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
The governing body is Cayman Rugby, which is a member of World Rugby, and the Rugby Americas North (RAN).[1][2]
History
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 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
Male
- 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
- The Iguanas
- Buccaneers
- Trotters[4]
References
- 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
External links
- Cayman Rugby
- Cayman Islands on IRB.com
- NAWIRA Cayman Islands page
- Cayman Islands on RugbyData.com
- Boost for Rugby 7's in the Americas & Caribbean
- (in French) Archives du Rugby: Cayman Islands
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