Jamaica national rugby league team

Last updated

Jamaica
Jamaica rugby league.png
Team information
NicknameReggae Warriors
Governing body Rugby League Jamaica
RegionAmericas
Head coach Romeo Monteith, Jermaine Coleman
Captain Joe Brown
Most caps Joe Brown (14)
Top try-scorer Wayne Reittie (6)
Top point-scorer Jymel Coleman (54)
Home stadium University of the West Indies
IRL ranking 18th
Team results
First international
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 37–22 Jamaica  Flag of Jamaica.svg
(Jacksonville, Florida, US; 14 November 2009)
Biggest win
Jamaica  Flag of Jamaica.svg 68–16 Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland
(Bray, Ireland; 16 October 2016)
Biggest defeat
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 68-6 Jamaica  Flag of Jamaica.svg
(MKM Stadium, Hull, Eng; 22 Oct 2022)
World Cup
Appearances1 (first time in 2021 )

The Jamaica national rugby league team represents Jamaica in international rugby league tournaments. Administered by the Jamaica Rugby League Association, the team made their full international debut at the 2009 Atlantic Cup against the United States.

Contents

The team made their first appearance at the Rugby League World Cup in 2021. They primarily wear yellow jerseys with green shorts and green socks. Their strongest line-up is composed mainly of British Jamaican professional and semi-professional players, alongside amateurs based in Jamaica.

History

Early years

In July 2004 the Jamaica Rugby League Association was born. In 2005 a domestic competition was formed featuring four teams (Duhaney Park Sharks, Vauxhall Vultures, Jamaica Defence Force and Olympic Angels), and in 2006 a representative side was selected for the first time to play against a touring side from the West Yorkshire Police.

An Intercollegiate competition was launched in 2010 and now features six Universities and Colleges (University of the West Indies, University of Technology, Mico University College, Portmore Community College, GC Foster College and Excelsior Community College). There is also a thriving junior program with a number of High Schools and Primary Schools playing the sport. There is also a Division 2 competition featuring.

Jamaica played their first full international game against the United States national side in Jacksonville, Florida in the 2009 Atlantic Cup. In October that year, Jamaica got their first victory at international level against Canada as part of the 2010 Atlantic Cup. [1]

Attempts at World Cup Qualification

In 2011 Jamaica entered the Rugby League World Cup for the first time as they contested the 2013 Rugby League World Cup qualifying Atlantic section, they failed to qualify after defeating South Africa and losing to the United States.

In 2015 Jamaica aimed to improve on their 2011 disappointment and succeed in the Americas qualification in order to qualify for their first ever World Cup in 2017 but were ultimately unsuccessful.

World Cup Qualification Success

In 2018, Jamaica entered the World Cup qualifying stages for a third time with the matches also doubling up as the 2018 Americas Rugby League Championship. On 13 November 2018, Jamaica played Canada for a place in the qualification play-off. They defeated Canada 38-8 with Ben Jones-Bishop getting two tries in the victory. [2] On 17 November 2018, Jamaica met the United States at Hodges Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida to play for a place in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Jamaica raced into a 16-0 lead within the first 30 minutes of the game only for the United States to score 2 tries before half-time and pull the score back to 16-10 at the break. The second half was a tighter contest with defence becoming the priority for Jamaica and the half would ultimately end scoreless. Jamaica beat the United States 16-10, defeating United States for the first time in Jamaica's history and qualifying for the 2021 World Cup. [3]

2021 Rugby League World Cup

Jamaica made their Rugby League World Cup debut against Ireland at Headingley losing 48-2. [4] In the second group stage match, Jamaica suffered a heavy defeat to New Zealand but scored their first ever try at the tournament. In the final group stage match, Jamaica were comprehensively beaten by Lebanon 74-12. [5]

Current squad

Squad selected for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

PlayerCapsPointsClub
Jordan Andrade 512Unattached
Chevaughn Bailey 20 Flag of Jamaica.svg Duhaney Park Red Sharks
Joe Brown 144 Flag of England.svg Workingtoncolours.svg Workington Town
Jy-mel Coleman 854Unattached
Joel Farrell 920 Flag of England.svg Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles
Ashton Golding 78 Flag of England.svg Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants
Bradley Ho 20 Flag of England.svg Cougscolours.svg Keighley Cougars
Greg Johnson 612 Flag of England.svg Batley colours.svg Batley Bulldogs
Aaron Jones-Bishop 616 Flag of England.svg Cornwallrlfccolours.png Cornwall
Ben Jones-Bishop 620 Flag of England.svg Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles
Michael Lawrence 40 Flag of England.svg Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants
Abevia McDonald 00 Flag of England.svg Skolscolours.svg London Skolars
Khamisi McKain 70 Flag of Jamaica.svg Duhaney Park Red Sharks
Jacob Ogden 68 Flag of England.svg YorkRLFCcolours.png York Knights
Ross Peltier 1112 Flag of England.svg Ramscolours.svg Dewsbury Rams
Kieran Rush 36 Flag of England.svg Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants
Andrew Simpson 10 Flag of Jamaica.svg Duhaney Park Red Sharks
Marvin Thompson 102 Flag of Jamaica.svg Duhaney Park Red Sharks
Keenen Tomlinson 90 Flag of England.svg Ramscolours.svg Dewsbury Rams
Renaldo Wade 88 Flag of Jamaica.svg Duhaney Park Red Sharks
AJ Wallace 30 Flag of England.svg Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls
James Woodburn-Hall 52 Flag of England.svg Faxcolours.svg Halifax Panthers
Alex Young 20 Flag of England.svg Workingtoncolours.svg Workington Town

Competitive Record

Jamaica have played 30 games in their history with their first full international being played in 2009 against the United States, despite the team having been formed 3 years previously in 2006.

They have only played two nations more than once, playing Canada 9 times and the United States 8 times. Jamaica regularly compete against these two nations in the Americas Rugby League Championship, having taken part in all 3 editions of this competition to date. They have played 5 other nations, each once. The first of these teams was South Africa in 2011. In 2016, Jamaica played games in Europe for the first time, taking on Ireland, comfortably defeating them 68-16 and Wales, drawing 16-16. In 2017, Jamaica played their toughest opponent to date, taking on 2-time World Cup runners-up France, a game they would lose 12-34.

Jamaica played their 20th game when they took on United States in the 2021 Men's Rugby League World Cup qualifying play-off, winning 16-10 and earning a place in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in the process.

TeamFirst PlayedPlayedWinDrawLoss %Last meeting
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 20101031633%2024
Flag of England.svg England Knights 201920020%2021
Flag of France.svg  France 201710010%2017
Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland 2016210150%2022
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon 202210010%2022
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 202210010%2022
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 202110100%2021
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 20111100100%2011
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 2009920725%2023
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 201620110%2024
Total200930732030%2024

World Cup

Jamaica made their debut at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup having failed to qualify on 2 occasions previously in 2013 and 2017. They were the second nation from the Americas region to play in a World Cup after the United States first took part in 2013.

Rugby League World Cup Record
YearResultPositionPldWDLPFPA
19542000 team did not exist
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2008 not eligible
Flag of England.svg Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg 2013 did not qualify
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Flag of New Zealand.svg Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg 2017
Flag of England.svg 2021 Group Stage 4th in Group C 400420190

Americas Rugby League Championship

The Americas Rugby League Championship was introduced through the RLIF policy of international expansion and development. Previous to the tournament's existence, the only regional competition in the Americas was the annual Colonial Cup however only the United States and Canada competed in this. The new competition would feature 3 teams with Jamaica being the new edition. Jamaica have competed in all 3 editions to date. In 2016, they would finish 3rd and last but would improve their position by a single place in the following 2 editions, finishing as runners-up in 2017 and being crowned champions in 2018. That year also saw the expansion of the competition to 4 teams with the addition of Chile.

Americas Rugby League Championship Record
YearPositionPldWDL
Flag of the United States.svg 2015 2/32101
Flag of the United States.svg Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg 2016 3/32002
Flag of the United States.svg Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg 2017 2/32101
Flag of the United States.svg 2018 1/42200

Honours

Regional:
Americas Rugby League Championship :

IRL Rankings

Official rankings as of 30 June 2024
RankChangeTeamPts %
1Steady2.svgFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 100
2Steady2.svgFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 82
3Steady2.svgFlag of England.svg  England 80
4Steady2.svgFlag of Samoa.svg  Samoa 67
5Steady2.svgFlag of Tonga.svg  Tonga 49
6Increase2.svg 1Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 49
7Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 47
8Steady2.svgFlag of France.svg  France 28
9Steady2.svgFlag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon 22
10Steady2.svgFlag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands 20
11Steady2.svgFlag of Serbia.svg  Serbia 19
12Steady2.svgFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 17
13Steady2.svgFlag of Italy.svg  Italy 15
14Increase2.svg 1Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 15
15Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Malta.svg  Malta 14
16Steady2.svgFour Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland 14
17Steady2.svgFlag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 13
18Steady2.svgFlag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 10
19Steady2.svgFlag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 9
20Steady2.svgFlag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 7
21Steady2.svgFlag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 7
22Steady2.svgFlag of Germany.svg  Germany 6
23Increase2.svg 3Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 6
24Steady2.svgFlag of Poland.svg  Poland 6
25Increase2.svg 3Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6
26Increase2.svg 1Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 5
27Decrease2.svg 4Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 5
28Decrease2.svg 3Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 4
29Steady2.svgFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 4
30Steady2.svgFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 4
31Increase2.svg 2Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4
32Increase2.svg 4Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro 4
33Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 3
34Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 3
35Increase2.svg 7Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia 3
36Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 3
37Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 2
38Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2
39Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1
40Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Albania.svg  Albania 1
41Increase2.svg 5Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1
42Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 1
43Decrease2.svg 2Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 1
44Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 1
45New.pngFlag of Russia.svg  Russia 0
46Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 0
47Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina 0
48Increase2.svg 2Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 0
49Increase2.svg 3Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 0
50New.pngFlag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong 0
51Decrease2.svg 3Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands 0
52Decrease2.svg 5Flag of Niue.svg  Niue 0
53Increase2.svg 1Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 0
54Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 0
55Decrease2.svg 6Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 0
56Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 0
57Decrease2.svg 6Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu 0
Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT

See also

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References

  1. Burrowes, Paul (12 April 2011). "SVL boosts national rugby team with $100,000 sponsorship". Jamaica Observer . Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  2. rlif (16 November 2018). "USA to face Jamaica in World Cup Qualification Play off" . Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  3. rlif (18 November 2018). "JAMAICA WIN AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP & WORLD CUP PLACE - USA 10 JAMAICA 16 - Report" . Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  4. "Rugby League World Cup: Ireland 48-2 Jamaica - Wolfhounds score 10 tries in emphatic win". www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. "Lebanon thrash Jamaica to reach World Cup quarter-finals". www.bbc.co.uk.