Stompers maul Sharks to secure title

Stompers TGIF 74
Hibs Sharks 0

Although the Sharks have had a positive season, tasting victory in a competitive match for the first time, Stompers were clear favourites to win.

Stompers quickly began putting points on the board as tries came from Malcolm Attard and Max Galea. These were followed up by two tries from Chris Morton, both of which were converted by Attard.

Sharks were given no respite as Stompers continued to create scoring opportunities.

Tries from Jan Zammit, Jason Cornthwaite and two from Attard, all of which were converted by the latter, put Stompers in a commanding position at the end of the first half.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first. Cornthwaite, Mario Fountain, Attard and Morton scored tries for Stompers. Attard converted one of these tries.

With this victory, Stompers secured their position at the top of the league table and added the national title to the Ray Elliot Cup they won earlier in the season.

Louis Farrugia, honorary president of the Malta Rugby Football Union (MRFU) and chief executive officer of Simonds Farsons Cisk, presented the Cisk Lager championship trophy to Stompers players in the presence of Juan Borg Manduca, the president of the MRFU.

For their part, Kavallieri WRFC received the Ben Bennett Women's Championship Cup from Borg Manduca.

Referee: Bryan Corlett.

Alligators Cisk 24
Kavallieri Blue Label 55

Kavallieri came into this match full of confidence after their victory against Stompers in the MRFU Cup final. Not so for Alligators who are enduring a shaky end to the season.

Scoring soon opened with Kavallieri's Sean Doublesin getting the first try. This was rapidly followed by a try from his team-mate Daniel Grima, subsequently converted by Roderick Attard, giving Kavallieri an early lead.

Successive tries by Kurt Psaila Montford, Doublesin and Grima, two of which were converted by Attard, cemented Kavallieri's lead.

But, just as the game looked to be developing into a massacre, the Alligators showed they still had some bite as a two-try came from Beppe Sammut, followed by two from Tim Womack. Chris Sammut converted two of these tries as Alligators clawed their way back into the game before the half-time whistle.

The second half saw an all-out assault by Kavallieri. Alligators' defence was broken repeatedly as tries were scored by Grima, Emmanuel Lautier, Ian Borda and Doublesin, the latter converting two of the tries. Kavallieri thus ended their season with another sound victory.

Referee: Steven Busuttil.

Standings: Stompers 22 points; Kavallieri 20; Overseas 18; Hibs Sharks 10; Alligators 10.