The League game between Stompers RFC and Kavallieri RFC was on fire, from start to finish. It was played in the spirit of a final. This game and will now be looked at, as a milestone in local rugby. To be talked about for years by the crowd of several hundred who were there, barracking for their team to win.
Both teams were missing their Malta national team players, who are preparing for the next two internationals, against Latvia (away 18 April) and Holland (at home 25 April). Each player had to raise his game to make up for the depleted ranks.
When Stompers were two tries up, thanks to Mario Fountain and Luke Debattista, after some slick passing in the backs, with just 15 minutes on the clock, it looked as if they were going to run away with it.
But then a Stompers player was sent to the sin bin, for tripping. Kavallieri, with a series of pick and goes in the forwards, laid siege to the Stomper’s line and scored two tries, through Sean Doublesin and Robert Bonavia, crashing through the defence, from close range.
Three points were kicked by Malcolm Attard, when Kavallieri were penalised midfield, for not releasing in the tackle.
Satariano was marshalling his backs, with crisp passing and slick interchanges, hitting his strong running fullback Fountain, who scored again, when he chimed into the backline at pace, taking a delayed, flat pass and side stepping the Kavallieri rush defence, to score in the corner. With no conversion, the score was Stompers 22; Kavallieri 14.
Kavallieri kept the game tight, with their forwards carrying the ball up field. The Stompers defense kept them from scoring. Finally, Kavallieri won a penalty for a Stomper’s player not rolling away after the tackle and Roderick Attard kicked the three points.
A defensive kick by Satariano, that was allowed to bounce by the Kavallieri back three, had them in all sorts of bother and Luke Debattista swooped in, got a lucky bounce and his pace took him around the defenders, to score under the posts.
With the second half underway, the Kavallieri forwards were trying to get back into the game, but it was all catch up rugby, as whenever they scored, then the Stompers backline would kick into high gear, with switches and double rounds exposing the Kavallieri’s defense.
Kavallieri scored again through a forward rush, with Cutajar going over near the posts and R Attard’s conversion putting Kavallieri within a try of the Stompers.
But immediately, Satariano scored, doubling around his inside centre, creating space, and then accelerating for the tryline. Another try followed by Mario Fountain. After a quick tap penalty, he outstripped the defence, ran down the touchline, to score in the corner. No conversion.
Kavallieri battled their way up field, running onto the ball and going through the phases, from tackle to ruck and then backline move, with finally Joe Cutajar scoring next to the posts. Roderick Attard kicked the conversion successfully.
In a final backline move, that really showed the difference between the two teams, Satariano doubled around his inside centre, to take the pass, then quickly reversed the ball back inside, to a straight running Malcolm Attard, who went through the space that the play had created, to score untouched near the posts. The conversion was successful.
Stompers RFC: T. Bonnello, N.Gatt, M. Spiteri, D. Cerketa, K. Zammit, M. Von Brockdorff, S. Attard, J. Tonna, M. Galea, P. Satariano, T. Diacono, C. Morton, M. Attard, L. Debattista, M. Fountain
Kavallieri RFC: S. Jones, I. Borg, A. Bartolo , P. Mangion, N. Grech, J. Cutajar, P. Azzopardi, R. Bonavia, S. Doublesin, R. Attard, J. Grima, R. Vella, D. Grima, C. Mallia, C. Boccaccini
Referee: Steve Busuttil
Scorers
Stompers: Tries: Fountain 3, Debattista 2, Attard 1, Satariano 1. Conversions: Satariano 4. Penalties: Attard 1.
Kavallieri: Tries: Cassar 2, Doublesin 1, R Bonavia 1.Conversions: R Attard 4, Penalties: R Attard 1.
Other result
Overseas RUFC-B’kara Alligators RFC 50-0