Top class rugby is being played in Bermuda at the moment, but Bermuda?s chances of playing top class rugby elsewhere are in limbo.

Despite supposedly earning a place in the Commonwealth Games after being crowned Caribbean Rugby Sevens champions, the Island team are now left playing a waiting game to find out if their Melbourne dream will come true.

Bermuda entered the June regional championships in Cayman with the knowledge that finishing top behind the USA ?should? earn them a place in the LA Sevens and the 2006 Games, according to the tournament rules.

But after Bermuda recorded wins over St. Lucia, Guyana, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, the North American and West Indies Rugby Association (NAWIRA) decided they wanted to send a West Indies Select team to LA.

And the Commonwealth place is now also in doubt but, more frustratingly for the Bermuda Rugby Football Union (BRFU), they will not know their fate until next March ? only giving them one year to prepare if they are going.

A letter from the International Rugby Board (IRB) explained that a decision over Bermuda?s participation in the Melbourne showpiece would not be made until after the World Cup Sevens, which take place next February, leaving the Island team unable to prepare properly, on or off the field.

?It is a frustrating situation,? said BRFU president Dave Worsfold.

?Losing out for the LA Sevens was frustrating, especially as there was plenty of time ? I think six months ? between announcing a place was on offer and the tournament taking place. If the rules had changed it would have been nice to know before we went into it.

?And then there is Commonwealth Games thing and we are sort of in limbo at the moment. We can?t plan properly for it until we know we are going. Australia is not exactly the sort of place you can just go for the weekend.

?We are going to need to raise a lot of money to get the lads over there. We are looking at our options but is going to be hard to raise any corporate sponsorship when we don?t know what is going on. We also have questions about funding for the IRB to see how this all works.

?There is a lot up in the air at the moment and correspondence is not always timely so we just have to wait and see on a lot of issues.?

The question of Bermuda?s international schedule is also in doubt with the Sevens side planning warm-up trips to compete in events in New York and Florida in the coming 12 months, all on a limited budget.

And the BRFU coffers will also have to stretch to fund a World Cup qualifying campaign for the 15-a-side team.

?We have plenty of events we want to compete in but it is all a case of limited funds,? he continued.

?It is going to be an interesting couple of years ahead for Bermuda rugby but obviously this Commonwealth Games thing is on everyone?s minds.

?This is real once-in-a-lifetime stuff for our boys and it is hard not knowing exactly what is happening.

?It would be fantastic for Bermuda rugby if we can get there but we just don?t know.

?We wouldn?t be looking to win it, we are just looking to go there and be competitive.?

Bermuda Olympic Association president John Hoskins has been in contact with the Commonwealth Games Federation but has also made little headway as the final decision will ultimately rests with the IRB.

?It is an interesting situation,? said Hoskins.

?Obviously we would like to see them compete at the Commonwealth Games but it seems we won?t know for a while. What is counting against them is the fear among organisers of too many one-sided games in the event.

?If teams are getting beaten by 80 points, as happened in Manchester in 2002, it can get a little ridiculous so they are obviously trying to limit that.?

Neither the IRB nor the Commonwealth Games Federation could be contacted for comment last night.