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In the battle of undefeated teams, Police, missing several key players including Kenny O'Shea and Andrew Flint, took on a fancied Renegades squad. In furnace like conditions at Malabar field Police applied pressure from the kick off. Crazily the boys in blue turned down a penalty kick in front of the posts and opted for a quick tap and attack. Andrea Battison's charge for the line was thwarted but fortunately for the Police, Tom Healy was pulled up for another infringement in the shadows of his own posts. Police captain Jamie Webb sensibly asked rising star Joel Blyde to knock over the easy penalty for an early 3-0 lead.

Police continued their early pressure and after some strong forward play were unfortunate not to score after a long pass to Nick Kempe cruelly went to ground with the try line beckoning. Renegades having weathered the initial onslaught then began to dominate time of possession and territorially. In particular Healy and full back Greg Garside increasingly began to look dangerous with several incisive runs from their own half. A bludgeoning run by James Holburn was brought to a crunching halt by Police center Richard Keegan who came off the worse and had to retire from the game injured. Police displayed their depth of talent with former West Indies star Jonathan Cassidy coming off the bench to fill the void. Cassidy was quickly asked to step up as he stopped a scything Healy foray with a great defensive tackle; denying his Bermuda Irish teammate a certain try.

A pattern began to develop with Renegades, capitalizing on poor clearance kicks, keeping Police pinned down in their own 22, and under constant pressure. Only valiant defending kept the 'Gades at bay. Australian referee Ron Flesch was in a truculent mood and he pulled up the dominant police front row for allegedly collapsing the scrum on their own ball. Healy was curiously allowed to take the quick tap free kick in front of the referees mark and he waltzed through a startled Police backline and scissored with Connor McGlynn who delighted the female gallery by diving over with his long golden mane flowing in the breeze. Paul Waldburger made the easy conversion for a much deserved 7-3 lead.

Police responded well with some strong running by the effervescent Cassidy and dogged drives by Mark Robinson. The improving standard of Police forward play was revealed when they were able to quickly recycle the ball through several phases and release Blyde who powered through a weak Waldburger tackle to retake the lead 10-7 with a converted try.

Shortly after the restart, Waldburger had an opportunity to make amends when Police scrumhalf Nick Suprina was adjudicated to have handled in the ruck but he sliced the easy penalty kick wide from 20 meters out. Strong structured play saw Police close out the half in ascendancy with Dave Bird and Micky Stokes dominating in the lose play.

The second half started with Renegades launching wave after wave of attacks at the bedrock Police defence. Police soaked up the pressure much like the famed Ali/Frazer "rope a dope" fight with Doug Davies and powerful Ian Simpson leading the rear guard action with thunderous tackles and indomitable spirit. Once again Police were the architect of their own predicament when their inability to effectively punt clear of their lines was exposed. Renegades were camped for the majority of the half in the Police 22 and only had one missed Waldburger penalty to show for all their efforts. Police winger Warren Bundy then decided to run the ball out after giving up the futile kicking game. His strong surging run took his side for the first time into the Renegades half. Bundy masterfully off loaded to Nick Suprina who scurried within inches of the try line but was pulled down by a desperate Scott Slatter tackle. Police recycled brilliantly and looked to score on the blind-side but a doughty Mike Williams forced Andy Farrell into touch. From the ensuing line-out Police formidable second row Mark Evans poached the throw in and powered over to extend his sides lead to 15-7. Blyde missed the difficult conversion. Renegades, having thrown everything but the kitchen sink at the well organized and disciplined Police defensive line had little left in the tank and the game closed out with stout Police tackling. The final whistle saw an exhausted Police team cheer jubilantly as they secured top of table honours with a hard fought 15-7 victory over a beleaguered Renegades outfit.

The second game of the afternoon pitted Teachers and Mariners with both teams searching for their first victory of the short season. Mariners coach Joann Oosthuizen was bemoaning the absence of no less than nine of his starting line up- Kris Furbert, Richard Brown and new comer Richard Holding were all unavailable and the greens were fielding a patchwork squad. Luckily Teachers agreed to uncontested scrums and thus ensured a more competitive game. Teachers started the game off sprightly enough and showed that they were willing to be enterprising by throwing the pill about. After a good passage of play the ageless wonder Alvin Harvey showed he still had the pace and know-how to influence the game out wide. Harvey constantly harassed his opposite number rookie Mark Morrison and one could tell it was going to be a long day at the office for him. Teacher's first try of the day came from a patented Havery run which was quickly recycled to young Ron Hook who was tackled short of the line but he still managed, while lying on his back, to pop the ball up to Jean-Francios Mauvis. Mauvis made no mistake and dove over the line for a converted try.

From the restart, Teacher's captain Dave Porter broke through around the fringes after selling an outrageous dummy to the flat footed Gary Brady. Porter charged ahead drawing in the covering defense before finding Harvey in support. Harvey's long pass to a wide open Harry Andrews, uncorked the speedster who clinically finished of the rapier like attack in the corner. Chris Naylor's woes with his kicking game continued as he missed the conversion but his side was well in control with a 12-0 lead. Mariners began to settle down and gel. The forwards strung together a series of pick and drives and were threatening to score. Mariners center Ian Bowd broke through and was looking to score when Derek Hurdle stopped him in his tracks with an ugly looking high tackle. Hurdle was admonished by referee John Weale with many of the spectators opining that the flagrant foul deserved a yellow card sin binning. Luke Millward slotted the penalty to close the gap to 12-3 just before the half.

Teachers continued to dominate in the set pieces and young Hook especially shone in the line-outs. Red stalwarts Billy McNiven and Hurdle obviously relishing the prospect of lifting the relatively light weight Hook high in the air to secure good line-out ball- despite every effort of Mariners to frustrate the supply. Credit must also go to new Teachers open side flanker- Michael Barkhuizen whose accurate throwing invariably found the target.

The second half saw the Mariners side make a determined effort to be competitive but missing most of their key strike players, they could find no way through the resilient Teachers back-line. Their never say die attitude had the crowd cheering for the underdog but an opportune interception by David Porter saw him sprint the length of the pitch for a converted try which all but extinguished any come back bid. Mariners continued with their stubborn resistance dominating both possession and territory but were unlucky not to be rewarded with a consolation score. In the dieing seconds of the keenly contested match, Teachers secured the crucial bonus point, when against run of play, Harry Andrews broke free to score his sides forth try of the day. Ushering in the final whistle, Chris Naylor made the straightforward conversion to increase the flattering score line 26-3.[[In-content Ad]]

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