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Bermuda’s Men’s Under-19 national team will return to Querétaro, Mexico, this week to compete in the 2026 Rugby Americas North Men’s Under-19 XVs Championship, being held at FC Total from August 5th to 8th.

The 19-player squad will be captained by Dylan Sangster, with Nyindae Smith and Dante Noel-Simmons serving as vice-captains.

Bermuda will face a demanding opening day on Wednesday, August 5th, beginning against the United States at 9:00 a.m. before taking on host nation Mexico at noon. The team returns to action on Thursday, August 6th, against Jamaica at noon and the Cayman Islands at 4:00 p.m. Finals Day will take place on Saturday, August 8th.

Dylan Sangster, Bermuda U19 Captain, commented on the upcoming competition, “I’m very excited to return to Mexico for this year’s tournament. The squad looks different, as it does every year, but the boys have built strong confidence and chemistry throughout our preparations. We know the USA will provide a very tough test in our opening match, but I have every confidence in this group. I back the boys, and we’re ready to represent Bermuda with pride.”

Co-Head Coach Chris Naylor said the young squad is excited about the challenge ahead, “We are really looking forward to the tournament. This is a young group, with nine players making their debut at this level, although a couple of those newcomers are already 19. We are excited to see the new talent coming into the squad and the impact they can make.

“We have an extremely tough start. Based on last year’s ranking, we open against the USA, which will be a major challenge, and it does not get any easier with host nation Mexico immediately afterwards.

“Our senior players, particularly captain Dylan Sangster and vice-captains Nyindae Smith and Dante Noel-Simmons, will need to step up, lead from the front and help guide the younger members of the squad.

“The boys have trained well, and I am confident that we can go to Mexico, express ourselves and play some good rugby.”

Bermuda Rugby President, Gemma Godfrey, said the annual championship remains a vital part of the national player-development pathway.

“This competition is one of the highlights of our calendar each year and an important part of the pathway for our developing players. It gives young men progressing through the upper end of Broncos Rugby, schools’ rugby and the Beyond Rugby programme the opportunity to come together as one Bermuda team and test themselves against high-quality opposition from across the region.

“We have a great deal of young talent coming through. Given the size of our island, the fact that Bermuda can enter a team in this competition and compete against much larger countries, many of which have significantly broader youth pathways and greater exposure to the game, says a tremendous amount about our rugby community.

“It reflects the commitment of our volunteer coaches, many of whom are parents giving up their evenings and weekends, as well as all those who continue to give so much of themselves to support the game.

The tournament will also mark the first use at this competition of Rugby Americas North’s 2026 Tackle Height Law Variation. In open-field play, tacklers must make contact below the base of the ball-carrier’s sternum, an initiative intended to reduce the risk of head-to-head and shoulder-to-head contact.

BERMUDA MEN’S UNDER-19 SQUAD
Asher Wheddon
Benjamin Wells
Matthews Pagan
Thomas Wells
Jahir Smith Mora
Michael Barclay
Nyindae Smith (Vice-Captain)
Dante Noel-Simmons (Vice-Captain)
Henry Kerr
Dylan Sangster (Captain)
Jahkeel Smith
Marc Piney
Rowan Stewart
Teddy Manders
Michael Tadman
Mathias Gerber
Edward Tadman
Jaden Obas-Simons
Genesis Payne