The two teams celebrate a close game. Photograph supplied by CRFU
Originally billed as a two-day event, the inaugural Remax Invitational Knackerfest had to be hastily re-scheduled after the Jamaica Old Boys team had to drop out at the last minute following a death in their Rugby fraternity.
The event, which was to be the start of a yearly 35 and older Rugby tournament, was meant to feature an epic three-way battle between Jamaica Old Boys, Remax Oldies and the Cayman Grizzlies, for the Gemini Cup.
In what the Cayman Islands Rugby Football Union (CRFU) describe as truly the essence of Rugby in Cayman and an indication of the spirit of the club’s playing membership, the Jamaicans sent their Rugby shirts in lieu of their Rugby players. On the first day of play, two local teams were made up with James Bovell, one of the Remax title sponsors, leading the new ‘Jamaica’ Old Boys out in their characteristic green shirts to meet the Cayman Grizzlies in Blue, led by Marcus Cumber.
“We decided,” said Shane Aquart, one of the players, “That we should ask Jamaica to send their shirts and play for them because of the un-fortunate circumstances in which they were forced to withdraw. It leant a little drama to the match as then the Gemini Cup was still being played for as we were essentially representing Jamaica.”
It was a close, imaginative and fun game all the way, with stern refereeing provided by Jeremy Channon. Several of the oldies showed some of their former glory. Larry Cayaso, playing for Jamaica, had his shirt torn half off of him while working the left wing and centre while teammate Glenn Whewill, who was by some accounts the man of the match, made several clutch tackles.
Marcus Cumber, Dr. Sean and Paul Deegan played some great Rugby for the Cayman Grizzlies, with Dr. Sean opening up the middle and Marcus scoring two beautiful breakaway tries on the back of it.
In the end the ‘Jamaica’ Old Boys triumphed over a valiant Cayman Grizzlies squad hanging on to the ball for a 28-25 victory.
