WHEN Derek (Bobby) Hurdle takes the field in the LA Rugby Sevens for the West Indies next Saturday it will be a poignant moment. For the Teachers forward will finally be in a tournament which was unfairly denied from the Bermuda side last year.

Bermuda had been promised a place in the LA Sevens as Caribbean champions but it was then taken away as the North American and West Indies Rugby Association (NAWIRA) opted to send a West Indies Select team to LA instead.

Hurdle said: "It's still a sore point. We had worked hard towards that. It was misleading for us. When it didn't happen it was disappointing to have that goal taken away. It was a bitter moment."

And work commitments stopped Hurdle from joining the West Indies side which took Bermuda's place. But now Hurdle is looking forward to the games against giants New Zealand, Australia and Tonga.

Hurdle could be forgiven for some angst about facing New Zealand again after he tore his cruciate ligament in an outing against the Kiwis for the West Indies in 2002.

It resulted in 18 months of rehab although only bad luck was to blame as the athletic Hurdle jumped for a ball and landed awkwardly.

He jets out on Monday for a training camp ahead of the weekend tournament which might see the West Indies take on a local side before taking on the big boys.

"We could have had a better draw. New Zealand is one of the top two sides in the world. Tonga has a very strong team, very fast," he said.

Hurdle doesn't know if he will captain the side which realistically doesn't have a chance of winning the tournament.

Instead the West Indies are aiming to win the round robin between sides ranked between ninth and twelth place after the opening round.

"Generally the first goal is not to finish last in our group," he said.

The side at least want to reach the bowl stage and do better than the last two efforts where it lost to Canada in the semis.

The West Indies team is piecing itself together again after a hiatus.

"We are fit and fast. We might lack a bit of experience but hopefully we can make it up with enthusiasm and heart," said Hurdle who also captains Bermuda's national team.

The 34-year-old certainly doesn't lack experience having being all around the world with the West Indies including tournaments in Argentina, Hong Kong, Chile and England.

Other than a slight hamstring tweak he is feeling strong.

However it will be his first time in LA.

He said: "A couple of guys from Bermuda have gone to watch in LA in the last two years and they say there's a great atmosphere. It draws spectators from all over the Pacific coast."

Asked about the Bermuda national side Hurdle said it was facing stiffer competition in recent outings.

"It's not that we have dropped off, it's that everyone else has caught up."

Next on the horizon is a three-way tournament in Caymans in April against the Caymans national side and either an under 23 or under 21 Canadian side.