Jamaica announced their return to test rugby in spectacular fashion with a 19-14 win over Bermuda in Ewarton on Saturday despite fielding a largely uncapped team.
The Rugby Americas North Men’s Championship 2024 fixture was the Crocs’ first test match since they were beaten 42-14 by the same opponents in March 2019.
Jamaica had lost five and drawn one of their previous six encounters with Bermuda but tries from hooker Owen Linton and full-back Michael Facey put them into a commanding position with less than 10 minutes gone.
The Crocs maintained that 12-0 lead until half-time and extended it not long after the restart when Linton charged over for his second, Aaron Lowe knocking over his second conversion.
Two converted tries from Bermuda set up a grandstand finish but the Crocs held on for a famous win, and one which will take them above Chinese Taipei in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings.
Jamaica are set to move up one place to 65th, while Bermuda will drop one to 71st.
The Crocs have to wait just over a month before their next game in North Zone 1A away to the Bahamas on 29 June.
Meanwhile, Barbados fell agonisingly short of achieving a new record win in test rugby as they beat St Vincent and the Grenadines 80-0.
Kevin Carter had a conversion to take them past the current record of 81-0 against St Lucia but the chance went begging.
Carter came off the bench on 63 minutes to replace D’Andre Phillips, whose 25-point haul from five penalties and five conversions was an all-time best by a Barbadian player.
Barbados will gain four places in the rankings and move up to 78th, with St Vincent and the Grenadines dropping by as many places to 84th.
Barbados’ next match in South Zone 1A is away to St. Lucia on 8 June.
The Rugby Americas North Men’s Championship 2024 is played under a round-robin format with the competition split into North and South zones with two divisions in each.
