Alligators 7
Overseas 36
Hot favourites Overseas are still finding it hard to show their best form. They are tipped to make a strong challenge for the honours this season but will not do so unless they start to put together a series of attacking moves without breaking down.
On the other hand, Alligators are slowly but surely improving in terms of team spirit and organisation on the pitch. With a little more experience and dedication they will soon be making their mark.
From the start, Overseas used their height to dominate the line-out and scored their first try quickly.
Wilson scored the next one after Alligators full-back Thomas missed his tackle, converted by the elusive scrumhalf Stivala.
Alligators were not helping their cause with brave but poorly-executed tackling and marking. The half ended 17-7 to Overseas after Joe Devaney missed two penalties.
Alligators started well in the second half but Devaney missed another penalty, and then Sammut left the field injured.
Overseas began to play to their potential and Van Reeven burst powerfully through the middle to score under the posts, Stivala converting.
Led by Womack, Alligators worked upfield, only for Newbould to spark off for 50 metres until he chipped too far ahead over the deadball line.
There followed the best try of the match by Overseas's Judd after a superb build-up and running support, again converted by Stivala.
Overseas were now in complete command but managed to fluff their possession again and again with poor handling.
A final Overseas try was scored by Degiorgio after Barologio had spoilt an overlap with careless one-handed catching.
Qormi Sharks 0
Kavallieri 50
Despite the score and the inevitability of a Kavallieri win, Sharks should be encouraged by the improving shape and quality of their game.
As always the Kavallieri pack imposed their discipline and experience, but it was disappointing to see the whole backline so slow in thought and application.
The power obsession of Kavallieri caused them to ignore overlaps time and again.
Grima soon opened with a try converted by Doublesin, and after a long period camped on Sharks line, I. Borg scored again, converted by Doublesin.
Italian newcomer Allegrucei seemed a useful addition to Kavallieri and Sharks' Galea showed greatly improved fitness, mobility and knowhow, gained from his outings with the national squad.
Lautier scored the next Kavallieri try after Cutajar had made a magnificent crushing cover tackle. Another scrambled Kavallieri try was converted by Doublesin then Cutajar made an excellent weaving run of some 50 metres, offloaded to Bonavia who set up Grima to score yet again, converted by Doublesin.
A further Kavallieri try was converted by Azzopardi, but then Lautier was yellow-carded to the sin bin for Kavallieri and Sharks launched a siege on the Kavallieri try line.
Unfortunately, they played right into Kavallieri's hands by insisting on trying to bulldoze over, instead of swinging the ball wide and stretching the defence.
Time and again, Sharks tried a forward rush instead of taking the scrum or kicking for penalty points, and time and again Kavallieri cynically gave away penalties by stopping them illegally.
In fact, most referees would have been justified in awarding a penalty try for persistent infringement.
Then, to show how cruel rugby can be, Kavallieri broke away the length of the pitch for Doublesin to score, Azzopardi converting to reach 50 points.
Women's team promotion confirmed
Malta women's sevens team have had their promotion to Pool A of the European Tournament confirmed.
Their feat is a remarkable achievement for a squad drawn from fewer than 50 players and whose first match was only four years ago after Robert Bonavia, of Kavallieri RFC, helped female friends at the club to start playing the game.
The Maltese team have shown real understanding of the game and also a total grasp of teamwork and support from the start, much to the satisfaction of director of rugby and national coach Damien Neill.