Police XV 12

Rest of Bermuda XV 38

Police Rugby club hosted the rest of the Island in the annual George Duckett Memorial Day, remembering the late Police commissioner, an avid supporter of Police sports and rugby, who was assassinated in 1972.

A maelstrom opening 20 minutes left the Police team looking the wrong way down a 24-0 scoreline.

Police had hoped to add a fifth consecutive Duckett win, but it soon became clear that was an unlikely outcome.

National team coach Peter Shillingford's game plan was to spread the ball wide early and often and it proved to be a decisive tactical decision as this approach cruelly exposed the Police weakness on the flanks.

The first try came from intelligent Greg Garside at standoff combining well with his scrum-half partner Tom Healy and the ball eventually reaching Jeff Sangster who was released out wide to dot down in the corner. However, Chris Way missed the difficult conversion.

It was not long after the restart that National captain Bobby Hurdle extended the lead courtesy of open-side flanker Kris Furbert and Tom Healey getting the ball to the giant Hurdle. When Way converted it was 12-0.

There was no respite for Police, who had still to win possession of the ball, as their opponents made it 19-0 with 10 minutes played, Dave Porter in full-back position scoring a converted try.

Stern words from Police captain Jamie Webb had an effect and the Police started to get a touch of the ball, but a surprising counterattack saw mercurial Harry Andrews scored his first try of the season to make it 24-0.

Police showed resolve and some inspirational play from Ken O'Shea and Iain Simpson to bring some respectability back to the Police game, but even as referee Dennis Dwyer awarded several playable penalty kicks, Police stuck to their attacking plan only to see efforts from the normally reliable right foot of Michael Kane miss the desired corners.

In the second half Police vice-captain Dave Bird scored after demanding the ball following a cynical killing of the ball by the Rest after Captain Webb had been brought down just short of the line. Bird crashed past three tacklers to score and Nick Kempe scored the conversion to make it 24-7.

Police continued to pound forward and it was Billings who burrowed his way over from close for an unconverted try to close the gap to 24-12. But that was as close as Police would come as fatigue set in.

An unintentional high tackle by O'Shea on Healy led to O'Shea and Scotsman Simpson rolling in the mud until warned off by referee Dwyer.

An errant pass from a scrum five metres out was pounced on by Connor McGlynn who scored between the posts to extend the lead to 31-12. The Rest administered the final blow with a quick lineout to Hurdle who drove in close before handling off to the impressive Garside who scored his side's sixth and final try.

Centre Luke Millward converted and the Rest trotted off with a much deserved 38-12 victory.

Assistant Commissioner Carlton Adams presented the trophies drawing to a close a well-attended and keenly contested Duckett Memorial day of rugby.