in the game. That they were so open to improvement bodes well for our fixtures in April”
Key Biscayne’s U16 and U19 teams proved to be a tough test for our players, Cayman came second best in both outings with Key Biscayne’s seasoned players displaying solid skill sets in both attack and defense.
The Cayman Danesmead U16s showed a brave debut and promising display. In a clash against the seasoned and well-drilled Key Biscayne team, Saturday’s match marked the inaugural rugby experience for some of the U16 players.
Coach Matthew McCabe noted that “the courage displayed by these young athletes, stepping onto the pitch mere weeks after being introduced to the sport, cannot be understated. Despite their novice status, the team fought valiantly throughout the entire match, showcasing their potential to a sizable crowd”.
The first half unfolded with intensity, featuring some remarkable individual skills, including a fantastic cross-field kick and some truly resilient defensive efforts. The team’s commitment and effort were nothing short of outstanding. Unfortunately, the latter stages of the game revealed the experience gap, as the Key Biscayne side asserted control. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the touring team for making the journey and contributing to this memorable encounter.
The Grant Thornton U19s game was a tale of two halves. The first half underscored the hard work and dedication these players have poured into their training. A well-drilled and structurally smart performance made the U19s resemble a team on the brink of senior-level rugby. The forwards showcased strength, performing well in breakdowns and set-piece plays. Meanwhile, the backs executed accurate ball distribution and running lines, demonstrating tangible progress resulting from hard work put in at training.
Regrettably, the second half saw the Key Biscayne team assert dominance and pull away. Coach Matthew McCabe said “despite the outcome, it was an excellent game, promising invaluable learning experiences for our U19s”. Special thanks to the Key Biscayne team for being formidable opponents and contributing to a match that will undoubtedly shape the development of our aspiring rugby stars.
Cayman Rugby has made some great connections with the Key Biscayne Rugby Rats and there is already talk of an annual fixture between the two clubs which can only be a good thing for the future of Cayman Rugby.
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