January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Furbert, Healy make West Indies 7's side
The pair are included in an 11-man squad for the Trinidad & Tobago Enthusiast Carib Invitational Sevens this weekend.
They are also part of a larger training squad along with Derek 'Bobby' Hurdle and another up and coming young player Tom Edwards for the International Rugby Board's Sevens World Series in San Diego in February next year - a tournament which will feature some of the top players in world rugby,
Furbert, 19, was selected after his MVP performance for Bermuda at the recent Carribean Sevens in Barbados.
He said the call-up had come as a total shock.
"I really didn't expect to be in the squad," Furbert told us after a training session at the 24-hour gym.
The Mariners number eight said he was working on his fitness which was the main weakness in his Sevens game.
"It's just seven-minutes each way but the games fly by. It's really quick, very intense, you're running all the time. It's high tempo.
"I did pretty well at the tournament in Barbados. But I need to build up my general fitness.
"I really want to start training a lot more and doing a lot more work to get good, basically. I'm really trying to get better right now and get my game up to the next level."
Furbert, who operates as a forward in the shorter version of the game, said he had learnt the game from Keith Hodgkins at Saltus.
Tom Healy, last season's MVP in the domestic league, will also get a chance to impress at this weekend's tournament.
Healy could not represent Bermuda at the Caribbean Sevens two weeks ago because he had not lived on the island for three years - a requirement for expats to represent their adopted countries.
But Healy became eligible after reaching the three-year mark this week and was included in the West Indies squad at the recommendation of the Bermuda Rugby Football Union's Jonathan Cassidy, who is a selector for the West Indies.
"He suggested it might be worth having a look at me now that I am eligible," said Healy, who was influential for the Bermuda Irish in their run to the final of the New York Sevens tournament at the weekend.
Healy said the Trinidad tourney would be a chance to break into the West Indies squad for San Diego but was also a big tournament in itself.
"It's a pretty high standard down there," added the Irishman, who has just recovered from broken ribs and made his comeback for Bermuda at the Rugby Classic.
Selector Jonathan Cassidy said it was great to have four Bermudians involved in the West Indies squad for San Diego.
He said it was one of the biggest tournaments in Sevens rugby.
"Bermuda's been a big part of Caribbean rugby for a number of years and it's a great opportunity for our players to play at a higher level."
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