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Rugby Americas North Visits Crusaders

ByChris Tudor Price
The Crusaders Rugby Club crest and the Rugby Americas North logo side by side, with the title Welcome, Rugby Americas North

Saturday, October 17 was one of the biggest days of the year at Cru Park, and we had some very special guests on the sideline. A delegation from Rugby Americas North joined us for semi-final Saturday.

We were delighted to welcome RAN General Manager Niall Brooks, Treasurer Pablo Septién, Executive Committee member Willet Wayne Pantor and World Rugby Council representative Cristina Flores Justic, along with representatives from 14 of RAN’s member unions: the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Who are Rugby Americas North?

Rugby Americas North (RAN) is World Rugby’s regional body for North America and the Caribbean. It runs international competition for 21 member unions, in a region stretching from Canada to the Caribbean islands, and is the pathway for many of those nations to the Rugby World Cup and the Olympic Games. It was a real privilege to welcome them to the club.

Showing off Cru Park

We showed our guests our facilities, our rugby and, most importantly, the club spirit that makes the Crusaders what we are. Members had the chance to meet rugby people from across the region, ask questions and make connections, and for anyone who has ever dreamed of swapping a snowy Ontario January for rugby in the sun, there was no better place to start that conversation than over a pint in the clubhouse.

There are already Crusaders on the RAN stage. Adam Yhip has represented Guyana in the Rugby Americas North 15s championship, and Connor Gittens is set to play for Trinidad and Tobago.

And the rugby delivered

Our guests saw the Cru at our best. The 2nd XV ran in 50 points in a 50–5 Gee-Gage Cup semi-final win over the Sarnia Saints, and the 1st XV dug deep to beat Waterloo County 30–24 and book their place in the McCormick Cup final. That sends both of our sides into finals on our own pitch on McCormick Cup Finals Day, Saturday, October 24.

Thank you to Niall, Pablo, Willet Wayne and Cristina, and to our guests from the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands, for visiting, and to everyone who packed the sidelines to give our guests a proper Canadian welcome. See you on Finals Day!