qualifying tournament for next year's rugby sevens world cup.

They went down 20-10 to a very strong host team in the regional final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad.

Trinidad now go on to represent the region in Chile.

Trindidad had forged a 15-0 half time lead in front of a very vocal and partisan crowd, but Danny McGavern and Nathan Brown both hit back with tries for Bermuda to leave them just five points behind, before Trinidad sealed victory with a late try.

Bermuda had earlier come through three qualifying matches on Saturday and two knockout games the following day.

Guyana were disposed off 17-0 with tries from Danny McGavern, Jonathon Cassidy and a try and conversion by Josh McGavern. Bermuda then beat St Lucia 26-5 as Heath Robinson, Cassidy, Andrew Trinder and Andrew Correia all went over, with Cassidy converting one and Correia two.

A tiring Bermuda then faced Trinidad for the first time and after slipping to 14-0 by half time, clawed their way back to 14-12 with tries from Cassidy and veteran Alvin Harvey and a conversion by Josh McGavern.

The Island team were rejuvenated for the knockout stages, overpowering a strong Bahamas team 27-0 with Danny McGavern and Rod Stewart getting two tries apiece and Correia adding the fifth. Cayman Islands were the next victims as Bermuda inflicted a 21-0 defeat on them as Danny McGavern, Brown and Cassidy again got on the scoresheet. Correia converted two of the tries and Brown one.

Team manager Patrick McHugh said: "We very rarely play sevens, but Trinidad play it a lot. They had a tournament in December with 25 teams and they came second in that.

"It's often a different set of guys that play. You don't need big, heavy forwards, you need young, fast guys.

"Our fitness was shown up a little.''