move after being informed that Deputy Commissioner Michael Mylod will not bend from his original decision to prevent a suspended Policeman from playing on the squad this season.

The Royal Gazette reported last week that several Police players were prepared to quit the team if Mylod refused to explain his reasons for barring Dave Bird from playing.

Sources said that team chairman Phil Every was summoned to the Deputy Commissioner's office after the story appeared on Friday when he was told that Mylod's decision "was final.'' When contacted yesterday an angry Mylod said: "I'm not going to discuss the internal affairs of the Bermuda Police service.'' Players are now expected to make known their intentions for the upcoming season at a meeting following tomorrow's training session.

"We'll see how things stand,'' said former Police captain Sean Field yesterday. "I personally don't see anything happening, but I really don't know. I think cooler heads will prevail.'' In a startling move, however, Bird is now expected to join Renegades this season and will train with the team for the second time tonight.

"That means that Renegades are going to have a very strong side and our team is very much weakened,'' said Field candidly. "I wish him well.'' Later he said: "Obviously he's a good friend and a great player but you have to respect the Deputy Commissioner's position. But some people are obviously still upset about the matter.'' Bird has been one of the Island's best players and has been a member of the national side during the last two years while he was under suspension from the Police force.

He is now being viewed as an ideal replacement for number eight Ali Nicoll, who has retired from Renegades this season.

"I think his first loyalty is probably to Police, but obviously he's not very welcome there at the moment,'' said Renegades president Mark Carter yesterday.

"If he wants to play for us we'd be very pleased. He's obviously a high calibre player.'' If Police players carry through with their threat to quit it would throw the team's plans for the new season into upheaval.

Field said the matter was discussed during an executive meeting of the team yesterday when afterwards players resigned themselves to the fact that Bird would not be a member of the team this year.

It was also brought up at a meeting of the Bermuda Rugby Football Union (BRFU) on Monday and mentioned in a report written by Field submitted to the executive.

That contradicted a statement by new president John Williams who said the Bird situation was never discussed.

"No, not at all. It wasn't an issue,'' said Williams.

However, Police officials did attempt to downplay the situation when Mariners representative Dave Conway asked about the matter during the meeting.

"I was told it was an internal matter of the Police,'' said Conway. "I was actually told that it was sort of blown out of proportion because Police are going to carry on playing. I didn't really push it.'' Teachers president Billy McNiven said the whole affair was "actually kind of laughed off. Everyone sort of looked at each other and then when it was obvious no one was going to make a comment or discuss the topic we moved on to the next point.'' McNiven added that a Police pull-out would have severe repercussions for the sport.

"It would be a great loss if they don't play this year, it would be absolutely no good for the sport,'' he said. "I hope they can get it sorted out.''