They admitted they weren't as fit and skilful as they once were but Marco Caputo, John Ross, Ipolito Fenukitau and Frank Condi said their competitive instinct would kick-in when they run on for the Classic Wallabies in Bermuda next weekend.

While the Wallabies prepare to battle humid conditions and a rampaging All Blacks' team in Hong Kong tomorrow the ACT quartet who will be joined by former Brumby and Wallaby hooker Jeremy Paul fly to New York on Wednesday before making their way to the tournament.

Caputo, Paul and Ross all toured and played with the Wallabies and Brumbies while Fenukitau was a foundation ACT Super 14 player and Condi played for the Kookaburras and Brumbies Runners.

They will play matches against the Classic All Blacks, the Classic Lions and Classic French teams over seven days.

As they joined together for lunch yesterday they poked fun at each others' fitness and started to picture themselves back in their playing boots.

Caputo and Condi coach in the John I Dent Cup competition while Fenukitau played for the Tuggeranong Vikings last season and is likely to continue in 2009.

"Playing is the price you pay for going on the trip," Caputo joked.

"It is good fun and it's good for me to catch up with some of the guys that I played with in Europe.

"It's an awesome destination and the opportunity was too hard to pass up."

Caputo will make his coaching debut next season for the Gungahlin Eagles after retiring from professional rugby in 2003.

The Bermuda tournament is his second as a Classic Wallaby and he said the players may be older but age did not affect their physicality.

"It's physical alright, very physical," he said. "It's not super fast or anything but there's always the superstars in the team and they don't forget how to hit."

Ross, who was a foundation Brumby and toured New Zealand with the Wallabies in 1989, will be the playing coach.