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maltatoday SUNDAY, 8 JANUARY 2017 Sport 50 RUGBY Mediterranean Bank Cup opened with Stompers victory BRYAN CORLETT PLAYED at Marsa in cold and windy conditions this first game of the Mediterranean Bank Cup was competitive until the last 20 min- utes when Stompers' fitness and their use of the wind, took the game away from a battling Swieqi Over- seas team. Referee Lionel Da Silva got this first game of the Cup under way with Overseas playing with the wind behind them, they drew first blood when Mahouche (11) kicked a penalty from 40 metres out. Over- seas 3-0. Almost immediately Stompers went on the attack with Richard Gum (10) side-stepping his way through the Overseas defence and taking the ball to the Overseas tryline, a head high tackle was pe- nalised, from a quick tap Cerketta (5) bashed his way toward the line, then a knock on gave Stompers a scrum. From the scrum Gum (10) worked a 10/12 cut with Camilleri who was initially held up, but his forwards got behind him and drove him over to score to the left of the posts a converted try, with Gum adding the extras, it was Stompers with their nose in front 7 to 3. The Stompers set piece was strong with Isaac Bezzina (4) dominating in the lineout with some excellent throwing in by Josef Busutil and their scrum causing problems for Overseas, shunting them back- wards and not allowing them tidy ball to their scrumhalf Holland (9). From a scrum Jeremy Debattista (22) broke through tackle after tackle, running 30 metres to score near the posts for Gum to convert, bringing the score to 14 to 3 to Stompers. Gum was controlling proceedings at flyhalf and even his kicks into the wind, were causing Overseas prob- lems at the back as the Stompers backline charged through after the ball. Gareth Corcoran (10) was trying to get Overseas on the front foot, but there was a lack of continuity as he tried to work the ball wide, cold hands at times dropping the ball. Rhys Barry (12) who had replaced Beppe Sammut (12) floated a beauti- ful penalty kick from 50 metres out to within 5 metres of the Stompers's tryline. From the lineout Overseas had a catch and drive to the line, for their Captain Anthony Harvey (7) to score, to bring the points to Stompers 14, Overseas 8. Jamie Murray at No 8 for Overseas was having a good game, bashing away in attack and putting in some hard tackles to thwart some prom- ising Stompers plays. Overseas had a good period of play attacking the Stompers line, putting them under pressure and on the back foot. From a ruck Corcoran took the ball to the line and crashed over, to make the half time score 14 to 13 to Stompers. But that wind is worth 20 points and now Stompers will have it at their backs in the second half. Referee Da Silva got the second half underway with Stompers hav- ing the use of a strong wind. Gum (10) used it to drill a penalty from 40 metres out to move further in front by 17 to 13. Overseas raised their game know- ing they needed to score to reign in a Stompers team that was gaining in confidence. From a series of attacks by Over- seas on the Stompers line, Mathew Spiteri (1) was yellow carded for go- ing off his feet, trying to slow down an Overseas attack. Overseas then attacked the line with quick taps from a series of penalties, the ball then went wide to Barry (12) as he lunged for the line a head high tack- le stopped him in his tracks, but he reached out to dot the ball down in the corner, to put Overseas in front by 18 to 17. But in the last 20 minutes, wheth- er it was a lack of fitness, or too much turkey for Christmas, Over- seas fell away and Stompers forced their advantage, scoring three more tries with Luke Debattista scor- ing his hat trick, first with a double around play giving him an overlap out wide, to score his second try and then from a Gum offload as he hit the gainline, for him to score his third try. A penalty that bounced off the cross bar had Overseas in all kinds of trouble, Stompers pounced on the loose ball and went wide left to Julian Caruana (11) who flashed down the touchline to score, mak- ing the final points of this Mediter- ranean Bank Cup game: Sliema Stompers 38, Swieqi Over- seas 18. Stompers's Man of the Match: Luke Debattista (22), Overseas's Man of the Match: Jamie Murray (8). Second Match of the Day: Kaval- lieri 53, Gladiators 22. Refereed by Joseph Cutajar. PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN AQUILINA Ladies 7s League PHIL GIBBS Kavallieri 10 Swieqi Overseas 24 Kavallieri kicked off into a chilly, blustery wind and in their first meaningful attack, Overseas captain Charlotte Sultana-Evans broke through the centre, but threw the ball forward when tack- led 15 metres out. Overseas won the scrum against the head, and Claire Casha set up Noemi Perez Corral for the first converted try. Overseas attacked again, fly- hacking the ball up the right wing, but were caught offside. Kaval- lieri let the ball run loose from their penalty and Emma Grech scooped up the ball and put in a speedy lateral run before straight- ening to score in the left corner on the stoke of half time. A scrappy half ended with Overseas ahead by 12 points. Kavallieri received the ball from the second half kick-off and tried to run the ball from their own 22, but Jacqueline Richards spilled the pass from Dorien Jager, and Overseas moved the ball quickly along the line before Wendy Pace finished the move by touching down for her second score. Kaval- lieri fought back with two quick tries, both started by Amanda Cassar, and both finished by powerful sprints from Jacqueline Richards, the second from 60 me- tres out. Neither was converted, and the score remained at 17-10 until in the final play of the match, Tessa- belle Sultana-Evans put in a surg- ing run to score from halfway, and the try was converted. Falcons 17 Swieqi Overseas 14 Kim Riola opened the scoring for Falcons with a stunning run from her own 22 metres line, which was converted by Marion Azzopardi. These were the only points in the first half. In the second half, Overseas drew level when Vanessa Attard sprinted clear from halfway, managing to avoid a last desperate tackle from Katya Vrbacka. Overseas drew 7 points ahead when Charlotte Sultana-Evans took a quick tap penalty from 10 metres out and powered through two tackles to score, and then converted her own try. Falcons struck back when Vrbacka showed strength on the line to stretch an arm out of the tackle and touch down after Tessabelle Sultana-Ev- ans had broken clear and slipped the ball to her. The game ended controversially when Kim Riola put in another trademark looping run before angling in to dive over Evans covering tackle, but appeared to spill the ball forward before ap- plying pressure. However, the ref- eree awarded the try and Falcons edged the win. Kavallieri 26 Falcons 24 Katka Vrbacka struck early to put Falcons 7 points ahead when she broke through a strung-out defence on halfway, and then converted her own try. However, Amanda Cassar put the score level when she broke through the Falcons defence in a similar fash- ion and also converted her own score. Kavallieri attacked again from the restart, but Falcons won a penalty on their own 5 metre line, and worked the ball out to Caroline Gafa, who showed a fine turn of speed to run 60 metres, breaking through Alena Simina Nesu's tackle on the way. Kavalli- eri were then put on the back foot by some concerted attacking from Falcons, conceding several pen- alties, the last of which Marion Azzopardi took quickly and fired a pass to Donevellon Sladden who dived over to score. With the half-time score at 17- 7 to Falcons, Kavallieri immedi- ately clawed back 7 points when Falcons fluffed the kick-off, Jac- queline Richards received the ball from the resulting free kick and sprinted half the length of the pitch to score. They took the lead soon after, when Falcons were caught in possession on their 22 metre line, the ball was stolen by Amanda Cassar, and she broke through to score and convert. Richards was proving to be un- stoppable, and she powered over for her second converted try. Trailing by 9 points and attack- ing desperately, Falcons needed to score twice, and although Vrbacka put them within sight of victory by scoring and converting, Kaval- lieri held on until the final whistle and finished worthy winners.