High School Rugby Championships Saturday

High School Rugby Playoff and Championship Saturday at Meridian Field

Finals action in the Turks and Caicos Rugby Football Union’s Inter-High School Touch Rugby Tournament takes place this Saturday, May 9, at Meridian Field starting at 10:00 a.m., as the country’s top young rugby talents prepare for an exciting day of semi-finals and championship matches.

TCIPS U18 boys vs HJ Robinson Stallions compete with coach Aussie Dickenson watching

In the Under-15 Boys division, Long Bay High School secured their place in the finals after an impressive campaign and will come up against British West Indies Collegiate in what is expected to be a thrilling encounter.

The Under-15 Girls category will see Long Bay High School continue their dominant run when they face newcomers Provo Middle School in a matchup showcasing both experience and emerging talent.

International School U15 boy trying to avoid TCIPS defender. International School coach John Evans offers his encouragement.

Meanwhile, in the Under-18 Girls division, the ladies from Grand Turk booked their spot in the championship game and will battle a strong, athletic, and determined Clement Howell High School side.

For the Under-18 Boys division, the semi-final pairings will feature the winner of Group A against the second-place team from Group B, while the winner of Group B will face the second-place finisher from Group A.

The tournament, hosted by the Turks and Caicos Rugby Football Union in partnership with the Turks and Caicos Sports Commission, drew more than 220 young athletes from across the islands during its largest-ever inter-high school touch rugby competition held on Saturday, April 25.

At the start of the event, players and coaches were reminded about the importance of sportsmanship and respect toward fellow competitors, coaches, referees, and tournament staff. Organizers strongly promoted positive encouragement throughout the competition and warned that inappropriate or negative behavior would not be tolerated.

TCIFRU President Keith Burant addresses the 220 players and coaches before the tournament began to highlight sportsmanship, teamwork and positive comments.

The one-day tournament highlighted the continued growth of youth rugby in the Turks and Caicos Islands, with teams competing across four divisions: Under-15 Boys, Under-15 Girls, Under-18 Boys, and Under-18 Girls. Each division followed a round-robin format, allowing teams several opportunities to display their skills and development.

Five teams competed in each of the Under-15 Boys, Under-15 Girls, and Under-18 Girls categories, while the Under-18 Boys division featured eight teams divided into two competitive groups.

In the Under-18 Boys competition, Wesley Methodist High School dominated Group A to finish atop the standings, while newcomers Marjorie Basden High School impressed many observers by securing the runner-up position and demonstrating the bright future of their growing rugby program.

Wesley Methodists attack the Marjorie Basden team

Group B belonged to HJ Robinson High School from Grand Turk, whose talented squad delivered confident performances throughout the tournament. TCIPs also turned heads with an outstanding showing, emerging as one of the competition’s surprise teams and continuing their development in the sport.

Coach Austin of HJ Robinson praised his players for their hard work and dedication throughout the season, saying their commitment and passion are now producing results on the field. With 14 years involved in rugby, he also reflected on the encouraging growth of the sport and the increasing level of talent being displayed by young athletes across the islands. He added that his team remains committed to representing both school and community with pride.

The talented newcomers from Marjorie Basden High School also left a strong impression after travelling from the south to compete. Their coach said the players thoroughly enjoyed the experience and expressed hope for increased participation in rugby in the future, including the possibility of a structured touch rugby league.

Miss Forbes, newly appointed coach of Raymond Gardiner High School, described the tournament as a strong demonstration of teamwork, discipline, and determination. Although preparations were challenging compared to some other schools, she said it was encouraging to witness the players’ growing confidence and development as they represented their school proudly.

Sendia Marcel (with ball) of the Clement Howell High School avoids the challenge of two BWIC defenders.

President of the TCIRFU, Keith Burant, described the event as a milestone moment for rugby in the Turks and Caicos Islands. He noted that it was the largest tournament ever organized by the union and praised the continued support from the Sports Commission.

Burant said the event reinforced rugby’s core values of integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline, and respect, values reflected both on and off the field through fair play, teamwork, camaraderie, and sportsmanship.

He also thanked the TCIRFU executive team for their dedication and hard work in successfully delivering the tournament. According to Burant, the continued growth at the youth level mirrors the progress already seen within the senior national program, while plans for a structured touch rugby league are expected to expand further into 2027.

With participation numbers continuing to rise and new teams emerging every year, the tournament once again highlighted the bright future of rugby in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

-Contributed