Bermuda Under-14 girls and boys rugby teams left for the Tropical Sevens, taking place in Tampa, Florida, on Friday and Saturday.

Coached by Ian Murch, Broncos, as the boys team will be known, are playing six matches over two days in what will be the first time the players are in a competition.

“It’s our first tournament together, so we are excited and can’t wait to get on the field,” Murch told The Royal Gazette.

“We’ve been preparing all season with players drawn from schools across the island. We’ve had some specific sevens training over the last few weeks ahead of the tournament.

“Some of them are new to the sport, others have been playing for a while. So it’s going to be a great experience for the new players. But also I think all of them, this is the first time they've played in a tournament.

“Playing in a tournament rugby is something new to them, so they will enjoy it. That is what we’ve asked them to do.

“It’s our first tournament and we’re not going in thinking that we're going to be world beaters, but we want to be competitive. It’s more for the experience perhaps for future tournaments.

“We are playing one of the United States teams, USA Rugby South Panther Academy, then we play Assassins Academy and Utah Yeti before we progress to the next stage.

The girls, under the mentorship of Dan Roberts and playing as Bermudianas, are heading into the two-day event in high spirits after winning three matches against a US club, Chicago Lions, at the Bermuda International Sevens last week.

Friday will be a busy day for the Bermudianas as they play two matches in the morning, before they take to the field twice in the afternoon. Hawkeyes Academy are their first opponents, followed by USA Rugby South, prior to meeting Utah Cannibals and Atlantis Rugby.

Ahead of the tournament, some of the girls shared their enthusiasm about playing in a high-level competition.

Captain Catherine Maddocks, cannot wait to see how they fare against their opponents.

“I love rugby because it involves a team and it is essential that we work together,” she said.

“I absolutely love the rugby community here in Bermuda. For the competition I’m most excited to meet the other teams, see their skills, learn from them and have fun playing against them.

“Rugby is better than other sports because you have to work together to be successful. It’s essential to pass to your team-mates, to move the ball down the field, making teamwork and communication so important as it builds a team.

“I love our team more than any other team that I have been part of because we are always so kind to each other. We are honest when there’s something you don’t agree with or are not happy with, we will give our honest feedback and this makes us a better team.

“One of our strengths is that we have great communication and we have the passion to win.”

Vice-captain Kse Jennings, who also plays netball and football, has found rugby to be an enjoyable sport.

“I love rugby because I get to combine two of my favourite sports, netball and football into one, which makes it really exciting and unique,” Jennings said.

“I’m especially excited for this competition because I get to represent my country, and it’s even more special since it will be my first time.

“I love the contact and intensity rugby brings. I love how it’s powerful and fun at the same time.

“Our team has such a great vibe too we’re always laughing and joking around, but when it’s time to play, we give it our all and support each other every step of the way.”

Napri Pitt, another vice-captain, is grateful to the sport for allowing her to articulate her feelings.

“I love rugby because it’s a contact sport that feels like more than just hitting someone but understanding how, why, where and when,” Pitt said.

“I am most excited about playing new people. We have not had the chance to go against a giant variety of different teams to learn how different people think of the game and how they play.

“Rugby has allowed me to express myself in a way I haven’t felt in other sports mentally and physically.

“I’ve not always fitted in with other teams, but this is different because we created it from scratch.

“There was no contact rugby for girls before us, so everyone plays because they love the game rather than being forced together.”

Eira Wernbo, another senior player, is eager to meet players from other countries while improving as a player over the two days.

“I love rugby because it’s a contact sport and it’s really fun to play,” Wernbo said.

“You get to meet people from all over the world. I’m excited for the opportunity to travel and play against top girls in America, strengthen my skills and grow with my team.

“In Bermuda, rugby isn’t as popular as other sports, which makes it unique and something I’m really passionate about, and it can open doors to new opportunities.

“On this team, everyone is active and brings their own strengths, we work hard but always have fun together.”

Roberts believes that having 16 players takes care of the congested fixture list, particularly on Friday.

“We have a big squad to deal with playing four matches on Friday and two on Saturday, the coach said.

“Atlantis won last year's tournament and will probably be the strongest team. They are close to the US national team.

“USA South are a select team from Florida, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana. They will be strong and won the tournament in 2024.

“Utah Cannibals are a select team that represent the state. Utah has the second highest rugby participation in the US behind California.

“Hawkeyes I know little about apart from that they are a Canadian private academy recruiting the best players from the eastern and central provinces.”