Jamaican prop Michael Lawrence believes there is “pressure” for the team to perform well, represent the country and to inspire young Jamaicans watching from the island.
“There’s always pressure with professional sport and the pressure is from within really, we’ve got expectations and we’ve got a certain level of performance we want to display, and the spirit and togetherness of this team is massive,” he said.
Jamaica are aiming to grow the current fourth biggest sport on the island.
Huddersfield Giants player Lawrence said the “massive experience” can benefit grassroots rugby back in Jamaica.
“We’re looking to take a lot out of it and upskill the players back on the island,” he said.
“The guys that have come over, the six domestic players, we’re hoping they pick up as much knowledge as possible and they can take that back to the island and spread that around the youth out there, and the game just continues to grow on the island.”
‘Sky is the limit’
For players like Andrew Simpson who live in Jamaica, being in England for a World Cup is “beyond anything we could have ever dreamed of”.
Simpson said the World Cup gives them an unprecedented chance to “showcase rugby on the world stage” to the island.
Simpson believes the “sky is the limit” for how far this Jamaican team can go.
“I keep telling my teammates we’re going to England in the World Cup, we’re going to dominate and they look at me like ‘okay’,” he said.
“Just to be here is a symbol of faith, because they say if you have faith you believe in the impossible, and for me there’s nothing impossible in this world that a human can’t achieve.”
Jamaica continue their World Cup campaign when they take on New Zealand this Saturday at the MKM Stadium.
