Source: www.ttrfu.com
The Harvard Club buoyed by their emphatic victory over Police Rugby Section, 74 points to nil weekend before last, hosted the 2011 Ruggerama Champions and Farfan Cup holders - Caribs Rugby Football Club last weekend on their home ground inn a Toyota Championship division round three match. Harvard’s unbeaten run was brought to an abrupt halt whilst Caribs’ continued as the white and reds dominated every facet of the game, possession and territory to emerge victorious 50 points to 8.
The first half saw Caribs camp out in their host’s defensive third launching raid after raid on the opposition try line. Andre Cabera and Samuel Roberts both scored early in the half with Don Rojas Jr. making no mistake with either conversion ensuring maximum points for the visitors. Brendan O’Farrell’s successor at flyhalf, young Zane Campbell was very cheeky with a well taken drop kick between the sticks after multiple phase rugby set up the vantage for the opportunity to carry the score to 17 points to nil. Just before the whistle, ex-Northerner and Guyanese International, Richard Staglon picked from the back of the scrum to score. Rojas again converted to see Caribs leading at the interval 24 points to nil.
At the resumption, Caribs picked up from where they left off with a score from Abdeel Giles again successfully converted by Rojas who seemed on song with his place kicks on the day. Harvard however, had some key players notably absent in the electrifying Joseph Quashie and solid prop Cloyd London. Their main threat to Caribs came via the flankers Rowell Gordon and Wayne Kelly who both made some excellent breaks and linked well with outhalf Aasan Lewis but the moves rarely progressed anywhere near the try line due to solid defending in the Caribs backline, ably marshaled by the veteran Ronald Silverthorne.
Fullback Ryan Hinckson did manage to reduce the deficit when he scored a penalty from in front the posts to make the score 31 points to 3 only for it to be widened again by lock Jamal Clark in a pushover try which was also converted by Rojas.
The best kept secret of the match however was Guyanese and West Indies skipper Claudius Butts, known for his quick step and swerving runs, was silent for most of the game until Antonio Jardine came on at No. 9. There appeared to be more ball being fed quickly to the Harvard backs who show good, quick hands in the counterattack mode but this supply came too late in the game. Meanwhile, Jamal Clark and Staglon combined nicely finding themselves in the three quarters for Staglon to score the second of his brace after sustained pressure.
Consolation for Harvard came when young David Gokool smelled food with big lock Jason Clark finding himself on the wing as his opposite number, Gokool decided to take him on and swerved nicely to the outside from 30m out and scored in the corner. Hinckson had a difficult angle to contend with and dropped his conversion attempt short. Caribs rounded off proceedings with Andre Cabera scoring his brace which was not converted taking the final score tally to Caribs 50 to Harvard’s 8.
Caribs RFC are away to the newly promoted Royalians RFC this weekend. They shall be seeking to maintain their current form while the Royalians will be mounting their challenge with a youthful squad.