overwhelmed the Irish Invitational XV 95-61 in the Easter Rugby Classic.

The total score of 156 points was 43 more than the previous record set last year and Bermuda's 95 points was 23 higher than the previous best for a single team.

But the 34-point margin disguises a tremendous fightback by the Irish team in the second half when they scored 28 unanswered points.

It was not a game for the purists but it was exciting for the crowd at Nationals who turned out in their hundreds on a hot day.

Man of the match was Cambridge University and England A centre Damian Hopley who scored four tries for Bermuda then changed sides and grabbed one for the Irish.

Hopley, who had only flown in from Hong Kong on Saturday was this weekend named in the full England who will tour South Africa this summer.

Yesterday, the soon-to-be converted wing took over at full-back when key Irish star Jim Staples had a nasty collision with the commemorative shirt stall after scoring his third try.

For a man who had succeeded in tearing both defences apart Hopley was very modest.

He said: "I enjoyed it but I was very tired after the journey here.'' He was closely followed in the try-scoring stakes by his England A colleague Harvey Thorneycroft who scored a first-half hat-trick and London Irish full-back Staples who snatched three before his injury.

Outside-half Thorneycroft opened the scoring after just two minutes following two penalties against the Irish. Bermuda declined to kick on both occasions and it paid off when the Northampton man went over in the corner.

Two minutes later a mistake in the Irish defence allowed Matt Dawson to intercept and he found Hopley who cruised through for his first. Canadian Gareth Rees scored the conversion.

Less than a minute had passed and Bermuda were 19-0 up. Ireland lost possession close to the Bermuda try line and Hopley booted the ball forward regaining possession and slipping the ball to Thorneycroft to go over. Rees converted.

In the eighth minute, the Irish Invitational team pulled a try back when Staples bundled over the line. Declan O'Loughlin converted.

But any thoughts of a comeback were short-lived when Thorneycroft took a high ball and, despite the attentions of two opponents as he landed, burst through their grasps to complete his hat-trick after just 10 minutes.

The Irish attempted to snuff out the left-wing threat by moving Ireland superstar Simon Geoghegan there and he was immediately involved in preventing further scoring.

An excellent piece of work by Staples saw him shrug off a challenge by Bermuda full-back Andre Simons to score. Two minutes later the scores were even closer when Teachers invitee Richard Raistrick took the ball from Staples to go over.

O'Louglin converted to make the scores 24-19.

This followed the longest period of the game without a score, some seven minutes before good work on the left between Simons and Hopley led to the latter scoring his second try. Rees converted his third.

The Irish hit back with an exciting burst from Frenchman Philippe Daubas and another goal from O'Loughlin to bring the scores to within five ponts again.

But that was the last Irish score for some time as the Bermuda team started to run their opposition ragged with two tries from Hopley either side of half-time, and one each for David Cooke, Alvin Harvey, Heath Robinson and the try of the game by Simons.

The Simons try started with some exhibition passing by Rees, throwing the ball behind his back on his own try line, before the ball reached Simons who flew the length of the field to score.

Rees continued his kicking success, making good on five of his six conversion attempts, including a stunning effort from the touchline.

Ten minutes into the second half it looked all over for the Irish. To make matters worse, Staples went out of the game after scoring his third try but, as a result careered into the shirt stall. O'Loughlin again converted.

Robinson added to his tally and Matt Dawson scored his first and then converted to make the score 81-33.

The crowd was thoroughly enjoying it and called for a century of points egged on by the witticisms of announcer Tom Smith. This may have sparked the Irish comeback, but it had a lot to do with Hopley changing shirts.

A good run by him sent Philip Daubas over for his second and then Hopley himself burst through to score in the corner. And it was getting quite tense when Irish captain Neil Francis shrugged off a couple of tackles to let in Danny Cozens.

With just five minutes to go Hopley was again involved allowing the hard-working Geoghegan a well-deserved try. O'Loughlin was kicking consistently well and the score was 83-61.

GETTING THE BALL OUT -- Irish captain Neil Francis watches helplessly as Rob Cortis eludes the tackle of Philippe Daubas to pass the ball.