Stompers 28
Overseas 10
Stompers have just been crowned league champions this season so they started this match on Saturday as hot favourites to beat Overseas and make it a double.
Stompers lived up to expectations and only took a couple of minutes to get on the scoreboard when Malcolm Attard was successful from a penalty after Overseas were penalised for not rolling away.
Overseas were then awarded a penalty for not releasing, but failed to convert.
The game settled into a pattern with Stompers launching attacks from line-outs and scrums, and Overseas having to defend en masse.
Then, on 28 minutes, Stompers broke through to chalk up the game’s first try. Off a line-out, John Ellul dashed down the left wing before releasing Sam Borg who dived over to score.
Stompers kept up the pressure with Rob Meintjes using his powerful boot to great effect, but too often the possession was wasted, as Overseas were superb in their defending.
On 39 minutes, Matt Camilleri was yellow-carded for killing the ball and Overseas threatened Stompers’ line for the first time in the game.
Two quick penalties ensued after a maul collapsed on Stom-pers’ five-metre line, and when they were further penalised for not retreating, Vince Stivala took a quick tap penalty and threw a long pass to Neil West who squeezed into the right corner to score Overseas’ first points.
At half-time, Stompers led 8-5.
It was as close as Overseas got to Stompers, though, as Attard struck with a quick penalty at the start of the second half, and then a period of sustained pressure ended with Tony Camilleri scoring down the left side after superb handling from Galea and Attard off the back of a maul.
Stompers were lucky not to lose another player to the sin bin after a late hit on Jean Claude Thomp-son earned just a penalty. But with Overseas finally getting some attacking moves together, Stom-pers began to lose their discipline, giving away more penalties until Meintjes was sin-binned for a high tackle.
Overseas were fighting back, and wasted a good scoring chance when they knocked on from a close-range penalty.
Cassar went off injured, and Overseas lost their momentum, as Stompers launched two powerful attacks which were held up just short of the line, before Meintjes broke through to score.
With the game threatening to run away from them, Overseas scored an opportunist try, when Stompers’ passing went awry, and Thompson kicked through a loose ball down the left, and followed up to score.
But, with a few minutes to go, Stompers put the game out of reach when Attard made a fine break down the left wing, passed to Borg who released Meintjes to touch down.
Adrian Mallia, Head of Wealth Solutions at Mediterranean Bank, presented the cup to Stompers captain Sam Borg.
Referee: Lionel de Silva.