bottom-of-the-table Police 28-0 in Sunday's first XV rugby action at Nationals.

Mariners, meanwhile, thanks to the strong play of Danny McGavern and Paul Reid held on to defeat Teachers 11-7 in a game that witnessed one ugly moment resulting in Teachers' Mike Montgomery taking an early shower.

The Renegades and Police match wasn't without its moments either as Russ Matthews of Police and Rod Stewart of 'Gades also received their marching orders for fighting.

After the day's three sending offs, Bermuda Rugby Football Union president John Williams said: "It is very apparent that referees won't tolerate stupidity and at least one team better get used to that in a hurry.'' From the outset Renegades took the game to Police with two fine tries from Shane Gill and another from Phil Heaney.

With Heaney converting two of them, Renegades looked set for a comfortable afternoon.

But Heaney left the field before half-time with a back injury and although 21 points down, Police refused to fold, camping out in Renegades' territory for much of the second half.

Opting not to take pots at goal, Police threw everything into wave after wave of attack only to be denied by the 'Gades defence.

About 15 minutes before the final whistle, Matthews and Stewart were ordered off and this was followed by a fine piece of running from Neville Ross who converted his own try to complete Renegades' 28-0 win.

But the fighting Police performance suggested they could still spring some surprises after the Christmas break.

In the other game, Montgomery ruined a useful performance by disgracing himself with a serious case of dissent which left referee Peter Borland no option but to send him off.

Halfway through the second half, Mariners held a narrow 8-7 lead and were attacking Teachers' line. An attacker was penalised and when the referee told Montgomery to keep quiet and let him get on with his job, the player ran at the official and squared up to him.

It was Montgomery who had opened the first half scoring for Teachers with a fine run from 30 yards out. Crashing through a number of tackles he put the ball under the posts for Nathan Brown to convert.

Just before half-time with play see-sawing from end to end, Danny McGavern, on a move started by Rob Morgan, danced his way over for another good try.

And with a few minutes remaining, Keith Hodgkins, whose boot is getting truer by the week, put a penalty over to give Mariners the lead.

Mariners increased that advantage after the break thanks to another Hodgkins penalty.