USA Rugby South Defeat Cayman Islands to Win the Butterfield Rugby Challenge

USA Rugby South faced the Cayman Islands at the South Sound Rugby Ground in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands on August 10. The match was streamed on Cayman Rugby TV at https://livestream.com/crfutv.

USA Rugby South emerged with a 51-33 win over Cayman Rugby. The hosts used the match to gain valuable experience with 17 new caps in the squad.

For the Cayman Islands, the match served as a tuneup for the Americas Rugby Challenge (ARCh) that will be held from August 25-31 in Colombia. The tournaments will feature round-robin play between Rugby Americas North teams Cayman Islands (50th) and Mexico (51st) and Sudamérica Rugby teams Colombia (34th) and Paraguay (44th). World Rugby Rankings are in parenthesis.

Match Recap

USA Rugby South took an early 3-0 lead after Lucas Baistrocchi slotted a penalty goal. Cayman Rugby then leveled the match at 3 all after a Morgan Hayward kick. Baistrocchi and Hayward added additional penalty goals, as the score was 6 all.

South had a chance to take the lead, but Baistrocchi’s kick was off target. Soon after Darrin Oliver scored in the left corner and Baistrocchi converted to take a 13-6 lead. South added another try by Richard Shore to lead 20-6 before Oliver scored again and Baistrocchi converted for a 27-6 score at the break.

Second Half

USA Rugby South scored first in the second half with scrumhalf Reid Watkins grounding and Baistrocchi converting, 34-6.

Cayman surprised South with a grub kick restart and after a South penalty, Cayman’s Dylan Bostrock finished with a try with Morgan Hayward converting to cut the lead to 34-13.

The Panthers answered back with a try by Matt Fontana and a conversion by Baistrocchi, 41-13.

Cayman’s Morgan Hayward then scored in the right corner and converted again 41-20. He then added a penalty goal to cut the lead to 41-23.

South pushed the lead to 48-23 after a try around the left wide channel by David Caswell, converted by Baistrocchi.

Discipline was then an issue for South as Michael Martinez was sent to the bin for a tip tackle. Cayman used sustained pressure for hooker Shane Westin to score from close range to cut the lead to 48-28.

In a surprise after a Cayman penalty, South elected to kick at goal with Baistrocchi slotting the conversion, 51-28.

Following another yellow card by South, Cayman added a try by Paul Westin from close range for a final score of 51-33.

Cayman Rugby TV announced after the match that USA Rugby South’s Reid Watkins was named Man of the Match. Hats off to the Cayman Rugby TV anouncers, whose commentary entertained, as well.

Cayman Islands & USA Rugby South Squads

Cayman Islands: 1. Michael Crothers 2. Shane Westin 3. Peter De Vere (C) 4. Dylan Bostock 5. Joseph Westin 6. Hugo Tyson 7. Cameron Bridgemann 8. Randy Henderson 9. Clive O’Mahony 10. Morgan Hayward (VC) 11. Darien Montague 12. Cameron Galloway 13. Edward Westin 14. Danny Link 15. Andy Spilsbury 16. Shane Aquart 17. Ernest Bennett 18. Duane Ebanks 19. Rupert Stanning 20. Paul Westin 21. Marcus Cubillo 22. Matthew Westin 23. Theo Edmans Staff Head Coach – Jovan Bowles, Assistant Coach – Ólan Daly, S&C Coach – Leo Tiernan, Manager – Rhian Minty, Physio – Dwain McGuiness

USA Rugby South: 1 John Sullivan (New Orleans) 2 Amro Gouda (USARS) 3 James Irey (New Orleans) 4 William Stewart (New Orleans) 5 Oliver Hire (Miami Tridents) 6 Austin Grant (Atlanta Old White) 7 Cameron Tompkins (Nashville) 8 Michael Young (Atlanta Old White) 9 Reid Watkins (Birmingham)10 Patrick Audino (Northern Virginia) 11 David Caswell (USARS) 12 Lucas Baistrocchi (Atlanta Old White)13 Richard Shore (Atlanta Old White)14 Yousef Ali (Atlanta Renegades) 15 Darrin Oliver (Boca Raton)16 Zach Jessell (Pittsburgh Harlequins) 17 Matt Fontana (Atlanta Renegades) 18 Ian Lehn (Atlanta Old White)19 Calvin Storey (Raleigh) 20 Colby Pearl (MTSU) 21 Nathan Ring (Nashville)22 Irving Carcamo (USARS) 23 Michael Martinez (Nashville) Staff: Rene Daniel (Head Coach USARS), Francesco Balsas (Coach Atlanta Old White), Dr Shawn Elms (Coach Morehouse College), Dr Austin Dacanay (Coach Tampa Krewe), Sean Borman (Medical USARS), Gary Kent (Mgt Columbus/Ft Benning0, Kevin Kitto (Mgt USARS)