The Jamaican Rugby Union has promised to repay thousands of dollars to their Bermudian counterparts following the collapse of a two-Test series between the two nations.

The countries were due to square off during the World Rugby Classic, which begins this weekend, but the Bermuda Rugby Football Union cancelled the invitation on Friday after what Classic president John Kane described as "weeks of frustrating discussions".

The BRFU had given the Jamaican Union $8,000 to part pay for their trip and yesterday chairman Dave Worsfold revealed they had notified the sport's world governing body, the International Rugby Board, and the North American West Indies Rugby Association (NAWIRA) about the situation in an effort to "resolve outstanding issues".

Those issues are understood to be the return of the monies and last night JRU chairman Jacob Thompson agreed to do just that, but not before criticising the way the situation had been handled.

He said it was not his fault that the plug had been pulled and he had done everything in his power to honour his commitment to the BRFU.

Speaking from Kingston, Jamaica, he said: "I booked the fare to come to Bermuda and we took 25 players to get visas but only six were given them.

"There are a lot of problems in getting visas to young people who are from depressed areas of Jamaica. You have to be qualified financially and if you are not they are not giving you a visa.

"Ninety percent of the young men in Jamaica who play rugby are unemployed and so most of the time I finance the trips out of my company.

"It is the first time we have had that problem as we would normally get a visa on the qualification of the Union."

Addressing the cash issue, Thompson said when he "signed a contract" several weeks ago to come to the Classic he was led to believe the airfare would be $600 per person and the BRFU agreed, through sponsorship, to provide $8,000 towards the total cost.

"We tried to go through American Airlines but they were charging nearly $1,200. Then they (BRFU) came back and said they would give $13,000 and we would find US$12,000," he said.

With the team not now going Thompson said he was willing to send back the cash and said there was no need to involve the IRB, who he doubted would be interested anyway.

"They have sent me $8,000 and to show them we are different in terms of how we operate I am prepared to send them back the $8,000. So we are the ones that are losing, not them," he said.

Thompson said he thought Jamaica had a good relationship with the BRFU but he was disappointed at the manner in which he found out the matches had been cancelled.

"The president (Dennis Cherry) called me . . . He has not sent me an official letter to say to me `this is what happened and we have taken this decision.' It is on the internet already saying we are not coming but he never said why.

"He has disclosed something to the media and I will disclose it to the media in Jamaica as well," he said.

"We were still trying even today (to come) . . . I never even disclosed it to the players themselves that they were not going until today because we were still trying. If we could have got visas we would have been there because we are rugby players."

In the meantime, with Italy, an addition to this year's Classic proper, withdrawing from the tournament as well it means Bermuda have regained their place in the main event and they will line up against the Classic Barbarians on Sunday.

Chairman Worsfold, though, said for the BRFU this was a mixed blessing.

"I think initially there was some disappointment," he said. "The guys had worked hard to train for the internationals. It is a mixed response - the disappointment of not having the full Test matches and then the anticipation of playing against some of the greats of our game."