Bermuda’s young rugby players will run off some of their Christmas turkey this weekend with a sevens tournament at the National Sports Centre.

The event will be used as a fundraiser to help send a Bermuda College Barbarians side, and a Bermuda High School Barbarians side to the Las Vegas Invitational in February.

Josh Deallie, of Teachers Rugby Club, is organising Saturday’s event, which may also include a touch rugby tournament for some of the Island’s older players.

Keith Hodgkins, a former Bermuda Rugby Union president, will be providing support and advice to the group, which is mostly made up of Bermuda students who are away at school.

“The Las Vegas college team is similar to the Bermuda Bournemouth sevens team that participates in that tournament in England each year which was initiated by Paul Canfield and myself,” Hodgkins said.

“We believe these kinds of tournaments and opportunities are the best way to keep our youth involved in sevens rugby when they leave Bermuda to obtain a higher education.”

The high school side, meanwhile, will be travelling to Vegas for the third time in four years and is expected to be made up of a squad of 12 players.

Last year of the 20 sides playing in the High School Open Division, Bermuda finished sixth.

The Christmas Tournament will take place at the North Field of the National Sports Centre on Saturday, from 4pm until 6pm.

n Also on Saturday, Teachers are holding a memorial for Brian Toms, their former player who died recently.

The event will take place at the Docksider Pub and Restaurant from 6pm until 10pm. There will be a condolence card for people to sign that will then be sent to Toms’s family in Wales.

“Former team-mates, colleagues, and friends are urged to attend to tell their favourite stories of “Tomsie”, as I am sure there are many,” Ron Hook, the Teachers club president, said.