Trinidad and Tobago 23

Bermuda 12

Indiscipline in the Bermuda ranks proved costly as they crashed out of the Rugby World Cup qualifiers at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago at the weekend.

Two second-half tries by wing Mark Hamilton helped the Caribbean side secure a 23-12 victory in the final of the Caribbean Championships in Georgetown, Cayman Islands.

Hamilton's scores came with Bermuda down to 14 men, Jonathan Cassidy having been sin-binned for illegal use of the boot by Canadian referee Bruce Kuklinski.

Up until that point Andrea Battiston's men were very much in the game with the score at 8-7 in favour of Trinidad and Tobago.

"Penalties killed us," coach Battiston told rugbyworld.com afterwards. "They scored two tries when we had a man in the bin and they capitalised with their outside speed."

That speed belonged in the main to Hamilton who made huge gains down the wing almost at will.

His first try came when outside-half Brendan O'Farrell hoisted a massive 60-metre kick down the right side. Hamilton outpaced the Bermudian defence and touched down for the score.

"I enjoyed a nice bounce," the player said. "I told Brendan at half-time that I thought I could out-flank my opposite number if he got the ball behind him. He did just that. It was a sweet kick."

The killer second came when Trinidad and Tobago broke down the blind side, the ball eventually finding its way to Hamilton who finished the move by sprinting home under the posts.

In truth, the game should have been put beyond Bermuda by half-time but Brent Barry was only able to complete one of four kicks and so they went in at the break 8-0 up after full back Ronald Silverthorne started and finished a move.

Bermuda began the second period in determined fashion and in the 45th minute wing Nathan Browne scored after running through a gap in the Trinidad line. Alan Oliver converted to make the score 8-7.

However, just as they had got themselves back in the game came Cassidy's rush of blood and Hamilton exacted the ultimate punishment.

Bermuda were not going to go down without a fight though and late on outside-half Alan Oliver fed the hard-driving Danny McGavern 10 metres from the line and the big centre charged over to make the score 20-12.

But the last word went to Trinidad and Tobago, Barry making a successful penalty to finish the game. "We were committed. We had the hunger," said Trinidad captain Sean O'Farrell. "Our forwards hung in and got us enough ball to do the job. Bermuda has a tough scrum and it was a close game all the way."

Trinidad and Tobago now go on to play Brazil in home and away fixtures. The winners of that clash then move on to play Paraguay and Chile home and away.

That victor then plays Canada, the United States and Uruguay home and away with the winning and runner-up nations in the Americas zone going to the World Cup in Australia in 2003.

Trinidad and Tobago: Tries: Hamilton (2), Silverthorne; Penalties: Barry (2); Conversions: Barry.

Bermuda: Tries: Browne, D. McGavern; Conversions: Oliver.

Trinidad and Tobago: Kelvin Guevara, Maurice Valere, Ronald Anandsingh, David Apang, Dale Trotman, Selwyn St. Bernard, Carlton Mitchell, Adam Fredericks, Kurt Collier, Brendan O'Farrell, Mark Hamilton, Sean O'Farrell, Allan Fraser, Brent Barry, Ronald Silverthorne. Substitutes: Grant Harper, Marlon O'Brien, Don Rojas, James Walkins, Jonathan O'Connor, Damien Martinez, Marcus Knaggs.

Bermuda: Jason Scott, Mark Ladyman, Oeurae Noel-Simmons, Tom Steinhoff, Gavin Corcoran, Anthony Cupidore, Rod Stewart, Bobby Hurdle, Gareth Davies, Alan Oliver, Nathan Browne, Jonathan Cassidy, Danny McGavern, Alvin Harvey, Josh McGavern. Substitutes: William McNiven, Dave Lunn, Keith Hodgkins, Jeff Sangster, Mike Kane, Warren Bundy, John Williams.

Referee: Bruce Kuklinski (Canada).