January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Renegades pull off unique double
Renegades were in a ruthless mood and soon put the Dragons to the sword, running in eight unanswered tries in the most lopsided Scully final ever played. Leading the way was captain Amy Harvey with three, followed by two tries from Ruth Boo Leston, and tries from Sue Rebello, Laura Haynes and Melissa Field.
In the 73 years of competing for the Nicol Shield (one of Bermuda's oldest running sporting trophies), Mariners have only won it once (1994) while Renegades have won it on eleven previous occasions.
Unfortunately for Mariners there was no divine intervention and the game went the way most pundits had expected with Renegades eventually winning 26-8.
A quick line out deep in their own 22 saw Renegades winger Greg Garside combine well with the impish O'Dwyer and a rapier-like counter attack against the run of play saw the wee man scamper in, after eluding several would be tacklers with some fine jinking moves.
Waldburger converted to make it 7-0 and Mariners spent the rest of the game chasing.
A text book line out by Rorke saw the Greens drive over from close with their burly number eight Gary Brady claiming the try from the bottom of pile to narrow things to 7-5. Richard Holden missed the difficult conversion.
Renegades responded immediately and showed that they could play the forwards game too with some sustained pressured eventually paying off with Paul Dobinson crashing over from close for a converted try and a 14-5 lead. Mariners worked the ball back with their patented driving maul and were rewarded a penalty just before the half which Holden knocked over to close it to 14-8.
Mariners spent most of the second half in their own end and had to work hard to make in roads. Renegades tackled well and looked to capitalize on any mistakes made.
A wonderfully worked back line move was expertly finished off by John Jackson. Waldburger missed the conversion but his side had a 19-8 lead. Mariners manfully tried to fight their way back into the game but could not unlock a resolute defensive front. A final try came in the closing moments with the indomitable Conrad Hinchey poaching the ball and making a surging break down the middle. A deft off load to the ubiquitous Tom Healy saw the sinewy Bermuda Irish scrum half slash his way over for a converted try for a flattering 26-8 score line. The final whistle saw jubilation in the eyes of Renegades and despair in the Mariners. League Champions Renegades capped off a fantastic season with a well deserved Nichol Shield win- ensuring they won the vaunted "double".
Closing out the domestic rugby season will be the Bermuda Sevens tournament scheduled for March 22 at National Sports Centre with two times champions Bermuda Irish back to defend their title.[[In-content Ad]]
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