The Saint Lucia national rugby team, a relatively inexperienced squad, is set to receive a significant boost from two overseas players as they gear up for the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens Tournament. Scheduled for November 21–23, 2025, at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago, the team will compete in Tier 2 alongside The Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. This year’s squad will feature elite youth from the Saint Lucia Rugby Youth Academy (VIPER Rugby), four locally-based senior players, and two Canadian-based players, Melvin Alexis and Claudius Medouze. Melvin Alexis, the 2024 player of the year for Rugby Ontario, has been part of Canada’s national team setup and led his team in ties while playing for Peterborough Pagans in the Marshall Premiership. In April 2025, he was called up to the LIT Olympic Rugby Sevens Camp at the Olympic Training Centre in Chula Vista, California, where he received instruction from Olympians and USA Rugby stars. Claudius Medouze, who moved to Canada in 2004, has played with teams across Canada and the United States, including Brampton Beavers in Ontario. He is the founder of Misfits Rugby Football Club, which was formed in 2022 and has competed in tournaments across the Caribbean, including the Saint Lucia Carnival Rugby Sevens. The diasporic ruggers have been training with their domestic counterparts for the past week, under the leadership of head coach Chantal John, assistant coach Electra Marcelle, and manager Meraius James. Senetta Viger will travel with the team as medical support staff. Among the youth players heading to the tournament are LeMani Lewis, Malyle Cherry, Yantez Jn Baptiste, Cherquain St Croix, Muhammad McLorrain, and Benerrero Wellington. Wellington will be representing Saint Lucia in a third different sport, having previously worn national colours for football and volleyball. The team’s ascension to the senior ranks is part of the strategic four-year plan for Rugby Saint Lucia. The squad also comprises Jesey Francois, Neighman Lascaris, Ethan Phillip, and Dwayne George Nathaniel, all of whom have been capped previously at the senior level. The team will arrive in Trinidad and Tobago for pre-tournament training sessions from November 19 to 20, and they are keen to showcase Saint Lucia Rugby’s talent and spirit on the international stage. ‘This tournament presents a valuable development opportunity for our athletes and a chance to represent Saint Lucia with pride,’ said technical director Wayne Pantor. The annual RAN Sevens tournament will be hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Union for the second year in a row, having been allocated for three years in succession. The winners of the Men’s Tier 1 will qualify for the World Rugby SVNS pathway. The top three Tier 1 teams, excluding defending champions Canada, can also qualify for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, being held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Tier 2 winners will be promoted to Tier 1 for 2026.