local seven-a-side rugby as they comfortably retained the annual Cunningham Cup on Sunday.

Averaging 32 points a game, Teachers' First Division sevens made light work of the three other clubs.

Mariners and Renegades offered token resistance while the Police side were hopelessly outclassed.

Excellent handling a plentiful supply of support when attacking allowed the Reds to clinically finish almost every opportunity afforded them.

On their way to victory in the round-robin event, Teachers defeated Mariners 31-5, Renegades 36-5 and Police 29-0.

In other games Renegades beat Police 26-12, Mariners downed Police 21-10, and Mariners defeated Renegades 33-12.

The second team competition proved almost a carbon copy of the firsts, although Mariners, with a sterling contribution from Keith Hodgkins, managed to hold eventual winners Teachers to a 14-14 draw.

Both sides then dispatched Police and Renegades who were left to fight for the minor positions.

In the end it was Teachers' greater try and points aggregate that won the tournament after they had finished tied with Mariners on points.

Meanwhile, in a make-up Amstel Division One game on Saturday, a below-strength Police team managed to hang on for a nailbiting 12-9 win over Mariners.

Mariners got the ideal start at the kick-off with two excellent Declan O'Loughlin penalty goals.

But the Greens were never able to turn pressure into points and after Tim Carr had grabbed one penalty back, it was big Police wing Troy Glasgow who raced over from ten metres out only to have the ball ripped from his grasp as he dived for the Mariners' line. Carr equalled matters from in front of the posts close to half-time.

Both sets of forwards effectively cancelled each other out for the remaining 40 minutes and after O'Loughlin and Carr had again exchanged penalty goals, Police outside half Alan Oliver converted a drop goal courtesy of the right hand upright for the 12-9 win that leaves the league leaders five points clear of nearest rivals, Teachers, going into the Christmas break.