Cayman’s group draw announced for HK Sevens
(CNS): The draw for the HSBC World Sevens Series 2016 qualifier in Hong Kong next month was held live yesterday (Monday, 14 March) with Cayman’s rugby sevens team picked for Pool E with Zimbabwe, Germany and the home team. Cayman will play its pool games over two days, 8-9 April.
The team’s place in the group at the end of pool play will decide which division Cayman will compete in on the third day of matches, set for 10 April.
The 12 Cayman players who will compete in Hong Kong were recently chosen after a final international rugby sevens tournament held in Las Vegas 3-5 March.
Jovan Bowles, assistant coach of the Borrelli Walsh Cayman Sevens team, said of the Hong Kong draw, “This is a good pool for us. We have had a chance to see Germany live and we put out a team against them in Vegas so have a really good idea where they are.
“We also have extensive video coverage of Hong Kong and Zimbabwe from tournaments throughout the year so it is now time to start to break these videos down and have a look at the way in which these teams perform. Both have a wealth of experience at this level.”
The director of Cayman Rugby Sevens, Richard “Grizz” Adams, added, “There are not any easy games at this level; in fact, I am sure that if anything we will be anticipated as the ‘easy’ game.
“Zimbabwe had a great tournament last year and the Hong Kong guys have a full-time programme and are typically second in their region to Japan. Germany are a big, strong team as well so we are very much up against it.
“We are, however, at unprecedented levels ourselves in terms of conditioning, skill development and tactical and strategic decision making, so I am really looking forward to seeing just exactly what it is we can do at the next level.”
This will mark the first time a Cayman sevens team has participated in this prestigious tournament.
Adams said he understood not everyone would agree with the final choice of players for the Hong Kong Sevens. “I realise we have probably left ourselves open to some criticism and questions; our passionate and educated fans and followers are entitled to those questions and the answers.
“We know that this is our first visit to Hong Kong. We know that the teams in the tournament are all superb rugby sevens teams. We know that we are up against the biggest challenge of our rugby careers and as such we were faced with a choice. Either go to Hong Kong just to say we got there or actually go aiming and prepared to succeed. I told the guys when we won in Cary (the regional qualifier for the Rio Olympics held in Cary, North Carolina) last June which I was willing to stick around for.”
