Day 5, started with breakfast with the teams. There was a quick meeting with the guys from We Are Rugby, they have tested the feed now and it is working 100% so tonight should be a great show. The problem was that the server was the same one the Uni was using and so with the game and students logging on it overloaded the system, Tonight there is a dedicated server and we have full bandwidth only for the game. So things should be perfect. I also relayed some of the comments from the RLIS readers about the coverage that was on there and the WAR guys were thankful for that.
So the teams are relaxing today. The Canadians headed to Neptune and Jacksonville beach to relax while the Jamaicans are just sitting around or in the pool taking it easy. The Jamaicans after a quick team meeting got stuck into a game of dominoes with Rugby League legend Des Drummond. The jokes and easy going nature of the Jamaicans are infectious and everyone is laughing and joking with them.
Dane at the computer, looking for new Jamaican Talent
Dane Campbell and Romeo Monteith are on the search for new talent. So they are sitting at the computer going through footage of the School Boys competition and looking for up and coming talent coming through the Jamaican System. Judging from Danes reactions I think the future of Jamaican Rugby League is good. Also, Dane mentioned that he has invited 4 of the current Jamaican players to come to Australia and play with his club the Noosa Pirates.
Some of the Canadians relaxing in the Hotel Lobby
I did get to talk with the Canadians, I asked them to tell me about some of their backgrounds… everyone said two words Cam Grace. OK I said what’s his story “Type it into google” they said> OK so I did, and what an interesting story it is. So Cam is the grandson of Charles Joseph Sylvanus “Syl” Apps. So Syl it turns out is a mere legend in Canada. He was a professional Hockey Player winning the Stanley Cup, he was a Pole Vaulter and also a Conservative member of Parliament. He won the gold medal in the Empire Games in 1934 and then represented Canada in the Olympics two years later. He then signed for the Toronto Maple Leafs which he played from 1936-38. Amongst numerous trophies and awards were the 1947 and 1948 Stanley Cups. He then went into parliament and served till 1975. He was minister for Correctional Services from 1971 –1974.
Jamaicans relaxing in the pool
Cam tonight will be playing his second International Rugby league game. His first cap coming in the Colonial Cup where they lost to the USA 22-16 in front of 1400 people. The family already has an impressive sporting culture not just with his grandfather but other members also representing Canada in the Olympics in rowing and women’s hockey as well as Ice Hockey and Canadian Football. Now with Cam they can add Rugby League and National Captain to the list. To have a bit more of a read on Cam read this article and his grandfather here.
So it seems that this years Atlantic Cup really does have some amazing characters. The Americans have ex-NFL and Arena football players in their ranks, The Canadians have sporting Royalty and the Jamaicans have Super League players and Leon Pryce’s cousin wain as well as Des Drummond in camp. It certainly has been one hell of a week sop far with these guys and still have 4 days to go. Well its getting close to 3 pm time to start to get ready for tonight’s game. Now, where is that camera …
The first match of the U18’s tri nations was played last night against England U18’s. England were coming off a server thrashing at the hands of the French in Bordeaux last week 34-8 and this match looked like it would also go a similar way with the welsh leading for most of the match. But a late rally by the English they were able to pull it back and draw with the Welsh 26-26 The next two games are Wales against Australia and then England against Australia in Featherstone.
| Team | P | W | D | L | B | PD | Pt | |
| 1 | Wales U18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | England U18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Australia U18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Jamaica: Ashley Johnson, Robert Rodney, Alex Brown, Greg Johnson, Wayne Reti, Paul White (c), Roy Calvert, Andrew Fong, Jermain Wray, Romain Campbell, Tyronne Row, Lemont Bryan, Jow Brown, Interchange: Marvin Thomson, Damon Gail, Jahdeek Clarke, Andre Reid, Umar Jones
Canada: Rafal Kaczmarek, Shane Farrell, Geoffrey Bylund, Tyler Allen, Antonio Felix, Adam Moody, Matthew Wyles, Thomas Kimball, David Burton, Steve Lamb, Cameron Grace (c), Henry Myers, Timothy Mason Interchange: Mark Hanke, Dale Fitzgerald, Ben White, Stephen Conlon
Referee: Phil Bentham
So another rumour this one a pretty strong one, USA and Ireland to play in March and maybe Canada will try and get a game against Ireland as well.
ACEBOOK
RSS FEED
WITTER
