Bermuda’s national rugby sevens teams have been named for the 2025 Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens, with both the men’s and women’s sides preparing to represent the island later this month in Trinidad and Tobago. The tournament, which runs from 21st–23rd November at Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, will see 20 teams from 15 nations compete over three days of fast-paced action. For Bermuda, it represents not only a chance to test themselves against the region’s top talent but also a significant marker in the country’s continuing effort to rebuild and grow its sevens programmes.
For the women’s team, this year’s event marks a triumphant return to the regional stage after a two-year absence. Their comeback has been driven by a renewed sense of purpose and the tireless work of veteran player and BRFU Women’s Representative Gillian Cross, who has been instrumental in rebuilding support for the women’s game from the ground up.
Her efforts have helped restore the foundation of support, structure, and participation needed to sustain women’s rugby in Bermuda. With her has come a strong back-room team, including head coach Andy Crichton, Anthony Cupidore as defence and tackling specialist, Dr. Spencer Brown overseeing injury prevention, and Bobby Hurdle leading strength and conditioning. They are supported by assistant coaches D’Zuri Gill and Deneka Borden, who bring both recent playing experience and developing coaching talent to the setup.
Crichton, returning to the helm after previously guiding Bermuda’s women to a podium finish at RAN several years back, said he was delighted to see the team back in international contention.
“I’m very excited to be again coaching the Bermuda women’s sevens team for RAN 2025 in T&T,” he said. “We’ve selected a squad of really talented athletes who bring a mix of youth and experience, with a significant number playing a high level of rugby overseas. Our preparation has focused on skill set, mindset, and structure, and we’ve worked hard throughout the summer to ensure we peak for the tournament. All cash donations welcome to support the team!”
The women’s side will be captained by Corrie Cross, with Apryl Jackson as vice-captain. Both have been central to rekindling the team’s competitive spirit and providing leadership to a growing pool of players.
Women’s Captain Cross commented: “We’re really excited for RAN 2025, the team has been working hard over the last few months. We are looking to display our style of rugby and improve from previous standings in the tournament. Amongst our squad are several girls coming from the UK, including Najée Pitt Clarke (Reading University), Sarah Cross (University of Buckingham), Satya Darrell (University of Manchester) and myself at (Cardiff Metropolitan University). Additionally, one of our veteran players, Kelli Nusum, is currently playing for London Irish Emeralds in the UK, making the variety of experience available to us this year a first in our team’s history.”
The full women’s squad, sponsored by Ark Bermuda, features Camille Chin-Gurret, Corrie Cross, Sarah Cross, Satya Darrell, Samantha Dill, Bella Greene, Heidi Groves, Lysmeiri Santana Suazo, Apryl Jackson, Kelli Nusum, NajéePitt-Clarke, and Marseille Williams, a blend of familiar names and promising new talent.
For the men, head coach Lucas Nyamoto has selected a balanced and athletic squad combining speed, experience, and youthful energy. His side will be led by co-captains Hadleigh Tucker and Alex Brown, both of whom have become key figures in Bermuda’s sevens setup.
The full men’s squad list, sponsored by Paradise Mobile, includes Alex Brown, Jamie Baum, Jahniko Francis, Khabir Dill, Alex Doyling, D’Zuri Gill, Jaiden Hill, Aiden Kendall, Brandon Sangster, Ja’kee Simons, Hadleigh Tucker, and Kelin Savanno Williams, a lineup that underscores Bermuda Rugby’s focus on developing depth and continuity within the national programme.
Thursday, November 13, 2025
Berkeley & Wheeling Rugby Dominate Virginia
IslandStats.com
For the second season in a row, Nisaiah Berkeley and her Wheeling University Women's Rugby teammates have wrapped up a perfect regular season, asserting their dominance as they enter the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) playoffs.
The Cardinals travelled to Charlottesville, Virginia, for a statement victory against a familiar foe: the University of Virginia. The match was a rematch of last season's NCR 15's Playoffs, and Wheeling delivered an emphatic performance, securing a commanding 55-24 victory.
The win extends the program's extraordinary winning streak to 22 consecutive 15's season wins. This remarkable run sees Wheeling officially enter the NCR National Playoffs as the #1 seed, a testament to their sustained excellence and tactical superiority.
Wheeling's scoring power was showcased with six different Cardinals getting across the try line during the match, underlining the team's depth and attacking threat across the field. Berkeley's contribution as a consistent performer throughout the regular season has been crucial in maintaining the team's perfect record.
The Cardinals now look ahead to the playoffs, where they will aim to convert their flawless regular season into a national title.
Saturday, November 08, 2025
Cross Leads Buckingham Swans White to Dominant Win
IslandStats.com
Buckingham Swans White delivered a ruthless and relentless performance on the pitch, securing an incredible 71-12 win over Derby Women's Rugby in a one-sided fixture.
Sarah Cross and her Swans White teammates were in brilliant form, running in a huge tally of tries that left their Derby opponents reeling. The final scoreline underscores the team's potent attacking capability and efficiency in front of goal.
The scoring was led by a sensational individual performance fromCross, who powered her way to an impressive three tries on the day.
She was well supported by a flurry of scores from the rest of the squad: Kelly Gell and Danielle Madden both added two tries each, showcasing the depth of the team's attacking threats. Further tries were scored by Charlotte Vernon-Stroud, Ellen McAleavey, and Rosie Haigh, ensuring a huge points haul for the Swans White team.
The comprehensive 71-12 victory is a major boost for Buckingham Swans White and confirms their status as a force to be reckoned with in their current league campaign.
Friday, November 07, 2025
Argentina Legends Claim Classic Title in Bruising Decider
IslandStats.com
The World Rugby Classic concluded its round-robin phase with a night of drama and high-stakes rugby, culminating in a bruising final showdown that saw the Argentina Legends dethrone the defending champions, Classic South Africa, to lift the 2025 title.
The National Sports Centre North Field was packed for the 9:00 pm decider, a match that lived up to its billing and escalated into an intense physical confrontation.
Argentina, needing a victory to overtake the Springboks in the league standings, started strongly, scoring first to take an early 7-0 lead. The Legends dominated possession for most of the first half, but a clinical steal allowed South Africa to run from deep in their half, scoring under the posts to level the score at 7-7 by the half-time whistle.
The second half saw tempers flare in a truly heated contest. The referee and line judges had their hands full to maintain order, with a large melee seeing a South African player knock out an Argentinian player. After medics attended to the player and order was restored, the referee sent a South African player to the sin-bin. Argentina took full advantage of the infringement, slotting two crucial penalties to take a 13-7 lead—a lead they would not relinquish. The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought 13-7 victory for Argentina, securing the championship title.
The evening’s opening fixtures also delivered tense rugby:
Classic Canada vs. Classic Eagles (USA): In a reverse of the Sevens final, Classic Canada defeated the Classic Eagles 37-15. Canada jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but the Eagles roared back to take a 15-10 advantage. Canada responded just before the half with a try and conversion to lead 17-15. In the second half, Canada scored 20 unanswered points to claim the decisive victory.
Classic Lions vs. Italian Classic XV: This was a fiercely contested defensive battle that saw the Italian Classic XV edge the Classic Lions 26-24. Italy took an early 12-0 lead before the Lions pulled within five. Italy restored their lead to 19-7 at the break. Despite a furious second-half comeback that saw the Lions outscore Italy 17-7, a missed conversion proved the difference, costing the Lions the two points that would have drawn them level.
The results bring the curtain down on the World Rugby Classic fifteens tournament, with the Argentina Legends celebrating a hard-earned championship title.
Wednesday, November 05, 2025
Sevens Showdown Leads to Springboks vs Lions Clash
IslandStats.com
The World Rugby Classic delivered a fast-paced Day Four at the National Sports Centre North Field, starting with an exciting Sevens tournament before the defending champions, Classic South Africa, secured a vital win in the fifteens round-robin.
The evening kicked off with the explosive pace of Sevens rugby. The Semi-Finals saw the USA 7s team display their speed, easily defeating the Argentina 7s 26-10. In the second semi-final, Canada 7s put on a dominant display to shut out the Italy 7s 29-0, setting up a North American showdown in the final.
The Sevens Final proved to be a continuation of the Americans' stellar form. The USA 7s team were too strong for their northern rivals, defeating Canada 7s 26-12 to be crowned the tournament's Sevens champions.
In the main event, the Classic South Africa team faced a motivated Classic Lions side in a crucial round-robin fifteens clash. The defending champions proved their class, running out 29-14 winners to maintain their perfect start to the tournament.
The Classic Springboks showed their strength and depth against the Lions, who were desperate for a win to kickstart their campaign. South Africa’s victory earns them valuable league points and firmly establishes them as the team to beat as the round-robin stage nears its conclusion. The Classic Lions, despite their best efforts, were ultimately unable to breach the Springbok defence enough times to challenge the lead.
