is difficult to imagine, but for these three Welsh stalwarts of the Classic Barbarians this year's event is likely to be their last hurrah.

Martin confirmed last night that he wanted to win back-to-back championships since "you've got to call it a day sometime. There's a few of us on this trip who are going to be finishing.'' The 46-year-old skipper tasted success for the second time in the Classic last autumn. He was a member of the Wales team that won the inaugural tournament in 1988, but nothing in those six years came close to the sheer joy of beating arch-rivals New Zealand 10-5 in last year's final.

It was a glorious achievement few expected from the Barbarians, and a repeat performance is a top priority especially since the legendary trio are on the verge of hanging up their blue jerseys for good following this year's Classic (November 6 to 13).

Also believed to be competing for the last time will be Andy Haden of the All Blacks, the towering giant and sparkplug of four New Zealand championships from 1989 to 1992.

The exit of some of the grandest names to ever play the game on the world stage will mark the passing of a remarkable era for the Classic, but Martin is worried that South Africa's zeal to succeed in their first trip to Bermuda could also change the complexion of the tournament.

"They have been starved of international rugby,'' Martin said in a telephone interview last night from his home in South Wales. "So I think they will be going out to prove a point, which really Bermuda isn't about.

"All of us who've been coming for a number of years, from the beginning, know what Bermuda has to offer. Sometimes I don't even train because I can't afford the time. The only time I'm able to train is when I run along the beach at Elbow.

"These guys are most likely preparing for us like a national tournament. And we don't need it. Because what it'll say to people like myself and maybe even younger lads is that we don't need to go to Bermuda for this because we've already done this.

Later he added: "We need to get to these guys quickly to tell them that Bermuda isn't about kicking your opposite number off the park or that winning isn't that important. It's nice to get to the final, but a lot of us sit on the side with a beer and say `Thank God were not playing in it.' "Although we wouldn't want anyone going out to the park and doing anything less than their best we don't need the over-competitiveness that some tournaments produce.'' Few will ever forget the expressions on the faces of Barbarian players after last year's triumph -- an equal mixture of happiness and disbelief.

Returning this year will be the Barbarians' formidable back row -- Mark Douglas, Paul Turner, Glen Webbe, Allan Edmunds, Ewan Kennedy, Terry Kennedy, Bleddyn Bowen and Richard Breakey. Also confirmed is Irish fullback Colin Wilkinson, the key to their success last year.

"The very fact that we beat New Zealand meant so much to us,'' said Martin.

"Very few of us had ever recorded a victory against the All Blacks. I played them about six times and I've come close but I never did it.

"Even though it was a vets tournament in Bermuda didn't make any difference.

A lot of the players on the New Zealand side were lads I used to play against.'' The victory especially took the sting out of the heartbreaking 13-12 defeat Wales suffered against New Zealand in 1978.

"There was that jumping out incident, but I wouldn't want to rake that thing up because Andy (Haden) was involved. I was on the fringes. They were awarded a penalty and Wales lost by one point. It was a very tough game.'' Although Martin sees South Africa as the team to beat in Bermuda, he expects the All Blacks to be even hungrier after their surprise loss.

"We know from experience that this year it'll be doubly hard to beat New Zealand,'' he said. "They are that sort of animal. They don't like losing.'' Martin has been trying to prepare for the tournament, but the rigours of teaching 12 to 16-year-olds at a school in the industrial heartland of South Wales makes it hard for him to find the right time for training.

He said the Barbarians enjoyed other aspects of last year's trip -- a triumph in the golf tournament and winners of best (and cleanest) skit at Up Front Party at the Number One Shed.

"We did a clean sweep so I don't think we can better that,'' he said, laughing. "It's going to be a difficult act to follow.'' What could be more painful is knowing that his rugby career -- which spanned 34 caps from 1973 to 1981 -- could really, finally be over.

"I'll be very very disappointed,'' said Martin. "I've been playing rugby since I was 12. But I think we've got to take it year by year and as it stands at the moment I feel that I've got to finish at some point some so it might as well be on a Bermuda trip.'' END OF ERA? -- Allan Martin of the Classic Barbarians (far right) sizes up play during a round robin match against England last year. Martin could be playing in his last tournament next month.