Players have chance to shine in friendly

Bermuda head coach Jamie Barnwell has announced a 27-man squad for a warm-up game against Harvard at North Field tomorrow, starting at 2pm.

Barnwell has named eight uncapped players in the squad, with Jake Krige, James Coulton, Greg Palmer, Dzzuri Gill, Isaiah Rickards, Johnny Barnes and James Annandale along with Police team-mate Cornell Greyling set to feature against Harvard or Old Blue in the two warm-up games leading up to Easter.

Lock Peter Dunkerley of Renegades and outside half Dan Cole of Police will captain Bermuda, while scrum half Tom Healy and No 8 Jamie Baum, both of Renegades Rugby have been named as vice-captains.

Left wing Nigel Burgess returns to the squad, while Conor McGlynn of Teachers will fill the position of hooker.

“We have completed our three weeks of preseason training and now we have moved into four weeks of two warm-up games ahead of the Americas Rugby Championship qualifying play-off match with Cayman,” said Barnwell, ahead of that match on May 16.

“Our focus has now changed to creating a game that will stand up to the rigours of the Americas Rugby Championship tournament where we may have to play three games in eight days.”

Peter Dunkerley added, “We have turned our focus to tactically how we want to play the game, what we want to look like in attack and how we want to play with ball in hand.

“We want to be adaptable and we keep on challenging ourselves in training to do that.”

The visiting team from Boston’s prestigious Harvard Business School is comprised of players and staff, with a mixture of players from the United States, Belgium, France, Canada, Jordan and the United Kingdom.

Bermuda have also announced their first female team manager of the men’s national team. Amy Dingley Jones, a history, politics and humanities teacher at BHS, will be tasked with “continuing to build a winning culture in the team”.

“As a Welsh person, rugby is more than a game, it’s in my blood,” she said.

“Therefore to be asked to be the first female to be manager of the Bermuda National Rugby team is the greatest honour of my life so far.

“Having grown up in a small town in Wales which has produced amazing rugby players such as Stephen Jones and Ken Owens, to be asked to do this job in such an amazing country that I am lucky enough to live in and call home is beyond a fantastic opportunity.

“Having been on the island five months, I have experienced nothing but positivity from the Bermudian people, therefore I look forward to working with the squad further.

“I have always been interested in sport and, as an experienced netball coach, I’ve been involved in lots of set-ups from school to regional level to national finals.

“Since arriving on the island, I have coached the under-16 team at Bermuda High School and the senior All Stars Netball winning team.

“I’ve also liaised closely with PE departments of the schools I’ve worked at while also teaching history, politics and humanities.

“I have experience of managing numerous sports teams including field hockey and cricket. As a volunteer, I look forward to working with Jamie Barnwell, his coaching team and the players in order to capitalise on the success of winning the Caribbean Cup final last year.

“This is a great time for rugby on the island and I am privileged to be involved with the set up.

“As my full-time job is a teacher at Bermuda High School for Girls it makes this opportunity bigger than me managing the Bermuda Men’s team; but instead to highlight to the girls I teach, that even if a woman has not done the job before it does not mean that she cannot lead the way for the future.”

Leave a comment

infosecretary@brfu.bm
AddressP.O. BOX HM 1909
HAMILTON HM HX

Bermuda Rugby Football Union © 2022. All Rights Reserved. Web Design& Development: TU.O