Rugby League Jamaica (RLJ) staged its annual New Year 9’s festival at the UWI Mona Bowl in Kingston last Saturday.
Nineteen teams turned up to contest four categories, including Wigan-Leigh College from England.
Tries from Kenneth Walker (2), Marvin Thompson, Jade Harrison and Akel Jenson led Duhaney Park Redsharks to a 24-12 win over Washington Blvd Bulls in the men’s final.
For the Bulls, Oshane Edie (2) and Linval Green replied with tries. Jamaica Defence Force shutout St Bess Sledgehammers 24-0 for third, while St Catherine OB Thundercats and Liguanea Dragons finished 5th and 7th respectively, topping West Kingston Hyenas and Spanish Town Vikings.
The Women’s final was a hotly contested affair between Redsharks and Sledgehammers. Shanique Smith and Allison Frazier rushed the winners to 8-0 lead before Sledgehammers came roaring back through scores from Yanique Days and Yianna Wilson. It needed sudden death extra time to settle the affair, and it was Smith who produced a brilliant solo break to settle the matters.
In Boy’s Academy U19 finals, Jamaica Hurricanes Academy A edged English outfit Wigan-Leigh College 12-8. Scorers for Jamaica were Damoy Palmer, Tyreke Hutchinson and Shevaugh Smith, the latter scoring in extra time. Both Wigan tries came from Toa Bayliss. The win marked the first ever by a Jamaican domestic team over an English team in any format of the game. Meanwhile, in the High School U19 Category, BB Coke High school got the better of The Cedar Grove Academy 12-8.
Director of Romeo Monteith commented, "RLJ is extremely pleased with the execution of the tournament, we had competitive games all round and Wigan-Leigh added an excellent international flair to this staging."
Rugby League Jamaica unveils action-packed 2024 schedule in celebratory 20th year
In a momentous celebration of two decades of rugby league growth in Jamaica, Rugby League Jamaica (RLJ) has proudly revealed its comprehensive 2024 domestic calendar. With an impressive lineup of over eight competitions, RLJ is set to embark on its most extensive domestic season yet, promising thrills for fans and participants alike.
As part of the commemorative year, RLJ has refreshed its competition logo branding to reflect the vibrant and enduring spirit of its fan base. The iconic Doctor Bird branding, rooted in the organization's early years, serves as a symbol guiding them into a future filled with excitement and possibilities.
The kickoff for the domestic season is set for Saturday, February 10th, with the eagerly awaited Intercollegiate 9s Championship. This inaugural event will see institutions such as the University of The West Indies, University of Technology, Mico University College, Caribbean Maritime University, Excelsior Community College, and Browns Town Community College vying for supremacy at the Mico University campus, starting at 11 am.
Throughout the year, rugby league enthusiasts can look forward to a series of exhilarating events, including four Community Club 9-a-side tournaments. The "New Year's 9s" on February 17th at the UWI Mona Bowl will feature local clubs alongside the Wigan-Leigh College U18s from England. Wigan-Leigh College will also face off against Jamaica Hurricanes U19s on February 24th at the same venue, promising an international flair to the competition.
The action-packed first half of the year includes the launch of the High School U14 and U16 Championships on February 23rd, the Easter 9s on April 7th, the inaugural U23 Club Championship on April 23rd, and the Women’s National Club Championship (WNCC) on April 27th. The Men’s National Club Championship (NCC) and U19 Championships kick off on May 4th and July 20th, respectively.
As the calendar progresses into the latter half of the year, rugby enthusiasts can anticipate the return of the National Knock-Out Cup on September 14th, the commencement of the High School Boys and Girls U19 Championships on October 17th, the start of the Men’s Division 2 Championship on November 23rd, and the grand culmination with the Christmas 9s on December 21st.
Additionally, RLJ's National and Representative teams are gearing up for exciting matches, with specific details about opponents and dates to be unveiled in due course.
Romeo Monteith, Director of Rugby, expressed his anticipation for 2024, stating, "It’s an exciting period; we have never before planned such an array of activities in a single year. This is particularly gratifying as we celebrate our 20th anniversary."
Despite challenges, including the absence of a dedicated rugby league field in the country, RLJ remains steadfast in its commitment to innovation and robust offerings, underscoring the unwavering growth of rugby league in Jamaica. As the organization looks forward to an unparalleled year of rugby festivities, fans can expect 2024 to etch its place in the annals of the sport's history in the Caribbean.
Firestorm defeat Bulls to retain National Division II crown
Rugby League Jamaica successfully concluded its ninth National Division II competition on at the UWI Mona Bowl. Once more, the eight-team competition saw cross-town rivals Duhaney Park Firestorm and Washington Boulevard Bulls battle for supremacy after previously getting past Liguanea Dragons and Mona Pelicans, respectively, in the semi-finals the week before.
The Firestorm emerged champions with a narrow 16-10 win. The final was a defensive battle throughout as both teams found it difficult to score. With a minute to go and the score locked at 10-all, it took a massive defensive stop by the Firestorm to secure victory.
Bulls was in possession and threatening to score. However, Oshane Edie was bundled into touch. At the restart, Javian Bryan broke free for the Firestorm and sprinted 80 metres to score under the posts to seal the win for the champs.
Other try scorers for the Firestorm were Akel Johnson and Akeem Murray, while Kemoy Whyte kicked two goals. For the Bulls, tries came from Racheed Pencle and Shawayne Collins, while Shamoy Stewart kicked a goal.
Commenting on the competition Director of Rugby Romeo Monteith said, “It was a great competition, one of the most competitive to date with very close scores in most of the games. The Firestorm have proven their resilience one more and congrats to them. One of the highlights for us is the high number of players aged between 18-23 that participated. This is really our target audience for this Division, and we see some fantastic athletes coming through.”
Clarendon College, Glenmuir secure spots in final four of DaCosta Cup
Defending champions Clarendon College and Glenmuir High are the first two teams to book their spots in the semi-finals of the 2023 ISSA/Wata DaCosta Cup after quarterfinal round Group A wins over Manchester High and Christiana High, respectively, on Saturday.
Clarendon College moved to six points from as many games with a dominant 4-0 win over Manchester at Manchester High while Glenmuir are also perfect after two games after a 1-0 win over Christiana at Glenmuir.
The pair will meet on Tuesday at Manchester to determine the group winners. Manchester and Christiana will clash at Brooks Park in the other game.
In Group B, Dinthill Technical got their second win in as many games with a 3-0 win over Garvey Maceo at Ewarton Sports Complex.
In the day’s other game, B.B. Coke got on the board in the quarterfinal round with a 2-1 win over Cornwall College at Jarrett Park.
Dinthill Technical currently leads the group with six points from their two games with a goal difference of five while Garvey Maceo, despite their loss on Saturday, remains in second with three points and a goal difference of one.
B.B. Coke are third, also with three points and a goal difference of negative three, while Cornwall College are yet to get off the mark in fourth and have the same goal difference as B.B. Coke.
Tuesday’s final day of the quarterfinal round will see Dinthill face B.B. Coke at STETHS and Cornwall College battle Garvey Maceo at Glenmuir High.
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