Establishing Rugby in Belize

A group of International Rugby Legends, who are part of the 100 World Legends initiative, are in Belize to promote and help develop the sport of rugby. Interim President and Director of Rugby for Rugby Belize, Daniel Nicolle, emphasized the importance of their visit and outlined their goals for the trip. One of the rugby legends, Darren Morris, who played for Wales and represented the British and Irish Lions, shared his experience so far in Belize and expressed his enjoyment of the visit. 

Daniel Nicolle, Director, Rugby Belize: “Coming up this week we got two fantastic gentlemen here for the 100 World Legends, Lee Meyers and Darren Morris who are helping us re launch rugby in the program in schools and also jails. Also up here today we just made the announcement that we are hosting our very first rugby tournament in Belize in San Ignacio which will be on August the 12th and 13th of August. Part of that is we’re growing the rugby community big within the region but also growing rugby certainly within Belize and we’re getting bigger and better.”

Darren Morris, International Rugby Legend: “We’re here supporting the launch of rugby here in Belize. So far so good. I’m from Wales originally I was very fortunate to play for Wales’ International Team. I’ve been involved with the Lion’s Tours over numerous years. Personally now I live in Texas, I live in Dallas and with that I’m well aware of the growth of rugby and what needs to happen and how it happens so I’m really excited to be involved in this down here and I’m so excited to have the invitation.”

Lee Meyers, International Rugby Legend: “I’m so lucky to be over here. You get to travel all over the world playing rugby and you get to interact with different people and spread the word of rugby it’s amazing and that’s what I’ve been allowed to do this week with the 100 World Legends. We’ve been to schools, we’ve been into prisons and it’s amazing. I mean I’ve been lucky as a rugby player like I say to travel all over the world and this is a wonderful country with wonderful people.”

Giovanni Alamilla, Vice President, BOCGA: “We received an invitation from Dan to attend the launch of this great project that he’s doing and we thought it necessary to have our representative here so that we can show them that we fully support rugby and any other national federation here in Belize. The Olympic Committee doesn’t directly deal with schools so what we would do we would give support to the national federations which would entail going to the schools, to the grassroots, they would do the different programs so we’re basically here as a support system for the national federations.”

Cristobal Valerio, Rugby Belize: “I’m really glad that the guys from the 100 Legends are here to help rugby grow in Belize and to pick up because as locals we’re here trying to build up the sport as well but knowing that we have the international community behind us to help us and the Olympic committee and the town council as well that really encourages us to do better and to promote the sport more.”