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maltatoday SUNDAY, 29 JANUARY 2017 Sport 48 RUGBY - MEDITERRANEAN BANK CUP PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN STILON Cutajar makes the difference Kavallieri .......................38 Falcons ..........................22 MIKE TURNER THIS thrilling match was the final round of the "Round Robin" Stage of the Mediterranean Bank Cup, to decide which of the teams would oppose the leaders, Stompers, in the knock out, and was a good example of the raising standards of rugby in Malta, with so many young players coming through. Falcons led the charge from the kick off, their penetrating indi- vidual charges and accurate kicks putting the Kavallieri line in danger, but the defence held out and Kaval- lieri line out drives enabled them to turn defence into attack, with the wind`s support. However Falcons drive and offload style was pay- ing off when a dropped pass was pounced on by Kavallieri Bugeja who outran Kawara for a good sixty metres to score under the posts, rather against the run of play, con- verted by Cutajar. The speed of the Kavallieri backs, Dalton, Imbroll, Bugeja made them a constant threat. Kavallieri broke well from a series of loose mauls, then passed well to stretch Falcons cover and Bugeja had the speed to score again, Cutajar converting from wide. Falcons Chritien earned a yellow card and ten minutes in the sinbin for a deliberate knock on and Kaval- lieri took full advantage of the extra man for Sam Zammit to barge for- ward and put Cutajar in for another try, which he again converted and Kavallieri were running away. A little luck came Kavallieri`s way when a chip kick bounced off a play- er into the eager arms of Imbroll, whose quick reaction and blister- ing speed enabled him to score by the posts, giving Cutajar an easy conversion, and Kavallieri a com- manding lead, 28 - 0. Just before half time, Falcons showed their spirit by launching attacks led by Daniel Holliday, where Borg was stopped by a superb corner flag tackle by J-P Zammit to prevent a try. However Falcons had suddenly found a high- er gear and after a series of bursts finally registered on the scoreboard with a try by Andre Galea. Sadly Azzopardi failed to con- vert and the half time score was Kavallieri 28, Falcons 5. If only the rather tubby Falcons were able to get around the field to be more sup- portive. Falcons started the second half with the same resolve as they had finished the first and with the drop- ping wind at their back pressed hard until Borg scored another try to claw back to 28-10, again no conver- sion for extra two points. Kavallieri scrum were psushing Falcons back until prop Zahra was yellow carded and Falcons dominated the tight scrums in his absence. They laid siege to the Kavallieri line until Holliday powered along the line and transferred to Scicluna who burrowed over for another try, and by now the Kavallieri lead looked under threat. An excellent individual break by Falcons was halted by a try stopping tackle by Kavallieri Horne. A big Kavallieri clearing kick was mishandled by Kawara and then further mishandling by Falcon`s back gave the initiative back to Kav- allieri, but Falcons worked their way back to attack. Holliday kicked a penalty to the corner and Falcons were really on top, despite the gal- lant tackling by Kavallieri. Inevita- bly the pressure told and with ten minutes to go, Falcons Vella scored, this time Holliday converted and there were only six points in it, with Kavallieri appearing to panic under pressure. However they worked that attack was the best defence and proceeded to exert their own territorial pres- sure as Falcons eagerness led to a little wild passing and thinking. In the final minutes Kavallieri Vas- sallo earned a yellow card for an il- legal headlock, but Falcons fell just short of achieving an amazing come back from being 28 points down. The difference at the end, with both sides scoring four tries, was the pin point accuracy of the kicking of Cutajar. Men of the match – Kaval- lieri – Cutajar, Falcons – Holliday. The Med Bank Cup semi- finals will be Stompers vs Kavallieri and Overseas vs Falcons, but after the results so far this season, any one of the four could win. Falcons ........................ 15 Swieqi Overseas ........... 12 PHIL GIBBS TWITH key ball – carriers Sairee- ta Cassar and Tessabelle Sultana – Evans back in the Overseas squad, it looked an evenly matched affair on paper. However, Overseas got off to a disastrous start when the catch was spilled from Falcons kick – off. Playing the advantage, Bever- ie Sultana scooped up the ball and flipped it left to Carole Casparis, who sprinted down the touchline to open the scoring with just 30 seconds on the clock. The conver- sion was missed, and Falcons led by 5. Overseas launched their first attack on the restart. A powerful break by Sultana – Evans set up Cassar, who was hauled down just 5 metres short of the Falcons line. The ball was lost and then re- gained, as Falcons passed forward in their desperation to clear their line. The ball was illegally kicked out of the scrum on the put-in and Overseas were awarded a pen- alty. Roles were reversed as this time Cassar set up Sultana Evans, whose surging run took her clear of the defence and under the sticks. Wendy Pace landed the conversion to put her team 7-5 ahead. At the restart, the Overseas kick failed to reach the 10 metre line and the en- suing free-kick found Sultana. She pounced on the opportunity to cut through the Overseas de- fence before firing the ball out to Marion Azzopardi. Her run was held up but she managed to slip the ball wide to Caroline Gafa, who in- jected the necessary pace to finish off the move down the right wing and regain the lead for Falcons. Overseas struck back immedi- ately when Wendy Pace caught the Falcons kick and found Sultana – Evans, who made a surging run down the right wing. Her break was stopped, but the next play saw her involved again when she switched the ball left to Carole Gachet whose pass located the unmarked Cassar, who duly delivered the score. A pulsating first half came to an end with Overseas edging it 12 – 10. The second half saw both teams locked in a battle for dominance. Overseas failed to capitalise when Casparis was sin-binned for a head- high tackle which snapped Claire Casha backwards. Time and again they drove towards the Falcons line and were awarded a series of scrums, but grim defending by Falcons held them out. The im- pressive Sultana - Evans thundered towards the opposing try-line, but the ball was stripped in the tackle and Sultana's equally powerful run returned the ball to the Overseas 22 metre line. With Casparis back on, Falcons regained the momentum, and a series of attacks saw Overseas give away two penalties in quick succes- sion as they strayed offside. Anoth- er penalty went Falcons way after a Katka Vrybacka counter. She took it quickly and flung the ball right to Azzopardi, who set up the fast- finishing Casparis to sprint over for the score. With the seconds ticking away, Overseas frantically looked for an opening, but knocked on as Emma Grech chose the blindside to attack, when the opposite flank looked a better option. Falcons edged the win 15-12 in an entertaining game that could have gone either way. Star players- Beverie Sultana (Fal- cons), Tessabelle Sultana – Evans (Overseas) Other results Kavallieri 5 (M Spiteri) Falcons 36 (Vrybacka 2, B Sultana, C Caspar- is, D Sladden, M Azzopardi) Overseas 29 (T Sultana – Evans 2, S Cassar, E Grech 2) Kavallieri 5 (M Spiteri) Falcons squeeze past Overseas PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN STILON