Championships rugby title in the Bahamas next month.

With some fresh blood being added to a group of seasoned veterans, coach Peter Shillingford is looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead.

Bermuda won the title back in 1996 but sat out last year because of their involvement in the World Cup.

Taking advantage of Bermuda's absence were Trinidad and Tobago, always a force to be reckoned with in the tournament. But Bermuda are out to get their top placing back this time.

"Yes, we will be looking to regain the title this time. We have a solid squad, a lot of experience with players like Scott Correia, Alvin Harvey, Billy McNiven and others and with a few young ones coming through it should be quite exciting down there,'' said Shillingford, who has been in charge for a year.

"I believe it is a good mix. Obviously there is quite a bit we need to work on, but I know that everyone is aware of that and they will be trying hard over the next two and a half weeks before we go down.

"I think we have a good enough squad to play some good, open and entertaining rugby and with a bit of luck we can bring the trophy back here.'' Training has been going well even though Shillingford admits that it's difficult with the club season starting up at the same time.

But plans are set to have the national team train once a week and the club sides once a week, which should limit any serious conflicts.

When Bermuda return from the Bahamas they will face another challenge which is competing in the annual Rugby Classic in Bermuda in November. The squad of 21 is: Dave Lunn, Billy McNiven, Billy Tempest-Mitchell, Rob Steinhoff, Derek (Bobby) Hurdle, Dennis Cherry, Dave Bird, Rod Stewart, Pat Cooper, Shane Gill, Josh McGavern, Gareth Davies, Alan Oliver, Phil Heaney, Scott Correia, Rob Morgan, Alvin Harvey, Jonathan Cassidy, Gavin Corcoran, Heath Robinson, Shaun Field-Liment.

Bermuda Rugby Football Union president John Williams yesterday disclosed why Bermuda had not been represented in rugby at the Commonwealth Games when countries from the Caribbean such as Cayman Islands, Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago attended.

"To the best of my knowledge we never received an invitation from the Bermuda Olympic Association to attend,'' said Williams. "But even if we were to have gotten one, personally I believe that the standards there were too high for us.

"When you go into a competition that features the top four rugby nations in the world, you are just going to get slaughtered and that's what happened to the smaller countries. As it was, one Caribbean country got beaten 60-0 and another 90-0 which doesn't help you much.'' He added: "Even if it worked out for us to go to Commonwealth, it would have meant that we couldn't go to the Caribbean Championships because the players wouldn't have been able to get all of that time off. And we have a commitment to Caribbean rugby.''