Bermuda’s men came up short in their attempt to qualify for the Hong Kong 7s tournament next year.

The national team finished sixth at the Rugby Americas North Sevens in Trinidad at the weekend, losing 19-0 to Mexico in the Plate final.

Drawn in pool A alongside Canada and British Virgin Islands, Bermuda got their tournament off to the best possible start with a 19-5 win over BVI, with tries from Tashon DeSilva, Antonio Perinchief and Tom Healy. Healy and Dan Cole also kicked a conversion each.

The match against Canada was always likely to be a tough affair, and Bermuda lost 52-0 to the eventual tournament winners.

The lone victory over BVI had set up a quarter-final clash with Trinidad and Tobago, who topped pool B.

It was a game Bermuda needed to win to have any hopes of qualifying for the tournament in Hong Kong.

As it was, they lost 17-7, sending them into the Plate competition.

A 21-0 demolition of Barbados in the Plate semi-finals followed, but Mexico, who were beaten 24-0 by Canada in their quarter-final match-up, proved too strong in the end.

The Bermuda women’s team, boosting seven debutants including four players that came through the under-18 ranks, were always likely to be up against it, but showed plenty of promise in what was always a development year.

A 19-0 win over Turks & Caicos was the highlight of the group stage, which also included a 52-0 defeat by Canada, the Olympic bronze-medal winners and tournament champions, and a 21-0 loss to Jamaica.

Put through to the Bowl semi-final, Bermuda were beaten 24-0 by Guyana and then lost 19-0 to Cayman in the Shield final to finish the tournament eighth.