JAMAICA praised Canada for travelling to Kingston for a men’s rugby league international less than a month after a hurricane devastated the island.
At least 45 people were killed by Hurricane Melissa while the physical damage to Jamaica has been estimated at US$8.8 billion (£6.7bn).
The Reggae Warriors ran out 34-12 winners on Saturday as part of a double-header which also included the two countries’ under-19 sides.
“I would like to thank Canada Rugby League for sending two teams, especially at a time that our country is going through so much after the hurricane here,” said Jamaica coach Roy Calvert. “It has been a real morale boost.
“We had a very rough, interrupted preparation but we stuck to it, the guys did what they were asked to, gave 80 minutes effort, and that pulled us over the line.”
A mostly domestic-based line-up was supplemented by York Knights star Ben Jones-Bishop and his brother Aaron.
But it was centre Tahj-Jay Lynch who shone with a hat-trick, while there were also tries by Jenson Morris, Kyronn Fairclough, Ricardo Richards and Joseph Daley. Chevaughn Bailey converted two, and Aaron Jones-Bishop one.
Canada’s points came via two Chuck Curran tries and one from Oliver Lenahan.
“It was a pleasure for us to come to Jamaica,” said Wolverines head coach Aaron Zimmerle.
“I know the country is hurting after suffering through the hurricane and for our players to see how theirs have rallied around that, there are things more important than the result.”
Jamaica won the youth international too, 42-24.
There was also international action on Sunday in Africa, where honours were shared across a double header between Ghana and Nigeria.
In Accra, the hosts were triumphant 36-24 in the men’s match, but Nigeria’s women earned a dominant 42-8 victory.
Ghana men’s head coach Andy Gilvary said: “We have come a long way in the last six years in the things we needed to work on – physicality and the way we manage the game.
“The boys put it all together and the performance programme is starting to have an effect. It was a great advert for rugby league in Africa.”