Article Courtesy of Bryan L. Corlett
Kavallieri this season has been the team to beat, sweeping all before them through the League, it looked as if they would go through the season unbeaten, until last Saturday.
Overseas had been stalking them all season, but just couldn’t finish off the games when they got close, either running out of steam in the last quarter, or not being able to field their best team on the day.
With Saturday’s windy conditions, it would seem, that the team, who could make the most use of the wind, blowing straight down the field, would be the team to take the honours.
From my experience of playing at Marsa, I always say the wind gives you 20 points, so you need to be up by that, if you have to defend against it, in the second half.
The game started after a minutes silence for Robert Attard, the Kavallieri player who passed away last week.
Overseas kicked off with the wind at their backs, having lost the toss and it was all go, as forwards crashed into forwards at the onset, in one of the first rucks, Darryl Psaila and Tom Devaney cracked heads and were left rolling, dazed on the ground.
All the signs were pointing to a very physical encounter, as Overseas threw themselves into the tackles, they were going to play Kavallieri at their own game.
Apparently the Overseas Coach, Alan McKay, had them hitting each other as tackle bags in training,over the last week, getting them psyched up and hyped up, for this must win encounter.
Overseas were dominant in the loose and tackle area, but it was Kavallieri’s well drilled and organised scrums and lineouts, that were keeping them in the game.
As Overseas found their rhythm in the forwards, then their backs started moving the ball out wide with some slick passing, that hadn’t been seen in their backline since their glory days in the 80s and 90s,when they won 8 straight championships.In the past the running game was always their forte.
It was ball in hand Rugby, forget the wind and the boot, just keep that ball moving.The Kavallieri defence was having to work overtime, as they tried to stem the tide, as Overseas, looking sharp in their new kit, started running into space.If my memories serves me well, the Kavallieri line hasn’t been crossed too many times this year.
Kavallieri trying to get into the game, tried the pick and go, but were going nowhere fast, as they were swarmed by a committed Overseas defence.
They tried to boot it downfield to gain some territory and relieve a bit of the pressure, but their flyhalf was having trouble reading the script and the wind!
Overseas won a couple of penalties close to the line, with the Kavallieri players not rolling away from the tackle and Nick Wright took a quick tap and surged for the line, with his legs a pumping, Kavallieri caught unawares, tried to push him into touch, but he plonked the ball down in the water,right on the line to get the try.
Wright’s conversion kick lost power, half way to the posts.
Overseas 5 Kavallieri 0.
Back into the fray came Kavallieri with Vassallo, Grima, Cassar and Psaila all trying to carry the ball over the gainline, to give their backs some go forward, but many a promising move broke down with a dropped or forward pass.
In the heat of the battle big Tom Devaney stuck out a leg for a trip and got yellow carded by Referee, Steve Busutil, who was policing the game well, but not handcuffing the players with his whistle, as he tried to let the game flow.
Down to 14 men, didn’t seem to matter for Overseas, as they scored again with Wright bobbing and weaving his way to the line and going over close to the posts to give himself an easier kick for the conversion, which he curled over.
Overseas 12 Kavallieri 0.
Kavallieri were winning ball at lineout and scrum and even putting the Overseas scrum under a lot of pressure, to the point where new scrumhalf Beppe Sammut, having moved to Overseas from Alligators, was having trouble clearing the ball from the base of the scrum.
There seemed to be a lack of communication between 8 and 9.
But once Sammut gained his confidence he made some surging runs, biting off large chunks of territory, just fizzling out when no one was on his shoulder to take the pass.
Overseas scored again out wide with some slick passing through the hands, with Kiwi centre Colin McLeod, with a Scottish name, but with Maori and Japanese parentage, starting to look sharp with his distribution putting fullback Downs in at the corner.
Wright’s conversion kick veered off towards the stands.With the half time whistle it was:
Overseas 17 Kavallieri 0.(They were close to the “20″ with the wind)
As the teams went into a huddle for water, oranges and a pep talk from their coaches, there were murmurings around the ground, about Kavallieri being the fitter team and they would now get their “A” game going and with the wind, still a force to be reckoned with, would begin to claw their way back into the game.
Their second half started poorly though, with the kick not going 10 metres and Overseas getting the scrum at the half to keep the pressure on.
It was in the second half where big Clayton Cassar started getting hold of the ball with some bullocking runs, he may not score too often, but he drags in the defence to pull him down, if he could perfect his offload in the tackle, work on a fend and drop his shoulder at the tackle, I think he could add something more into the Overseas cocktail.He’s a massive presence!
Kavallieri seemed bereft of ideas and with Zahra, their Prop, getting yellow carded for repeated infringements at the tackle, they just couldn’t make any headway, their Captain Chris Vassallo was trying to whip them into action, but the horse seemed dead.
A promising break by Grima broke down with the ball being spilled.They went wide and broke down the flank, only to be called back for a forward pass.
“Gozo” Cassar took a big bump on the head and had to be assisted off,legs all jelly, to get his head bandaged, miraculously coming back on, looking like something out of the the movie “The Mummy”.
Kavallieri’s Kenyan fullback was trying to get his team going, coming into the backline, but the Oversea’s defence was shutting him down.Sean Doublesin moved into flyhalf, when their 10 was injured and tried to force his team up field with the boot, but when they got there, couldn’t get any momentum going, or go through enough phases to get them close to scoring.
Joss Howland the Overseas Captain, was having a great game, leading by example, putting in some fierce tackles and carrying the ball into the Kavallieri ranks.
From a series of rucks close to the Kavallieri line, the ball went wide. although a bit static and flat, but finally flanker McDonald loomed up at pace outside the winger, to blast his way over.
Wright’s conversion kick headed off to play golf.
It was now:
Overseas 22 Kavallieri 0.
Kavallieri were struggling in the front row,with injuries and with Border not available for this game, Vassallo had to move up there from No 8 and Cassar with a cracked crock now at 8, there was no go forward from the back of the scrum.
With some more slick passing from Overseas, they were able to put Wright in again and I think it was Marmara breaking out wide and running around behind the posts, who also scored.
This was too much for Kavallieri and their heads were down, they had to trudge back under the posts a total of 6 times in this game, with the final score being:
Overseas 34 Kavallieri 0.
Scorers for Overseas:Wright (3), McDonald, Marmara,Downs,Conversions Wright (2).
Another aspect of the game was the amount of Maltese playing in the Overseas team, which usually attracts the ex-pats, it was a nice mix and a good team effort.I counted seven different Nationalities in their team.
This week it will be Stompers versus Overseas and it will be a big test for the Overseas Club to see if they can maintain that standard for this next game and with Wright probably not in the lineup, the Overseas may introduce their ex-Dutch International flyhalf at 10.
With our Number 2 field flooded after Friday night’s rain and some games cancelled, we are hoping that all the games will be played next Saturday.
Enjoy your week,
Until Next Time,
Stay in Touch,
Regards,
Bryan
