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Rugby union in the Cayman Islands

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Rugby union in the Cayman Islands
Location of the Cayman Islands
CountryCayman Islands
Governing bodyCayman Rugby
National team(s)Cayman Islands
Registered players2,256
Clubs6
National competitions

Rugby union is a growing sport in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands national rugby union team is ranked 53rd in the world, with 2,256 registered players.[1]

Governing body

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The governing body is Cayman Rugby, which is a member of World Rugby, and the Rugby Americas North (RAN).[1][2]

History

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Although there has been interest in the game in the Cayman Islands for decades, it only became properly organised in 1972, when the Cayman Islands RFC was founded.[3] This team faced the challenge of having no rugby ball, pitch, and no clubhouse, for several years, and their nearest opponents were in Jamaica 600 miles away.[3] In 1975, however, Jeff Butterfield, a former England player acquired the rights to a piece of pine forest, which was turned into their pitch.[3]

Nowadays, the islands have their own men's team, and also a [[Cayman Islands women's national rugby union team|women's team] , which was established in 2004. There is also a national Sevens team. A schools development programme is also now in force allowing the development of an under 18/19 national team.[4]

The Cayman Islands compete in the Caribbean Championship, a tournament which includes Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda, Martinique, Jamaica, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Guyana.[5]

Teams

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Male

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  • Queensgate Pigs Trotters RFC (Originally a police team)
  • Advance Fire & Plumbing Buccaneers RFC
  • John Doak Iguanas RFC
  • Fidelity Cayman Storm RFC

Other former teams include:

  • The Cayman Surge
  • ReMax Old Boys - Tarnished Turtles RFC[4]

Female

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  • The Iguanas
  • Buccaneers
  • Trotters[4]

References

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  • Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN 1-86200-013-1)
  • Cotton, Fran (Ed.) (1984) The Book of Rugby Disasters & Bizarre Records. Compiled by Chris Rhys. London. Century Publishing. ISBN 0-7126-0911-3
  1. ^ a b IRB.com retrieved 24 August 2009
  2. ^ "Nawira Athletics". www.nawira.com. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  3. ^ a b c Cotton, p14
  4. ^ a b c Retrieved 4 August 2008 Cayman Rugby
  5. ^ Bath, p78
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