Barbados Rugby Football Union,

Barbados Olympic Association Headquarters

Garfield Sobers Complex, Wildey, St. Michael, Barbados

 
 

The Historic Garrison Savannah will come alive with vigorous rugby action in mid-July, as the Barbados Rugby Football Union plays host to several teams from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

 

The discipline of rugby has been regaining popularity in Barbados recent times and the Barbados U19 Squad is currently hard at work training for the NACRA (North American and Caribbean Rugby Association) Under 19 Championships, which will take place July 7-14, 2012 in Mexico City, Mexico. Other participants in that tournament will be defending champions Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and hosts Mexico.

 

The action kicks off with the Barbados Select (seniors) team facing off against Birkenhead Park Football Club, who will be on the Barbados leg of their Barbados & Trinidad tour.

 

The playing schedule for the local matches is as follows:

 

July 14        Barbados Select (Seniors) v Birkenhead Park (UK)

July 18        Barbados Schools v Wisbech (UK) 

July 21        Barbados Schools v Wisbech v Datchworth (UK) Tens Tournament


July 23        Datchworth v Wisbech   &   Wisbech v Trinidad Schools 


July 25        Datchworth v Barbados Schools
 &  Wisbech v Trinidad 

July 28        Datchworth v Trinidad 


 

 

The Barbados Rugby Football Union was formed in 1964. A clubhouse was erected at the Garrison Savannah, which has become the home of Rugby Barbados. This area has been officially designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In November 2011, despite torrential rains, the BRFU were proud to host the DHL NACRA 7’s championships at this location. Guyana won the men’s draw and Canada the women’s. 27 teams from 17 territories, took part, attracting significant numbers of visitors to our shores, and thousands of internet viewers to the livestreaming of the 84 matches.

 

So far for 2012, the BRFU has hosted teams from South Wales Police, Curaçao, Guyana, Trinidad, St. Vincent, Yale University and Columbia University. This bodes well for the sport, as well as for sports tourism in Barbados.

 

 

About our visitors:

 

Birkenhead Park FCwas formed in 1871, the same year as the Rugby Football Union, and there are only a handful of clubs in the rugby world that have a longer history. It seems particularly fitting that they will be playing against the local Select XV at the Garrison Savannah, which has been officially designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Their team will play in Barbados as part of a tour that will also take them to Trinidad and Tobago.

 

Wisbech RUFCwas founded in 1947. The present location for the club is on National Trust land in the centre of Wisbech.

 

A group of former players - several with first class experience - came together to form Datchworth RFC in 1969. They added a handful of players who had played rugby at school at "persuaded" villagers with an Association Football background to change codes. A XV emerged. Nick King, the prime mover, became the first Captain and Tottenham Old Grammarians the first opponents.

 

 

 

 

For more information, contact Kathie Daniel, public relations officer, at kathie@southpawgrafix.biz or (246) 268-1496.