Victory again for female rugby teams

The St Lucia female rugby team won both games when they played against their counterparts from Guadeloupe on May 7, 2011 at the Corinth Playing Field. There was a sizable crowd in attendance at the event in spite of the fact that it was in the height of the Jazz festivities and the rugby spectacle had to compete with the world entertainer Trey Songz and other performers.
The two teams have met twice in the past with Guadeloupe drawing first blood in May 2008 at the Mindoo Phillip Park and St Lucia drawing level with impressive wins in 2010. Both teams were committed to doing their best to emerge victorious, with the new look Guadeloupe team intent on gaining the upper hand since their last defeat to St Lucia. Guadeloupe was brimming with confidence, having defeated both Barbados and St Vincent in the recent past.
St Lucia got off to a nervous start in game one as the two teams battled for supremacy. Guadeloupe was determined to contain the speedy Gezel Frederick and the deceptive Renetta Frederick. This strategy held until St Lucia broke away and scored two tries in the first half to move ahead. The game see sawed, as Guadeloupe stuck to their strength of playing pack rugby by staying close and driving hard at the St Lucia defence. They were rewarded with two tries of their own.
The St Lucia girls relented however, and out manoeuvred the slower Guadeloupe females and finally won the game twenty eight points to ten.
St Lucia played much better in the second game after making the necessary technical, tactical and attitudinal adjustments to their all round game. The girls scored tries almost at will. It gave the coach the opportunity to involve new players and new combinations in preparation for the St Lucia International Tournament in July and other tournaments later this year. The final score in this match was forty (40) points to nil.
Members of the St Lucia team are: Renetta Frederick (Captain,) Crescentia Innocent, Electra Marcelle, Merlinda St. Clair, Sharon Bowens-Charles, Paulyn Eugene, Valerie Farrel, Sephie Charles, Marline Cherry, Yasmin Antoine, Vonette Victor, and Gezel Frederick, Garner Felician (Coach) Jerry Charles (Assistant Coach) Wedrel ‘Tommy’  St Clair (Manager).
Both teams were hosted at a cocktail reception on May 6 at Treasure Bay Casino, to welcome the visitors to the beautiful island and introduce the teams.
In addition to the female matches, the Union also launched its youth program in the north with training sessions for the kids. There was also a match involving members of the senior male team.
The individuals who participated in the various activities as well as the supporters were very impressed with the show put on by the Rugby Union. They indicated it was well organised and entertaining and certainly a worthwhile alternative to Jazz. They eagerly look forward to the next event which will be a senior male match between St Lucia and Martinique.
The Union would like to extend sincerest gratitude and thanks to Zhenya Allain who rendered first aid services free of charge to players; the management and staff of the Treasure Bay Casino for hosting the teams at a cocktail reception; the Mexican Embassy for providing the medals and trophy; Michael ‘Midget’ Pierre, Curriculum Officer/Physical Education and Sports; DuBoulay Bottling Company for providing water; Gaius Harry of Windward and Leeward Brewery for providing a tent and the match officials Shaun Alcindor (referee) and Cyril Marius and Mario Chicot (touch judges.).