final fixture at National Sports Club -- but now there are hopes of a reprieve from the venue's owners.

The Royal Gazette has learned that a meeting on Wednesday between officials of Montessori Academy, owners of the Devonshire site, and representatives of rugby and hockey, the sports whose home is currently Nationals, produced grounds for optimism.

Members of the Bermuda Rugby Football Union executive committee contacted yesterday were reluctant to discuss the outcome in detail, but said negotiations would continue.

And fears that hockey would be left homeless have been all but eliminated by the meeting, which left that sport looking highly likely to continue its relationship with Nationals.

The World Rugby Classic, always before held at Nationals, is looking for a new home for this year's event and there were doubts over domestic rugby's future at the venue as well.

Dennis Cherry, fixtures secretary of the BRFU, said the meeting had been amicable but the question over where rugby would be played next season remained.

And he added that BAA Field, where floodlit sevens matches have been held this season, was also a candidate.

"Nothing has been confirmed,'' said Cherry. "We are still negotiating with Nationals and BAA.

"It was a very positive meeting with Montessori. They are very well organised and they have some very good ideas. I think things look positive.'' BRFU secretary Karen Shillingford had little to add. When asked about the outcome of the meeting, Ms Shillingford said: "We are not in a position to answer that question. We are in confidential talks with a few people and we would rather keep it that way.'' BRFU president Dennis Dwyer did not return messages left by the Gazette yesterday.

Elizabeth Osborne, a director of Bermuda Hockey Federation, was well pleased with the outcome of the initial talks. "We said we were keen to stay at Nationals and Montessori said they were keen to have us,'' said Osborne.

"What we would like to do is carry on there for another year and move to the astroturf (still to be completed at the National Sports Centre). Montessori understand that our ultimate goal is to play on astroturf, but we keep hearing conflicting things on when it will be ready.'' Osborne said that deal was still to be sealed as the meeting had not involved all of the Montessori board members and a rental fee still had to be finalised.

She added: "We were concerned about what would be happening because it's going to be a school. Now we feel we have got a verbal agreement, so we are very pleased.'' In rugby's season finale on Sunday, Teachers and Police will square off against each other in the Nichol Shield for the first XVs, and the Robin Hood Trophy final for the second strings.