Christmas Rugby tradition alive and well

(CRFU): The Cayman Rugby Union membership joined together to celebrate the festive season with their annual Boxing Day “President’s vs. Captains” match on Saturday 26 December at the Rugby Club. The Boxing Day game, played in Cayman since the Cayman Rugby Union’s inception, has been an opportunity for players of all ages and abilities to get a social run around and enjoy the lighter side of the sport of rugby… namely the camaraderie (whilst still keeping some semblance of competitiveness at the back of their minds).

With the Cayman Rugby Union providing complementary champagne and a full Christmas buffet it was a wonder why the players did not forgo sweating it out under the lovely Cayman sunshine to enjoy the food and booze but tradition won over and the game went ahead.

A young looking President’s XV (barring the presence of CRFU President Derek Haines playing at Hooker) took on an experienced Captain’s XV and the vigour and youthfulness of Derek Haines’s team won the clash 50-37.

Whilst the score line didn’t show it the game was a close affair in the early stages before Haines’s troops started to show their greater fitness and speed over the Captain’s XV

Only 3 days later the Rugby action continued at the South Sound Ground on 29 December with a U25 vs. U19 New Year’s game. The U19’s, starting their preparation for their 2013 Caribbean Championship campaign took the opportunity to field their overseas players home for the holidays and the very entertaining game was won by the U25’s. The U19’s showed bright moments in attack but the overall defence was showing some holes for the older more experienced players to attack.