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Bermuda coach Lawrence Bird has an awesome challenge on his hands - keeping the boys off the booze during the Rugby Classic.

Bird, who is coaching a Bermuda Select side for an exhibition match on the final day of the Classic, said his sides best chance would be to stay sober and hope their youth and extra fitness would give them the edge against some of the legends of world rugby.

Bermuda will play either Argentina, New Zealand, The British Lions or France, whichever loses their first two games , on finals' day.

But the side will be without 12 of Bermuda's top players who will be in Barbados for an international Sevens' tournament.

And he said Bermuda's best chance of a good result was to raise the pace and hope the veterans wouldn't last the distance.

"We are going to go for a fairly high tempo game plan on the basis that we hope the opposition will be tired after two games and, shall we say, a little bit of socializing.

"We'll be keeping the Bermuda team off the socializing and hoping that pays off for us."

He said the absence of some of the island's best players had created opportunities for some of those on the fringes of the national team to make an impression.

"We've got 28 players vying for positions in the team. It's a good mix of experience and some newer players who might not have expected to play in the Classic this soon.

"It's a good opportunity for the guys to play at a better level than we are used to.

"It's a tall order because we are playing against senior internationals. They may be a little bit older but they have played at the highest level, and you don't lose that ability."

He said the chance to play in the Classic was something that every rugby player in Bermuda relished.

"I think the guys are really looking forward to the opportunity," he added.

National team skipper Bobby Hurdle is among those missing from the squad because of the fixture clash with the Sevens' tournament.

But Bird said there was plenty of quality players left, with Renegades Tom Healy and Teachers' David Porter, two of the best scrum-halfs in the country vying for the spot.

Mike Kane at full-back, emerging Police centre Andrew Borland and Renegades skipper Mike 'Eric' Williams (who allegedly bears a striking resemblance to philosophical French footballer Eric Cantona) were also highlighted as key members of the squad.

But Bird said no-ones position was guaranteed.

"We've got a couple more training sessions to go and we'll take it from there," he added.[[In-content Ad]]

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