The seventh edition of the World Rugby Classic officially turns to page one at 2 p.m. tomorrow when Bermuda play the defending champion Barbarians at National Sports Club, but for John Kane this year's tournament actually began a few days after the 1993 event ended.

The busiest time for Kane, the Classic's tireless 52-year-old president, has been during the last few weeks with a breathtaking pace that won't let up until next Sunday when the 1994 champions are declared.

The eight-day tournament, described by The Sunday Times as one of the prime occasions in rugby each year, has grown from modest roots in 1988, to reach full flower like a stunning, ornamental oleander.

It has become so successful that there is now a possibility Bermuda may eventually lose the tournament because other countries, including first-time participants South Africa, are hungry to host the event themselves.

"There's always that possibility,'' Kane said from his Queen Street office this week. "The South Africans are interested in hosting it, they'd be interested in trying to give Bermuda a rest.

"For our sake we've always said we're not going to do it every year. I think New Zealand is the key, they basically say `look, if Bermuda's going to run it we'll be there'.'' Kane said the agreement by the All Blacks to compete in 1989 was "the best decision made. They opened up the doors tremendously. Then all these other countries wanted to come. They were the catalyst that put us on the map.'' A former president of the Bermuda Rugby Football Union, Kane is the driving force behind the oldtimers' tournament. But he isn't prepared to let any other country host the Classic -- at least not yet.

"Before we'd even look at that we would want to get it on very sound financial footing ... I mean we're pretty much there,'' he said.

As the event grows in stature more countries are also keen to participate.

Canada, France and Argentina have already made it known to Kane that they want to send their own teams in 1995 (Argentina and Canada will join Bermuda's squad this year). Australia, banned this time after their players were over-exposed at the Number One Shed Party, are also interested in returning next year.

The Classic -- with two games on tap tomorrow (New Zealand play the United States at 3.30 p.m.) -- continues to receive its fair share of exposure around the globe. The media covering this year's event is at an all-time high with representatives from England's Sunday Telegraph, Daily Express, Observer News Service, Yorkshire Television and BBC Radio, Independent Television from Wales and CNN radio and Rugby Magazine from the US.

Kane is fully aware how this type of exposure helps to sell the Classic overseas, considered crucial since expenses this year are expected to exceed $600,000.

"If Canada, Argentina, France and Australia play next year that'll make it 10 teams,'' said Kane. "That's going to cost us another $100,000 to $120,000 in airfare and other costs. In order to do that we need more sponsorship and we can't get that in Bermuda. But we've done very well so far.'' Kane, meantime, has marshalled a small army of employees and volunteers, a move designed to make the Classic click during the next several days. There are about 100 people taking care of everything from hosting players, merchandise, ticket sales, social functions, corporate hospitality, upkeep of grounds and promotion.

"We've got a great bunch of people working on this and that's where our success comes from,'' he said. "I think it gets easier every year.'' The chairman of Powerscourt Group Ltd. added: "What we try to do is be different each year, whether it's in the hospitality side or whatever.'' New this year will be committee tents, taking care of sponsors, patrons and overseas media, while the Palm Reef Hotel is the Classic's main centre for the week.

Kane, who estimated the tournament pumps about $5 million into the local economy, expects this year's Classic to be one of the most interesting, primarily because of South Africa's debut.

"It'll be a pleasure to see South Africa run out on the field (the Springboks play on Wednesday night against US and then on Friday afternoon against New Zealand). I remember the first time I saw the Hakka performed at National Sports Club I turned to someone and said that if I had told anyone years before they'd see the All Blacks here they'd tell me I was nuts. "If I would have said that one day you would see players of this calibre in Bermuda playing rugby they would have said you were dreaming.'' Many of the returning teams will feature a new crop of players, some recently retired from international play.

But many of the same oldtimers continue to return, players like Andy Haden, John Boe and Alan Dawson of the All Blacks, Ewan Kennedy, Bill Cuthbertson and Allan Martin of Barbarians and Huw Davies of England.

"One of the guys from New Zealand was being interviewed last year and he said that when he was playing rugby he was an angry man and that if he had known rugby was like it is played in the Classic he would've been a different sort of player. He would've enjoyed his rugby more,'' said Kane.

"We always thought this thing would go here because we've always known international rugby players are a great bunch of guys. We had a number of them over here for Easter Classics and we always felt once they got dropped from their national teams the whole thing just ended.

"There was no reason they should stop playing.'' CAPTAIN CLASSIC -- John Kane has been a driving force behind the Rugby Classic, helping it grow into one of the sport's most eagerly anticipated international events.