Barbados, who are just two matches away from reaching the World Cup finals in France next year after winning through three qualifying pools in the Caribbean and Central America zone, have turned to their friends in the British Army and at Leicester Tigers to prepare for the biggest games in their history.

The Bajans will play Canada at the historic Garrison Savannah on June 24 - a much-anticipated fixture with the former British colony also boasting a large community of Canadian residents - and then meet the United States in San Francisco two weeks later. The winner of this mini pool progress straight through to France with the runners-up going into the repechage.

Thanks to the good offices of the Army's powerful wing Bruno Greene, who is a stalwart of the Barbadian team, the British Army will host a three-day fitness camp outside Newbury from May 12, after which the Barbados squad will move up to Leicester for a week's intensive training at the Tigers Oadby complex. The Tigers have also agreed to stage a match between their Development XV and Barbados at Welford Road. Thus far the Barbados squad, apart from a paltry annual £5,000 grant from the IRB, have been self-funding with the squad and Union organising all their own fundraising. Barbados are now seeking shirt sponsors in an attempt to make ends meet. Anybody wishing to help should contact this column - Brendan.gallagher@telegraph.co.uk