Ruggermen prepare for LA World Sevens

Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean Rugby Sevens Champions will travel to the United States to compete in the International Rugby Board’s World Sevens Series in Los Angeles in February. The 31-member team began training on December 15 after the Carib International Sevens Tournament on December 6 and 7 and are continuing on a strict six-day training programme which saw them on the field on Boxing Day at the President’s Grounds, St. Ann’s.

Trinidad and Tobago’s team has had ample opportunity to get accustomed to the calibre of competition they will be facing at the tournament having put in appearances at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia 1998 and Manchester 2002. Former national rugby captain and current coach Rhett Chee Ping has taken over administration of the team from Gregory Rousseau who retired last year and has implemented the programme in view of the challenge ahead. Chee Ping, who was also a two-time National Triathlon champ and represented Trinidad and Tobago in swimming, revealed that “the players have a lot of pride and are determined to give their best efforts.”

The full team:
Abby Gilkes, Graeme Alkins, Peter Bacchus, Brent Barry, Keron Campbell, Johnathan O’Connor, Brendan O’Farrell, Kurt Quashie, Samuel Roberts, Don Rojas, Ronald Silverthorne, Selwyn St. Bernard, Dale Trotman (Caribs RFC), Alan Fraser, Larry Mendez, Cubison Thorne (Police Sports Club RFC), Adam Frederick, Mark Hamilton, Zeekell Loregnard, Aaron Miller, Dexter Snaggs, James Walkins (Trinidad Northern RFC), Kern Charles, Randy Regis, David Straker (Rainbow RFC), Nigel Arismandez, Kelson Figaro (Royalians RFC), Dwight Wills (Eastern Graduates), Carlton Mitchell (Harvard RFC) and Flemming Glace (Tobago RFC).