Rugby Classic title -- and a Bermuda-born player could be one of the stars of the show.

This will be the first time Mark Wyatt has revisited the Island as a rugby player and he couldn't have picked a better time.

Pundits are tipping the Canadians as the team to beat following their defeat in last year's final against Argentina.

Their side has been strengthened and with a huge following expected to fly in from Canada they could have desire needed to prize the title away from the Pumas.

Canadian player-manager Tom Woods said Wyatt -- who captained the Canadians to the World Cup quarter-finals in 1991 -- was among four players in the squad who had the potential to light up the tournament.

"Gord MacKinnon, Julian Loveday, Spencer Robinson and Mark Wyatt are all quality players who could likely make our current national squad,'' said Woods, who added that the competition had proved exceedingly good for the sport in his homeland.

"The World Rugby Classic in Bermuda has literally galvanised the ex-international community in Canada,'' he said.

"The event itself epitomises everything that we believe the sport stands for and we are very proud overseas ambassadors of the Classic for 51 weeks of the year.

"We are still in awe of the teams we play in Bermuda and consider it a tremendous honour to take the field with them,'' he added.

Despite their fine showing last year, Woods said the team had been a little upset by the comments of some of their opponents.

"We were a little disappointed last year when we made it to the final and were accused of `taking the Classic too seriously' by some teams.

"It seems if we lose to the more established nations we are playing in the spirit of the Classic, but if we win then we are too serious. We have some trouble understanding that logic,'' he said.

Canada open their account on Monday against South Africa at National Sports Club in Devonshire at 3.30 p.m.

Canadian squad: Tom Woods; John Turpin; Gord MacKinnon; Scott MacKinnon; Rob Frame; Paul Vaesen; Denny Sinnott; Bryan Flor; Robin Russell; Andy Wilson; Danny Jackart; Pat Kyle; Kevin Wirachowski; Terry Moen; Mark Cardinal; Kevin Morgan; Julian Loveday; Mike Tupper; Mark Wyatt; Spencer Robinson; Kenton Ebel; Owen Walsh; Riz Alikhan; Andy Wight; John Stratten.