The USA Rugby South B team lost 20-8 to Cayman Islands in the NACRA U19 Consolation semis Wednesday in Orlando, putting them in the 7th/8th game on Friday against Bermuda.

Photos Daniel Pretorius. USA South B in white, Cayman Islands in red. Click on image to enlarge.

The South B team, which has 11 players who are 17 and two who are 16, received something of a lesson in playing international rugby.

In the first 15 minutes, USA South was pinned in their 22, but did well to stop the Cayman pressure. Well into the first half the score remained 0-0. It wasn’t until late in the first half that Cayman Islands scored their first try, and just before the halftime whistle, fullback Jean Roberts answered with a penalty to make it 5-3 at the break.

In the second half, the South committed some mental errors that led to two tries from Cayman Islands. Replacement lock Darius Strimbu made his playing time count with a very impressive try, keeping a low body position to drive over the line. That made it 17-8, but Cayman marched back into South territory and slotted a penalty goal to ice it 20-8. South came close to scoring late thanks to an interception, but the Cayman cover defense shut them out.

It was a spirited USA Rugby South performance, led by the work of Ivan Romero on defense and in the lineouts, but the youth of the team showed as they came up against older players. This experience will stand the program in good stead, however, as the younger players can come back next year more experienced.

Cayman and USA South were very evenly matched in talent and size, but South’s repeated penalties for offside and for diving onto the ball in the rucks hurt them. The frequent penalties today by the South were probably the biggest difference maker between these two sides.  

Turks & Cacos defeated Bermuda 17-11 to join Cayman Islands in the consolation final.

So here is the last round of games in the NACRA U19s Championships:

Friday, July 17

7th/8th USA Rugby South B v Bermuda

5th/6th (Plate Final) Turks & Cacos v Cayman Islands

Saturday July 18

3rd/4th Trinidad & Tobago v Barbados

Final: USA Rugby South A v Mexico