A 22-man national rugby squad has been selected to compete in an inaugural triangular tournament in the Cayman Islands at the end of the month.

The squad leaves Bermuda on April 29 for games against Cayman and a Canadian Under 21 team in what are expected to be ferociously hot conditions as the Caribbean moves towards summer.

Unveiling the names yesterday, Bermuda coach Pete Shillingford said that many first-choice players ? such as towering skipper Derek (Bobby) Hurdle ? had made themselves unavailable for selection and as such, the touring squad contained a large number of untried and untested players still in the early stages of their rugby careers.

?We?re definitely not at our strongest,? admitted Shillingford.

?A number of our best players are not going to be able to make it for a variety of reasons so the squad is more of a Bermuda Barbarians team than it is a national select. But saying that it will be interesting to see how these young guys perform and we?re all looking forward to the trip.

?At that time of year the weather is pretty hot and we?re expecting it to be physically demanding. The matches are scheduled to kick off in the early evening which helps ? but only a little.?

Though the general perception is that rugby in Bermuda is predominantly an expat sport, Shillingford insisted that more Bermudians are being seduced by the game than ever while adding that the Bermuda Rugby Football Union is pushing hard in the schools to attract more young children.

?There are obviously a lot of expats playing the game in Bermuda,? he said.

?But now I would say if you looked closely at it, it?s about 50-50 in club rugby and many Bermudians are taking to the game. There are also a lot of Bermudians playing rugby abroad at school or university and we cannot yet call on their services.

?There is a plan in the pipeline at the moment as well to take an Under 21 squad up to Halifax for a few games in August, so there is plenty going on.?: Dave Worsfold (Renegades), Jaime Billings (Police), Rob Steinoff (Police), Pete Elliot (Police), John Tarrant (Renegades), Tom Greenslade (Teachers), Ryan Sommerville (Police), Andrew Males (Teachers), Mariner Jackson (Renegades), Pete Dunkerley (Renegades), Dave Bird (Police), Mike Williams (Renegades), Conor McGlyn (Renegades): Tom Healey (Renegades), Paul Jones (Renegades), Chris Naylor (Teachers), Richard Slater (Renegades), Mike Kane (Police), Greg Garside (Renegades), Harry Andrews (Teachers), John Thompson (Renegades), Rob Pound (Police): Maureen Ryan: Pete Shillingford

Meanwhile, Bermuda?s four local clubs are gearing up for the third annual Bermuda International Sevens tournament at the National Sports Centre on Saturday.

Teams from Renegades, Police, Teachers and Mariners will take on a touring Old Boys side from Warwick University in the England as well as a Bermuda Irish RFC squad.

There will also be a ladies game for the very first time ? a reflection of the growing popularity of female rugby in Bermuda ? while there is a schools game scheduled on top of this.

Kick off is at 12.30 p.m..