Renegades 50

Mariners 24

Despite being under-manned, Renegades dealt a crushing blow to Mariners to leave no doubt why they are the best team in the league this year, and the favourites for a coveted double with the Nichol Shield competition coming up.

Mariners may have been winners of three out of the last four matches between these teams, but that counted for nought in the end as Renegades piled on the agony in the second half.

'Gades started the game with only 14 players and were a further man down after three minutes when prop Jessup Jones was pulled up by referee John Weale for a high tackle.

Mariners pressed home their two-man advantage as flanker Kris Furbert scored and Richard Holden converted. Renegades responded through Scott Slater, although the conversion was missed by Paul Waldburger, only for Holden to reply in turn with an unconverted try to maintain Mariners' five-point cushion.

But just before the interval, 'Gades evened things up at 12-12 through Waldburger's unconverted try.

In the second half, Mariners were unable to retain possession and Renegades ruthlessly exploited the gaps with three tries in rapid succession, two from an improving Neil McGuiness and one from Tyler Johansen. With two conversions going over and a fourth unconverted try being added by Tom Healy, who was blowing away the cobwebs after a brutal technical knockout in the previous evening's Fight Night, 'Gades looked comfortable at 36-12.

Surprisingly, Mariners did not give up and fought back. Led by some ferocious drives from prop Dustin Archibald, the Greens clawed their way back with two tries from the impressive Furbert who completed his hat-trick with an unconverted try bringing the score to 36-24. But that was as close as things got.

The league champions pulled away again with Scott Slater getting a second try and ageless veteran flanker Rod Steward dazzling with a fine streaking slow motion try of the day to finish off an impressive 50-24 victory.

In the upcoming Nichol Shield, Renegades will face Police and Teachers will face Mariners in the knockout competition. All games will be played next Sunday at the National Sports Centre.

Police 31

Teachers 12

A severely depleted Teachers side, who looked suspiciously punch drunk from the previous night's fighting extravaganza, could not field a recognised front row and had points deducted.

It was Teachers who got on the scoresheet first. Outside centre Harry Andrews came in from his position to collect the ball from the base of a ruck and cleverly spotted a gap by the fringes. He shot through and raced in from 22 metres to open the scoring. Peter Dunlop converted.

The restart saw Police prop James Billings go on a trademark rampaging run and the ensuing ruck found the Reds guilty of offside which gave

Michael Wilbur Kane a long penalty kick opportunity from 40 metres. He stroked the ball between the uprights to close the score to 7-3.

A cynical trip by Teachers' Craig Smith killed a scoring chance for Jamie Scherner, but Kane uncharacteristically missed the penalty kick.

There was no denying the Police when flanker Carl (Blue) Geyer soared in the line-out to pluck the ball, which was fired out by Nick Superina to standoff Tom Sutcliffe, who executed a classic dummy miss which sliced open the Teachers' back line before passing to winger Ralshon Douglas who danced in from 30 metres. Kane converted.

The flowing game was by no means over although Reds' Jamie Morrison was harshly called for not releasing in a tackle and Kane extended the Police lead to 13-7 with yet another long-range penalty kick.

But Teachers brought the sides to within a single point of one another before the interval following a move that started with a quick tap penalty and involved a link up between David Porter and Thomas (Tank) Greenslade and then Anthony (Church) Cupidore. The dreadlocked bruiser made no mistake from five metres out and scored a try on the stroke of half-time, Dunlop missing the penalty.

Police substitutions in the second half brought renewed focus. Vice-captain David Bird's sublime underhand pass eluded a startled Porter and released Mike Arbuthnot who had a straightforward 40-metre canter to the line to score a back-breaking converted try.

Mighty Police second rower Mark Evans bulldozed through a series of would-be tackles to win a penalty which Kane took. Kane's boot kept the score ticking over with a succession of penalties to bring Police to a commanding 26-12 lead.

To their credit Teachers fought back, but Police had the final say with player of the match Arbuthnot plunging over for a second try to ensure the league's wooden spoon would go into Teachers' cutlery drawer.