Rugby players won't let the sandy beach or even a few rain showers slow them down this weekend, in fact the teams are looking forward to kicking, tackling and scrumming their way to victory at Horseshoe Bay.

The Renegades 2nd Annual Beach Rugby Tournament, taking place this Saturday at 11 a.m., promises to be a great event for anyone interested in a fun, perhaps even a little sandy, game of rugby.

"People should come out as it is a fun day on the beach that showcases rugby in a fun and less serious capacity. It is also a great opportunity to mix both the ladies' and the men's teams to make the game more interesting," explained organiser Amy Harvey.

The pre-season event will not only "gear up" the teams for the season later this month, but is also a great way to encourage members of the community to get involved with one of the four different teams on the Island, explained Ms Harvey.

Teams will be playing mixed touch rugby, meaning there will have to be at least two women on the pitch. Though the ladies will have to go head-to-head, literally, with the male players they get an added bonus; bringing home double the points for each score for their team.

Though the game is known to get a little competitive, Ms Harvey said inexperienced players should not be discouraged, as several teams enter just for fun or to learn how to play the game.

Ruth Boo Leston of the Renegades women's division, admitted that she is excited about the up-coming challenge and doesn't believe that being a woman is a setback for her in the game.

"I don't see any challenges just because I am a woman. It is kind of a challenge at mixed tournaments like this to keep up with the fitness levels of the men, but they usually have been playing for much longer than us and we can learn lots from them."

"Rugby for women just started three years ago, so it is quite a new thing here in Bermuda," she said.

Ms Leston hopes the event will encourage more women to get involved with rugby, which would make for a more interesting rugby season.

"It is important to have this event to make rugby more popular within the Bermuda community. So many people only see the contact side of this sport. On this tournament they can see that rugby can be played with no contact and be lots of fun," she said.

When asked why she got involved with the sport, Ms Leston answered: "I train a lot in the gym, with others and on my own, but from rugby I get to do something on a group level, it's not about how good you are, its about how well you get to interact with that team to make the team better.

"The sport gives you a great workout with a bunch of people that become some of your closest friends and there is a great social atmosphere."

The beach rugby tournament, sponsored by John Barrit Ltd., Gosling's and Atlantic Stitches, will be followed by an awards ceremony and after party with music played by DJ Nice; there will also be a bar and food for sale during the event.

Those interested in taking part in the event can email bdagdesrfc@ yahoo.co.uk to register, they can also download the form at www.renegades.bm.