BERMUDA'S future rugby stars will leave the island next Friday to play a full international against the Cayman Islands.

Over the last few years the Bermuda Rugby Football Union's mini programme has been growing and growing and now an Under-10 and Under-12 team will travel to Cayman to meet their counterparts.

Bermuda's senior team is in the Cayman Islands right now competing in the first stage of the World Cup qualifiers. On Wednesday they lost to Guyana 25-13 in the semi-finals and will now play in the Plate final on Saturday against either Barbados or Trinidad.

Besides the international, Bermuda's youngsters will also play other fixtures before returning on Monday, May 5.

David Cooke, one of the coaches and who is also a former international for Bermuda, said: "Bermuda's mini rugby programme will finish this season with a tour to Cayman for an Under-10 team and an Under-12 team. The players will be representing Bermuda in a number of matches, including an international fixture against the Cayman side at each age group.

"The tour is just part of a very successful year for Bermuda's mini rugby programme, which began back in November with a series of exhibition matches at the World Rugby Classic. Children as young as five participated throughout the season. In the Under-10 and Under-12 age groups, teams battled in a competitive league for the Forgesson Trophy which is named in honour of Brett Forgesson who was instrumental in developing the programme but recently returned to his native New Zealand."

Cooke said that the standard of play in the mini rugby programme is impressive. "When I think back to the programme as it was about six or seven years ago, there would be maybe 30 kids participating, and it was very difficult to really coach constructively. Now, I think we have over 200 players every week, and both their ability and enthusiasm has risen dramatically."

And he said that with the mini programme becoming so successful, it would have a major effect on rugby for years to come.

"The players going to Cayman are just the tip of the iceberg," he said. "There is a lot of talent out there, and it is all extremely encouraging for the future of rugby in Bermuda.

"I think the island is as close to offering continuous rugby as it has ever been. Children can start the mini rugby programme at the age of five. Then, after leaving mini rugby many players join the 'Young Byes' team for teenagers run by Teachers RFC, which did so well against the visiting Brookline team recently. In just a few years, we should be seeing a lot more of those guys joining the local clubs, either straight away or when they come back from university after playing there. The key is keeping them involved and we have made a lot of progress in that respect."