An improving Police side took a ten-point lead before reigning champions Renegades turned on the style to run out winners in a First Division game of contrasting styles at Nationals on Sunday.

Police's approach, keeping it tight and punching the ball up the middle, won them the early advantage and they went in front with a well-taken try by John Roberts, converted by Greg Lunn. Further pressure won them a couple of penalties, the second of which was successfully kicked by Lunn.

But league leaders Renegades, sticking to their game plan in which the backline and loose fowards opened up the play at every opportunity, fought back and began to take control, forcing Police into mistakes.

The seemingly ageless Mike Gorrie grabbed two of their five tries, the second after a fine display of attacking rugby, while Andy Trinder, Pete Hughes and Nick Nock scored one apiece.

Police, however, showed their fighting spirit, skipper David Bird going over for a deserved try minutes before the end which Lunn converted to reduce the arrears to 14 points.

Teachers 31 Mariners 3 Mariners, fielding a weakened side, scored an early penalty and then collapsed as Teachers won to keep within two points of Renegades.

Mariners had no answer to the likes of Butch Robinson, Noel Capewell and Scott Correia, who made them pay for sloppy tackling. Robinson and Capewell both scored two tries while Correia, as ever, directed the play to keep their opponents on the back foot.

Mike Montgomery had a fine game at scrum half, scoring one try himself, setting up Capewell's second and kicking three conversions.

For Mariners, Paul Reid and Steve Rob worked their socks off and created occasional gaps in the Teachers defence but were let down by poor ball retention and the final pass going astray.

They will need to improve dramatically if they are to avoid a drubbing in their next match against Renegades.