Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/506094
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 MAY 2015 37 Sport MOTOGP RUGBY Final ends with closest of results Sliema Stompers win the Mediterranean Bank Cup final BRYAN CORLETT IN a much anticipated final match to the season Stompers ran out winners over a battling Kavallieri team who threw everything they had at their opponents but who in the end had to bow by a minimal difference. The final score of 24 to 23 showed how hard both teams played to win. Kavallieri started with the wind behind them and kept the pressure on throughout the half especially using the wind with Edmunds (10) using intelligent kicks for territory and to turn the Stompers back line around. Camilleri (13) for Stomp- ers was sin binned for a trip and is off for 10 minutes. Edmunds drills the kick and Kavallieri get their first points. Kavallieri 3 Stompers 0. A point to add is that both Touch Judges are from the Women's Rugby Officials, so we have Catherine Me- din and Lucy Darmanin support- ing Referee Killian O'Brien for the Match, a first for a Premier Rugby game. Kavallieri are competing at the breakdown, not allowing Stompers to get any fast ball to their danger- ous backs. Ellul (8) and Cerketta (3) tried to get their team into the game, charg- ing into the Kavallieri defensive wall, but are not making much inroad. Stompers missed a penalty to draw level. Cerketta (3) on the burst close to the Kavallieri line offloaded to McLister (10) from the ruck they go wide and with a three on two situa- tion the pass goes forward and from the ensuing scrum, Edmunds kicked long to relieve the pressure. Any penalty Stompers were run- ning it trying to get into the game, but Kavallieri with their rush de- fence were not allowing Stompers any space. Calvin Briffa (7) put a brilliant covering tackle on Horne (14) as he stepped the fullback and looked as if he would score. From a scrum on the five-metre mark Edmunds (10) stepped his way through to score under the posts. He kicked the conversion. Kavallieri 10 Stompers 0. Betts (15) for Stompers was caught in possession when Edmunds (10) kicked long from the penalty for holding on, the ball is kicked into the corner. Kavallieri are playing all the Rugby, keeping up the pres- sure. Edmunds grubbers through but the bouncing ball avoids Blyton (13) following through. Cerketta (3) relieved the pressure when from a ruck he kicked long, showing his backs how to do it. Betts (15) trapped a long bounc- ing kick with his feet and sets off, he threw a long pass to Attard (12) he passed to Camilleri cutting back inside and gave the ball to Debattista (14) who went over in a tackle slam- ming the ball down to the left of the posts. No conversion. Kavallieri 10 Stompers 5. Stompers are starting to put some phases together but it is heavy traffic with the quick regrouping Kavallieri defence getting in their way. Kavallieri won a penalty on the 10- metre mark and Edmunds puts the ball straight down the middle. At half time it is Kavallieri 13 Stompers 5, but that wind is worth points as Stompers now play with it behind them in the second half. The Kavallieri kick off didn't go the 10 metres and Stompers have an at- tacking scrum back on the half way mark. From an attacking move from the scrum Stompers were penalized for not releasing in the tackle and Edmunds kicked the goal from in front. Kavallieri 16 Stompers 5 and are still trying to get into the game. Down the Grandstand touchline Debattista (14) stepping offloads to McLister (10) who was dragged down short of the line, they then knocked on from the following ruck. But keeping the pressure from a turnover, Stompers got the ball out to Camilleri (13) who brushed off a few tacklers to score beside the posts. McLister (10) converted the try with the score now reading 16-12 Cutajar (5) won a penalty when Stompers looked dangerous, getting over the tackled ball, but Edmund's kick didn't find touch, Stompers at- tacked from half way going through some phases with their big forwards getting over the gain line, with fi- nally McLister stepping his way to score. He converts his own try. Fifteen minutes into the second half and Stompers managed to take the lead. Stompers 19 Kavallieri 16. Stompers started using the wind kicking long, keeping pressure on Kavallieri as they begin to tire. Imbroglio (11) has three good runs down the touchline using his speed, but cannot beat the last line of de- fence, he needed to swerve infield and with his speed he would have scored. Edmunds tried to get his team go- ing running into space with some nice footwork but nothing came of it. Holliday (2) for Stompers burst downfield close to the touchline but was pushed into touch. From a quick tap penalty Calvin Briffa (7) scored close to the touch- line, no conversion but Stompers have taken a bigger lead. 24 to 16. Just when we thought it was all over Kavallieri took the ball from their opponents' kick off as the Stompers froze and they scored with Edmunds kicking the conversion it is Stomp- ers 24 Kavallieri 23. Kavallieri launched everything at the Stompers trying to get the win, but run out of time as Referee Kil- lian O'Brien blows for full time. The cups for the season were awarded to the winning teams on the pitch afterwards. Over on Pitch two five veteran teams were playing in the com- petition: two teams from the UK, two from France and the Malta Marauders. Man of the Match: Darren Ed- munds Jorge Lorenzo bags Spanish GP pole position Jorge Lorenzo continued his domination of MotoGP's Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez by taking his first pole position since Misano last September YAMAHA rider Jorge Lorenzo smashed the track record at Je- rez to claim pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix. Lorenzo topped the times early on and while he was briefly chal- lenged by World Champion Marc Márquez, Lorenzo posted a lap of 1:37.910 to end comfortably clear of his rivals. Márquez, riding with an injured finger after a training accident last week, ended 0.390s down on his compatriot, with Andrea Iannone in third for Ducati. Tech 3 rider Pol Espargaró was fourth quickest, ahead of Champi- onship leader Valentino Rossi and Suzuki's Aleix Espargaró. Seventh position went to Cal Cructhlow, while Yonny Hernán- dez and Bradley Smith completed the top 10. Danilo Petrucci advanced from Q1 and ultimately qualified in 11th position while Scott Redding rounded out the Q2 runners. Héctor Barberá narrowly missed out on a slot in Q2 and will start the race from 13th position, while Maverick Viñales was on for a good time until he skated wide at the final corner and ended up in 14th place. Álvaro Bautista claimed a cred- ible 15th place for Aprilia, ahead of Hiroshi Aoyama, who is once again substituting for the injured Dani Pedrosa at Honda. Eugene Lavery was 17th, ahead of Nicky Hayden, Stefan Bradl, Karel Abraham and Loris Baz. Jack Miller, Mike di Meglio, Alex de Angelis and Marco Melandri rounded out the runners. Pos. Driver Team Time Laps 1. J. Lorenzo Yamaha 01:37.910 8 2. M. Marquez Repsol Honda 01:38.300 7 3. A. Iannone Ducati 01:38.468 8 4. P. Espargaro Tech 3 01:38.539 6 5. V. Rossi Yamaha 01:38.632 8 6. A. Espargaro Suzuki 01:38.638 8 7. C. Crutchlow LCR 01:38.714 8 8. A. Dovizioso Ducati 01:38.823 6 9. Y. Hernandez Pramac 01:39.464 6 10. B. Smith Tech 3 01:39.491 8 11. D. Petrucci Pramac 01:39.789 5 12. S. Redding Marc VDS 01:39.825 7 2015 Spanish MotoGP Grand Prix