Rugby-playing colleges from across the United States are on island for the Bermuda International Sevens tournament, which starts on Friday.

The seventh edition of the competition will showcase an impressive an array of rugby talent from both college and high school teams across the US, along with a special exhibition from Bermuda's very own rising stars.

The tournament has also attracted Saratoga Jockeys, a select side made up of invited under-23 players from the US and England and their coach Lain Zembek is hopeful his team will gel despite not having too much preparation time.

“Our programme has very high expectations going into this tournament,’’ Zembek said.

“We have a group of tenacious, well-experienced rugby players from different areas of the United States and England.

“When assembling a group with little preparation, chemistry is always in question. Most of these individuals have played together in some form, so we have high expectations.

“Despite being a relatively new programme in the United States, we have established an aura of being elite.

Saratoga will compete in the college division at North Field alongside Bermuda Rugby All Stars, Dartmouth I, Dartmouth II, Iona University, Iowa State I, Iowa State II, Norwich University, Rowan University, and the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St Louis.

Bermuda’s collegiate team will be led by player-coach Hadleigh Tucker, who will be supported by Bermuda Rugby Football Board’s director of sevens, Jonathan Cassidy, while under-23 coach Christopher Naylor will head up Bermuda’s high school teams.

Iowa State University co-captain Aiden Lewis, who is part of a big group of 25 players to have travelled to the island, has mixed expectations from his two teams.

“We are expecting big things out of our Iowa State I team,’’ Lewis told The Royal Gazette.

“It is a very talented group of players that have developed some great chemistry with each other. Our Iowa State II side is a combination of developmental players and 15s players that are here for the culture and the team-bonding experience.”

For Dominic Wareing, the Dartmouth coach, the tournament is an opportunity to put their hard work into practice.

“We're just getting our season started,’’ Wareing said. “We have been working hard for a while in preparation so the goal is to put into play what we've been working on and discover some things we need to improve. We expect our players to gel as a squad and put in performances we're proud of.”

The tournament also provides an opportunity for young talent to catch the eye of American collegiate coaches with Bermudians Nathaniel Morgan, Keonte White and Alex Doyling receiving scholarships after excelling on the field .

One of the teams hunting for talent in Bermuda is UHSP, a new side formed this year and coached by Peter Lang, who has the funding to lure talented sportspersons.

“Being a fully funded programme at the university also means we are able to offer scholarships,’’ Lang said.

“I will be looking to spot some talent who may be interested in earning a scholarship to join our growing programme.

“The university is very rigorous academically, so I am really looking for that special person who has a great character, a drive to be a health professional and a passion for rugby.

“I am not too worried where they are on their rugby programme, as the individual will develop in our programme to be a great rugby player, but if I start with a good person, then it is a lot easier to help them reach the next step in their rugby journey.

“We are really excited to be here in Bermuda to compete in the Bermuda International sevens event.

“It is also a great opportunity for me to see some of the local rugby talent Bermuda has to offer at the high-school level.”

Stephen Siano, the founder and president of URugby, who is responsible for recruiting all the US teams, expressed his excitement about the tournament.

"The Bermuda International Sevens has always been a showcase of exceptional rugby talent, and this year is no exception,’’ Siano said.

“We are thrilled to welcome back teams and spectators to what promises to be a spectacular display of skill, sportsmanship, and competition.”

Gemma Godfrey, the BRFU president, shared her enthusiasm about the return of the event that has taken place annually since 2016 apart from when it was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Hosting this annual competition is a great honour,’’ she said. “The Bermuda International Sevens is not just a tournament, it’s a celebration of rugby's spirit and the close-knit community it fosters.

“We can’t wait to show our guests the warm hospitality Bermuda is known for and watch our young talent shine on the international stage.

“he event is proudly partnered with the Royal Bermuda Regiment, Goslings, Southampton Rangers, and URugby. These partnerships underscore the community's support for the event and its contribution to promoting rugby in Bermuda.”