On Saturday, the BVI National Rugby Team won the South Division Cup after beating Curacao, 19-0, at the A.O. Shirley Recreation Grounds.
“What better way to finish off our season,” team captain Roan Thornton said. “Everybody has played their part. No one stood out in my opinion. Every single person, especially the juniors, has stepped up and played their part. I could not be more proud.”
The first try came from Shamarie Spencer, while Rory Thornton converted the kick to give the team a 7-0 lead.
“I am very proud of my team today,” Mr. Spencer said, who is an under-19 player. “We worked together. We plan to get better and move on.”
In previous tournaments, the VI lost to Curacao on two separate occasions. Coach Sherlock Solomon said the VI has been training harder this season and the youth players were key to the team’s success.
“The guys who have come through the ranks are looking forward to bigger tournaments now — locally and overseas,” Mr. Solomon said. “Winning is always nice, it encourages more numbers. Most of these guys have been playing rugby for a couple of years. They have a great future ahead of them.”
All told, eight under-19 players compete on the team as starters.
“That has always been the plan,” Mr. Solomon said. “Last year I took some blows [about the younger players], but I told the under-19 players that they had to step up.”
Although the VI won the match by a sizeable margin, the coach thought his team could have put more points on the board.
“We got a little over confident,” Mr. Solomon said. “We could have scored a couple more tries in the first half, as well as the second half. But I think our defence was awesome.”
The second try came from Noel Maxwell, but Mr. Thornton missed the conversion and the team went into the half leading 12-0.
Austin Keil scored a try late in the second half and Mr. Thornton converted the kick to give the VI the victory, 19-0. Mr. Keil had no worries coming into the match and was confident that his team was going to “pull it off.” He said since Curacao had tied St. Vincent and the VI had beat St. Vincent, it was a good confidence boost going into the final.
“This is huge for us,” Mr. Keil said. “I have never won at home. For us to win here, especially for the cup final, it is a really big deal for us and inspirational for all the young athletes out there.”
Mr. Keil added that the team has been playing a lot better together.
“We have always had individual talent, but we are really coming together as a team,” Mr. Keil said. “We are communicating and synergizing.”
The VI is now waiting on a decision from the World Rugby Board next week about how to reorganise the tournament. There is a possibility the VI’s next match against Barbados will be cancelled and the team’s season will come to an end.
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