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62 maltatoday SUNDAY, 14 MAY 2017 Sport PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZARA AMEEN RUGBY Stompers Re/Max win the CISK Lager League Final BRYAN CORLETT THIS was a game fitting of a Grand Final. It had everything, passion, drama, high emo- tion, disappointments, challenges and victo- ries, the kind of game that no team deserved to lose with the maxim effort that was put into it, by all the players, I think even the spectators were exhausted when finally Lionel Da Silva blew the whistle to end the extra time that had to be played. The final score was 24 all, at the eighty min- ute mark, but Stompers Re/Max won it in the extra 20 minutes played, by 43 to 38. Making a comeback after their loss to Swieqi Overseas last week in the Mediterranean Bank Cup fi- nal. Stompers seemed a bit flat in the first half, when I thought they would come out of the blocks firing after last week's loss, but in hindsight they paced themselves throughout the game and had enough energy in the tank, when they needed it, to close out the game. Overseas scored two tries in the first 20 min- utes with to Anthony Harvey(3) from a maul and Devante Hinds(11) from a tight head scrum that allowed him to beat his opposite number on the outside and a swerve back in- side to beat the cover. Dudman converted one to make the score 12 nil and Stompers were still trying to get into the game. Gum had been yellow carded and in that 10 minutes he was off the field Overseas had struck. The Overseas backline was running smoothly keeping the Stomper's defence busy, Cameron Brown grubbered through, Sarres was his usual penetrating self, ghosting through the gaps, taking play to within 10 me- tres of Stompers line, then Anthony Harvey struck again, scoring from close. Sarres(12) went off injured a big loss and Stompers flicked a switch and raised their game, scoring two tries, one to Tom Pace- Moore(6) after a period of indiscipline by the Oversea's forwards and then a try to Luke De- battista(21) after a strong run by Isaac Bezzi- na(5) down the middle, after an offload by Debattista. With one converted, the score was now close at Overseas 17, Stompers 14. It was a momentum shift, Stompers were high on emotion at last and taking the game to Overseas. That surge carried through into the second half with two tries within 15 minutes to Jer- emy Debattista(21) in the corner and Isaac Bezzina(5) ranging out wide on the wing, to take the score out to Stompers 24, Overseas 17. An ominous sign for Overseas was their Women's team leaving the ground in a bus, with speakers blaring, they needed them there to cheer the Men on to victory! Dudman was running at pace trying to get his team back into the game, Overseas upped their tempo and pressurised Stomper's scrum driving them back over their tryline. Da Silva flashed Yellow cards to Hinds(11) for Over- seas and Calvin Briffa(7) for Stompers. Harvey drove again from a lineout and maul bringing the scores level at full time, 24 each. McLister was winning kick offs as he charged after the ball using his height and ball skills to regain possession. Into extra time as the players and the Refer- ee began to cramp up, the immense heat was sapping the players' energy. In the first minute of extra time Nathan Gatt(2) put Stompers ahead with the conver- sion making it Stompers 31, Overseas 24. But Overseas came straight back at them with Dudman running strongly to score, con- verting his try it was tied up again at 31 all. The large crowd were getting their money's worth as this spectacle of a game unfolded be- fore their eyes. Camilleri the Stomper's Captain (12)scored under the posts, punching his way straight through a double tackle by Dudman(12) and Rhys Barry(22) who was on for the injured Sarres. Just to keep up the intensity another Yellow card went to Julian Caruana(23) straight after he had scored from a sweeping backline move downfield, from hero to zero in a minute. Stompers 43, Overseas 31. Overseas lifted their game again reminis- cent of last weeks' game and back they came still sniffing a chance for an upset and that man Anthony Harvey, the Overseas Captain scored his fourth try from a lineout maul, Dudman slotted the conversion from out wide bringing them to Stompers 43 Overseas 38 but time ran out for them, as Referee Lionel Da Silva blew for full time, to end this final that was a testament to the game of Rugby. Men of the Match: Stompers: Isaac Bezzina and Dragan Cerketta. Overseas: Anthony Harvey and Chris Dudman. The game for third place was won by Fal- cons, 63 to Kavallieri's 7. PHOTOGRAPHY BY WARREN SAMMUT