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MRFU CUP
Kavallieri RFC vs. Stompers RFC FT 12-17

Both teams needed the win to put them into a leading position. It started off with some furious rugby. Kavallieri crashing their big runners up the 10 channel, close to the scrums, rucks and mauls, looked to blast past Patrick Satariano, but he and all the Stompers tackled like demons, not allowing the Kavallieri runners over the gain line.

It was a tight game throughout the first half, but the trademark play of Stompers, using quick turnover ball and moving it wide, finally paid off with winger, Luke Debattista scoring the first try for Stompers, which was converted successfully by Satariano.

Kavallieri, with one man down, who was sin-binned for ten minutes for a head high tackle, played against a strong wind. They went through some phase play working their way close to the Stompers line. Roderick Attard, just back from an injury, then stepped his marker and went in to score a try wide out. But the conversion was unsuccessful.

In the second half, Kavallieri picked up their game and pinned Stompers on their line for a good ten minutes. They were winning Stomper’s ball into the scrum as well, keeping the pressure on. It looked like Kavallieri were getting back into the game, but then a quick penalty, taken by Mirabelli had Stompers laying siege to the Kavallieri tryline. Out of desperation to prevent a try, Grima didn’t roll away in the tackle and he was sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes.

Another break from Stompers sees Satariano weave his way through four tacklers and then side-step the full back, to go over beside the posts. The try was successfully converted by Malcolm Attard. Just a few minutes later Robert Bonavia, is sinbinned for a high tackle and Malcolm Attard steps up and slots the penalty.

Kavallieri are now playing desperate rugby, trying to force their way back into the game, finally they put some phases of play together, win a ruck on the Stompers line and then getting it wide to their winger Boccaccini, who dives over near the corner placing the ball short off the try-line. Referee, Mr. Steve Busuttil, was giving out a yellow card to the Stompers Hooker for foot tripping, during the build up to what the referee eventually awarded what he thought was as a try. For its conversion, the ball was not placed on the imaginary line that runs the length of the field through where the ball was touched down. The Referee was unaware that the ball was wrongly placed closer to the H-Bar, enabling Attard to successfully convert without problem. When asked to comment Mr. Busuttil said that “it was the end of the match and I would have given a penalty-try anyway for a trip on the ball carrier. I thought he had scored a try so instead I left it at that.”

Full time whistle is blown. There was no time for Kavallieri to take advantage.

Kavallieri RFC: I. Borda, I. Borg, J. Zahra, D. Psaila, Joseph Cutajar, Pierre Azzopardi, Michael Bonavia, Robert Bonavia, Daniel Grima, S. Doublesin, C. Mallia, K. Psaila Montfort, M. Curtis, D. Schembri, M. Lautier

Stompers RFC: P. Bradley, N. Gatt, T. Pace Moore, K. Zammit, D. Cerketa, S. Attard, M. Von Brockdorff, J. Tonna, M. Mirabelli, P. Satariano, T. Diacono, M. Camilleri, M. Attard, L. Debattista, C. Morton

Referee: Mr. Steve Busuttil

Other Results:

MRFU CUP
B’Kara Alligators RFC vs Valletta Lions RFC FT 24-12
Referee: Mr. Phil Gibbs

7s Ben Benett’s CUP
Sharks WRFC vs Kavallieri WRFC FT 0-24
Referee: Mr. Phil Gibbs