Summer Touch starts Another9 Season
Scott McCarty from Stepping Stones (with ball) starts an attack against Riley Mullen from Delta Force in the Division 1 Final 2014 (Photo by Caroline Deegan)
(CRFU): As regular as the start of hurricane season, Summer Touch starts again in June with the Another9 Corporate Touch Rugby League 2015. It’s another bumper year with a fine crop of teams ready to lock horns and battle for the coveted prize. Once again the teams will be divided into Division 1 (Competitive Division) and Division 2 (Social Division). Each Division is designed to provide just the right challenge for the 400 plus players who will be taking part.
Every year the popularity of this sport increases and the standard improves too. For those in the Competitive Division, Touch is no longer a recreational pastime to fill in whilst other sports have their summer break. It requires great ball handling skills, fitness, teamwork and commitment. The Social Division, as the name suggests is less competitive, and attracts players who are new to the sport or are unable/unwilling to contest with the big boys (and girls).
Last year Delta Force was top of the pile and will look to defend their title with all the va-va-voom needed as competitors such as SteppingStones, Maples, Genesis Trust, Island Air and Alphasoft will have strengthened to challenge for the Division 1 prize.
Zolfo Cooper took the honours in the Social Division in 2014 and main rivals GCM will be looking for revenge after their Finals Day defeat.
New teams will be placed into their respective divisions after Seeding Day which takes place this Saturday 6th June at the South Sound Rugby Ground. The leagues then start on 10th June and run all the way through until late August with the Finals day slated for 5th September. Games regularly take place on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays with a couple of Super Saturdays thrown in which are a festival of touch rugby.
There are 14 players per team and, as this is a mixed sport, of the six players on the pitch there must be a minimum of three women. The teams that generally do the best are those that utilize their female players as an integral part of the attack.
This year’s sponsors are Another9, a local and global Data Center, Managed Services & Cloud Computing Company. Senior Vice President, Paul Keegan said, “We are delighted to partner Cayman Rugby Football Union for the forthcoming Corporate Touch Rugby league and will be with the CRFU every step of the way on the journey of success and accomplishments. At Another9, we believe in staying active, being competitive and keeping one step ahead; keeping our pulse moving. How better to display our ethos than partnering and supporting the local Rugby Club. We believe in nurturing talent from grass roots and building a strong team; a strong network – with passion and belief in everything we set out to achieve.”
Teams that do well in Touch know the value of developing a strong team and paying with passion and belief. It will be fascinating to see who comes out on top this year. The teams participating in the Another9 Corporate Touch Rugby League 2015 are:
| 1. SteppingStones |
| 2. GCM |
| 3. KPMG 1 |
| 4. KPMG 2 |
| 5. DART |
| 6. Harmonic |
| 7. Queensgate |
| 8. Grant Thornton |
| 9. Rawlinson & Hunter |
| 10. Deloitte |
| 11. DMS |
| 12. Intertrust |
| 13. UBS |
| 14. Baraud |
| 15. Fund Fiduciaries |
| 16. Island Air |
| 17. Trident |
| 18. Delta |
| 19. Walkers Blue Iguanas |
| 20. PwC |
| 21. Greenies |
| 22. Alphasoft |
| 23. Conyers/Krys |
| 24. Kensington Management |
| 25. Walkers Hatchlings |
| 26. Zolfo Cooper |
| 27. Maples |
| 28. Genesis |
| 29. Elian |
| 30. NWNT |
