Mariners emerged victorious, beating a Bermuda Select team 18-0 on Saturday in what was the the first of the annual club days on the rugby calendar.

The match was the last of four between Mariners and Select sides which took place before a large crowd at the Sommersfield Academy with the Spirit Trophy at stake.

And Mariners were desperate for victory, their teams having suffered two losses and played to a draw in the three previous games of the day.

They started well and from receiving the kick-off, worked their way up the pitch. With the opposition sucked in tight to defend, Mariners swung it wide and Kory Logan finished in the corner to put them 5-0 ahead early on.

They kept up the pressure with some fine forward drives and hard running in the backs. That pressure yielded two penalties that saw Mark Pomeroy split the posts.

The Select side began to counter-ruck and gain more quality possession. They were the stronger team leading up to half-time and it took a superb covering tackle from Alun Thomas to save what looked like a certain try, thus preserving Mariners' 11-0 lead at half-time.

The second half proved to be a bruising encounter with neither side willing to yield.

Shauntino Simons made a great break for the Select through the middle but got an unfortunate bounce right at the end as Lady Luck seemed to smile on the men in green.

Again Mariners began a slow building drive as wave after wave of attack slowly but surely gained position deep in the Select's '22. They kept it close to the breakdown time and again as they attempted to batter the opposition into submission. With no luck in close, the ball was swung wide to Steve Husbands to power over to pull Mariners further clear, with Pomeroy nailing the conversion.

It proved to be the final score of the match.

Earlier, in the men's game between the Mariners 2nd XV and a second Select, the score was much closer with the Select running out 12-10 winners.

It was the Select who gained an early advantage, registering two tries in the opening minutes. Shauntino Simons grabbed the first after a run outside the scrambling defence. The conversion was missed but the Select increased that lead shortly after as Rob Vieira ploughed his way over the line. Scott Cobon slotted the conversion to open up a 12-0 lead.

However, Mariners responded well with Johann Oosthuizen and Steve Robb driving over the line to pull the score back to 12-10. But both attempted conversions were missed.

No further points were scored in a physical second half which saw tempers flare. Mariners ended up with just 13 players as two men were sent off.

In the ladies' first XV match between the two same sides, it was the Select who ran out 3-1 winners – one point awarded for each try scored.

The Select opened brightly and quickly had two tries on the board as Melissa Field and Rachel McLoughlin both broke through. And although Mariners settled and tightened up their defence, eventually their opposition wore them down again with Amy Harvey crossing to increase the lead.

Mariners came back with a consolation try from Karlene Antoine to close the gap.

In the ladies' second XV game, there was nothing to separate the two teams as it ended 2-2.

In a tight affair in which both sides found it difficult to breach solid defences, it was Marinerswho went into the break leading 1-0 following a Denika Borden try.

Select tied things up with a try of their own from Nicola Jones. But a beautiful draw and pass from Michelle Hicks set Kelly-Anne Broom through a gap, and she made no mistake to edge Mariners in front again.

Hopes for a Mariners win, however, were dashed when Jones showed great balance down the wing to stay in touch and grab the equalising try.

Local rugby action now takes a break until after Christmas.