Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/776046
maltatoday SUNDAY, 22 JANUARY 2017 Sport 50 RUGBY - MEDITERRANEAN BANK CUP Swieqi Overseas: ......... 15 Kavallieri: ................... 10 BRYAN CORLETT THE wind did nobody any favours, as it swirled around the ground down at Marsa, for yesterday's Mediterranean Bank Cup matches. In a scrappy, physical game Over- seas chased down Kavallieri in the second half, taking the game 15 points to 10. The half time score had Kavalli- eri up by 10 points to nil. Overseas playing against the wind in the first half, battled their way into Kavallieri territory only to have Edmunds (12) each time boot the ball 50 metres downfield to frustrate their attacking game. Gaining that territory gave Kav- allieri a few good attacking op- tions, as they hit the ball up, close to the Overseas tryline. They turned down a penalty kick from right in front, knowing that they needed to score tries in the first half, with the wind. From a quick tap penalty the Kav- allieri forwards inched towards the line in a series of rucks and mauls for finally the big man, Samuel Zammit (1) to crash over under the posts, Edmunds (12) kicked the conversion and Kavallieri were in front 7 to 0 and 12 minutes on the clock. Kavallieri had the edge in the scrums for the first few restarts, giving untidy ball to scrum half Holland for Overseas, who was trying to unleash his backline. Samuel Zammit (1) Kavallieri's tryscorer was yellow carded for obstructing a quick Overseas tap penalty and he was in the sin bin for 10 minutes. With the one-man advantage Overseas began to settle up front, their Number 8 Angel Sarres be- gan to shine in the set pieces of scrum and lineout, but was also running off his inside backs to put Overseas on the front foot. The Overseas backs were fling- ing the ball around as if it were a calm day, but wayward passes and dropped catches did not allow any continuity, which was frustrating their hard working forwards. Edmunds (12) intercepted a loose pass and weaved his way upfield, but the danger was snuffed out when the Overseas cover defence dragged him down. Just before Referee Ramage blew for half time, Edmunds kicked a penalty to push Kavallieri out to 10 nil, negating the one-man advan- tage from the yellow card. Now with the wind, Overseas sensed a victory as they kicked long to start the second half, Dou- blesin (15) thumped the ball sky- ward trying to clear his line and the fast paced Edmunds chased and recovered to run the ball into the Overseas half, only to be forced out by three Overseas defenders as he looked to offload, but he had outrun his support, they were too far away. Hindes (14) had a strong run into the Kavallieri 22 but was held up by the defence. Sarres had an energet- ic run towards the line, was tackled and got up, but without releasing the ball, he reached out and scored, but Referee Ramage penalised him and Kavallieri cleared their lines. Edmunds went off injured, he was the Kavallieri playmaker, it was a big loss for them. Overseas attacked the Kavalli- eri line with several phases, then swept left with Sarres (8) in the backline, he pushed off two tack- lers to score, bringing the game closer at 10 to 5. The kickers were having a torrid time, trying to con- vert the tries as the wind swirled around. Anyway that was their excuse. The Kavallieri rush defence was putting pressure on the Overseas backline and they were hav- ing trouble trying to break the shackles as they inched their way to the line. Finally Pascal Hol- land (9) skipped around a ruck to score in the corner when the Kavallieri defence was stretched, to bring the scores level at 10 each. The replacements poured on in the last 20 minutes, trying to make a difference, it was still an- yone's game, but Overseas broke the deadlock with the speed of Rhys Barry (23) leaving defenders in his wake, as he scored out wide after some quick hands through the backs, giving the game to Overseas 15 to 10. Men of the Match: Overseas Angel Sarres. Kavallieri: Brendan Dalton. Over on pitch two, Sliema Stompers ran out the winners by 36 to 5 against Falcons in a hard fought game with the Falcons defence not allowing Stompers to have it all their own way. But the Falcons's mistakes were pun- ished every time, by a Stompers team trying to play at pace. Ref- eree: Lionel Da Silva. Men of the Match: Stompers: Isaac Bezzina. Falcons: Daniel Holliday. Overseas triumph in the last minutes over a battling Kavallieri Stompers vs Falcons Swieqi Overseas vs Kavallieri PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN STILON