Bermuda rugby is buzzing with excitement after the men’s team qualified for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games.

Under the guidance of Lucas Nyamoto, the men finished fourthin the Rugby Americas North Sevens, which concluded in Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday, to claim their spot.

Bermuda defeated Jamaica 12-7 to reach the semi-finals. They were then beaten 26-7 by Barbados in the semi-final before getting vanquished 29-5 by Trinidad in the third-place play-off.

Hadleigh Tucker, the co-captain looked back with pride after punching the ticket to Santo Domingo.

“After the three days of rugby, we have a lot to reflect on as a team,” Tucker told The Royal Gazette.

“We secured the result we needed with our CAC qualification, which is a huge achievement for the team and those that helped in our preparation.

“However it is difficult to finish the tournament feeling fulfilled as we could have had a couple more wins on the first and second days.

“With that said we definitely have more constructive takeaways from this tournament, especially considering we now have a clear target for 2026 with specific goals regarding training framework and player management.

“ I’m truly humbled to continue to captain such a great group of players and work with such committed and passionate staff and supporters. I’m excited to get back to work for what comes next.”

Fellow captain Alex Brown was pleased to see the team go a notch higher than the fifth-place achieved last year.

“We’re really pleased as a group to have improved on last year’s result and to have come away with fourth,” Brown said.

“After some tough results in the group stages against some very stiff opposition, we saved our best performances for the tournament’s latter stages.

“We showed our grit and determination to defeat the usual favourites Jamaica in the quarter-finals.

“Although we just missed out on the podium positions this year, the team are still on a high after qualifying for the CAC games again. Huge congratulations to the whole team and we’re really excited for next year.”

Nyamoto praised his players for attaining the team’s goal against tough opponents.

“Overall, I’m incredibly proud of the boys for achieving the goal we set before the tournament — finishing fourth and securing qualification for next year’s CAC Games in Dominican Republic,” he said.

“We faced teams that were both more physical and more clinical. Although we started slowly against Mexico, the lads built momentum and pushed Canada hard in our second match on day one.

“Their improved performance, stronger defensive work and better ball retention showed real character.

“On day two, we were seeded against Jamaica in the quarter-final, a side that is consistently an RAN finalist and known for its physicality.

“The boys maintained possession well, looked sharp, stuck to the game plan, and held their defensive shape, which ultimately paid off with a win.

“We eventually finished fourth after a disappointing semi-final loss to Barbados, where we weren’t as clinical as we needed to be with the chances we created.

Despite finishing outside the medals, Nyamoto was thrilled with the progress shown by his team

“We’ve made clear progress,” he said. “Co climbing to fourth is a step in the right direction and I’m proud of the team’s growth.

“Our focus now shifts to preparing for the CAC Games and we hope to begin preparations as soon as possible.

“The local XVs league is also kicking off soon and it will be exciting to see the boys compete for their clubs.

“Improving our conditioning, refining our playing patterns and becoming more clinical will be key areas as we build towards the CAC Games.”

Jason Hendrie, the new Bermuda Rugby Football Union rugby operations director, travelled to Trinidad as the men’s team manager and felt that it was a fruitful outing for the men’s and women’s sides.

“All in all, it was a really successful tournament for both teams,” Hendrie said.

“We knew the lack of games beforehand might show against the top-three sides, who came in a bit more match-sharp. But the big positive was how well we managed to compete with them for long stretches of the games.

“The women’s team were brilliant throughout. Their bond kept growing as the weekend went on and with a great mix of youth and experience, they played some exciting sevens rugby.

“There’s a lot of potential in this group and it’ll be fun to see just how far they can go over the next year.

“The men’s team got better every game and played some great rugby against some very good sides. The highlight was their win over Jamaica, a performance which showed the brand of rugby Bermuda are capable off.

“This win booked their spot at CAC Games — a huge achievement and something the players are already excited to build on.

“Both squads showed plenty of talent and resilience. The aim now is to keep developing, push things on again and hopefully finish one better next year.”

The women’s team, making a return to the competition after a two-year absence, also finished fourth after a 27-0 loss to Trinidad in the bronze-medal match.

Corrie Cross, the women’s captain, was pleased with how they performed againstfar bigger countries.

“I’m tremendously proud of what the ladies were able to produce this weekend in Trinidad,” she said.

“We are a small nation with a constantly developing rugby landscape and our women’s team represented themselves and our island with so much pride, I couldn’t have asked for more,” she said.

We had some standout moments from players like Najeé Pitt-Clarke, reliable performances from the likes of Satya Darrell, Camille Chin-Gurrett, Kelli Nusum and Samantha Dill.

“The depth of experience on the team helped us maintain a level of composure while having the excitement of newer players to the sport, creating a good atmosphere among the group.

“The final games were challenging as we suffered from injuries and a depleted bench, but the commitment to get the job done and see the experience through was what drove the ladies.”

Apryl Jackson, the women’s vice-captain, was delighted with the resilience shown after the injuries started mounting.

“I just want to say how extremely proud I am of my team for their performance this past weekend,” Jackson said.

“We represented ourselves, our families, BRFU and Bermuda so well. My personal goal for the team before we left for the tournament was to place in the top four and we did exactly that.

“The losses we faced were expected but in those games we put up a heck of a fight for the whole 14 mins and the wins we earned.

“We dug deep, fought hard, defended well and used our experience to make those strategic attacking moves to score tries.

“To be able to compete in the bronze medal play-off game despite having only one sub [four injured players supporting on the bench] really showed everyone how much passion, mental and physical strength as well as love for the sport of rugby we have.”

Gemma Godfrey, the BRFU president, believes that the performance of the two teams in Trinidad is an indication that the sport is headed in the right direction.

“The feeling across the Bermuda rugby community this week is a sense of real pride,” Godfrey said

“Both teams went out there and gave absolutely everything on the field and I think everyone back home can see that.

“For the men to finish fourth and qualify for the CAC Games is a huge achievement, and for the women to come back after two years away and also take fourth place, it just says a lot about who we are and where we’re heading.

“One thing I’m especially proud of is that this year’s teams are a real reflection of the talent on the island, with both the women’s and men’s teams built almost 100 per cent from Bermuda athletes.

“That shift didn’t happen overnight, it’s the result of a deliberate and collective effort to build our player pathways and create real opportunities for young athletes coming through from schools, community programmes and clubs.

“What we saw in Trinidad was heart, resilience and a real sense of togetherness. Even in the tough moments, and there were more than a few, both teams dug deep and showed the world how far we’ve come.

“At the end of the day, we are the smallest nation in the tournament, playing against countries with much bigger player pools and far more resources, but our players showed they absolutely belong on that stage.”