The Saint Lucia Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) will welcome up to seven visiting teams to play against a like number of local sides in the 2025 Caribcation Carnival Sevens. The fourth annual iteration tournament will once again feature outfits from Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Martinique, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and North America, competing at the Gros Islet Playing Field over the Emancipation weekend, August 1 and 2.
The tournament will be officially launched at the Baywalk Mall in Rodney Bay on July 31.
Following a press conference, there will be a meet-and-greet for participating teams, and fan engagement, including sponsor raffles and giveaways. The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority will once again support this year’s Carnival Sevens.
Rugby is typically a social sport, and this competition certainly reinforces that notion.
Visiting teams will be able to take in Gros Islet Friday Night, a cocktail party for officials and managers, the Gros Islet Carnival parade of bands, and a private beach party. But action on the pitch promises to be fast and furious.
SLRFU technical director Wayne Pantor told St Lucia Times that whereas enrollment in the senior men’s competition did not meet expectations, the addition of an Under-20 division for men and women will provide a big boost.
“The tournament continues to develop rugby coaches, officials, and players in the region,” Pantor asserted. “Helping regional unions and teams develop pathways to participate in higher-tier competitions outside their domestic leagues against other elite players and teams.
“Coming out of the schools’ Get Into Rugby programme, the youth male division would have representation from the north and south of the island. Particular youth players to keep an eye on representing Saint Lucia are Cherquain St Croix, Zidan Aubert, Benerrero Wellington, and Yantez Jn Baptiste.
“The foreign teams are comprised of players who have represented their respective national unions at World Rugby Qualifiers and Rugby Americas North competitions over the past five years.”
Work commitments and administrative changes with some of the anticipated overseas teams led to fewer elite men’s teams. These will include Renegades, Rogues, Whiptail Warriors, Misfits, Poui, Guyana Police, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.The women’s competition will be between Blue Ice and defending champions, Misfits.
“The Police Falcons came last year, our first international tournament as a club, and we showed ourselves that we are capable of reaching the finals,” said Guyana’s James Osborne of the men’s competition.
“So with that in mind, this year’s aim is to go and probably take the championship, perform even better than we did last year. This year, we are bringing on a few guys who have been coming up in the club, giving them their opportunity as well to shine. So we expect great results from the team this year.”
Claudius Medouze shared that Carnival Sevens “holds a special place in our hearts”, not just as a tournament, but as the birthplace of the Misfits.
“It was the very first competition we ever entered, and since then, we’ve made it a priority to return and give back to the people of Saint Lucia. Through our community outreach and back-to-school programmes, we’ve tried to show our gratitude for the role this island has played in our growth as a team and an organisation.
“This tournament has become more than just a competition; it’s a platform for scouting and developing Caribbean talent. We’ve proudly brought together young players from across the region and given them the chance to compete alongside professionals from the USA and Canada. For us, Carnival Sevens is a training ground for bigger dreams and brighter futures. The warmth of the Saint Lucian people and the hospitality of the organisers keep us coming back. It’s always an honour to be part of something so meaningful,” Medouze said.
The SLRFU Youth Academy, meanwhile, is set to field two men’s teams, and a women’s team. They will go up against their peers from Misfits and the Trinidad and Tobago Select Team. Shammah Philgence leads that initiative for the local federation.
“The youth programme has shown a blossoming increase in interest, especially coming out of the school programme,” she revealed. “We are looking forward to a good showing this year at Carnival Sevens, as we will be entering male teams from the north and south, Under-19 and Under-20, and a female team for whom it will be their first time competing.
“Going to the schools did make a huge impact, and we plan to continue moving forward and spreading the word.”
Teams will compete for a total of US$12 000 in cash prizes.
Pantor says that the SLRFU vision is bold and unique: to create an international rugby tournament that coincides with Saint Lucia’s most significant national festival.
“We want players, supporters, and visitors alike to experience the heart and soul of our nation—the pulsating rhythms of our music, the tantalising flavours of our cuisine, and the warmth of our people.”
