Bermuda begin the defence of their NACRA Caribbean Championships title with a match against Cayman Islands at the National Sports Centre next month.Crowned regional champions for the first time in more than a decade after defeating Guyana last summer, Bermuda take on Cayman in their first North Zone group game on May 19.A 24-man Bermuda squad will head to Atlanta on Friday for a warm-up fixture against USA South in preparation for their clash against Cayman.Head coach Lawrence Bird has added some new blood to his squad, including fly half Ian Henderson who believes the USA South will provide a stern test ahead of the Island’s Caribbean campaign.“We’ve been training three times a week for the last four weeks and the USA South game should be a useful work-out for us,” he said.“The squad probably has a different look to it this time around as there are quite a few new boys included.”The only key member of last year’s Championship winning team missing from the squad is influential back Gareth Williams, who will be out of action for ten months after undergoing knee surgery.“Gareth will be a massive blow to the team,” said Henderson, “he’ll be a really big miss for us.”Cayman opened up their championships campaign with a 46-13 win over Mexico at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town last weekend.The majority of Bermuda’s squad watched that match via a live internet stream, and Henderson believes there will be no surprises when the two teams meet at North Field next month.“Cayman’s game against Mexico was streamed live and I know a lot of the boys watched it,” he said. “The two teams have played each other plenty of times in recent years; we know all about them and vice versa.”Bermuda will host this year’s Caribbean Championships final in June for the first time, which Henderson believes will serve as an added incentive for the Island’s players.“It will be the first time the final will be held in Bermuda and I’m sure that will give our players some extra motivation to keep training hard,” he said.Bird’s side are scheduled to play four North Zone games against Cayman and Bahamas; two home and two away. The three South Zone teams are Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad.The winner of this year’s Championships will advance as the sole Caribbean representatives in the 2015 World Cup qualifiers to be held in England.Bermuda, who are 49th in the International Rugby Board’s world rankings, are the top ranked side in the Caribbean.Bermuda’s squad for their match against USA South:Andre Landy (Teachers), Andrew Hook (Teachers), Bongani Ndlovu (Mariners), Darren Richardson (Police), David Rourke (Mariners), David Pringle (Police), Dustin Archibald (Mariners), Edward Barnes (Mariners), Henry Paddison (Teachers), Ian Henderson (Renegades), Jahan Cedenio (Renegades), Lachlan Armour (Mariners), Lambert Schreuder (Police), Michael Williams (Renegades), Michael Kane (Police), Neville Zuill (Police), Paul Dobinson (Renegades), Peter Dunkerley (Renegades), Peter Dunlop (Teachers), Shauntino Simons (Teachers), Tashon Desilva (Teachers), Thomas Healy (Renegades), Thomas Edwards (Police), Thomas Greenslade (Teachers)Coaches/Physio: Lawrence Bird, Johann Oosthuizen, Christopher Naylor, Fiona BeckerleggeTour Manager: Seamus MacLoughlin