Police win fourth leg of women’s rugby festival

POLICE continued to stamp their authority in women’s rugby TTRFU Women’s Division Festival when they won their fourth consecutive leg of the competition yesterday, closing the event with a 44-0 thrashing of Harvard.

The festival took place at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, as Royalians were hosts. Royalians, however, defaulted the tournament because of an accumulation of injured players.

As such they recorded no points. Police, as fesital winners earned another ten points for a maximum 40 points, while Harvard took eight points and Caribs six points.

With Royalians out of the fesitval, there were three matches scheduled but due to the late arrival of Caribs players, they defaulted their first match to Police, 28-0.

In their one and only match of the day, the blue-clad Police women showed a cut above the Harvard and Caribs women’s teams both in terms of their physical and technical abilities. They also appeared well drilled and prepared.

Within just a couple minutes, however, one of Police’s stand-outs, Ornella George, was taken off with an muscle injury to her thigh.

After receiving a pass, she darted onto the right wing and en route to a certain try but went down abruptly and was quickly taken off.

It certainly made no dent in the festival winners’ confidence as they scored three quick tries.

Kathleen Stephens opened with the first, before Onica George, sister of the injured player, doubled up with a second try. The effort was converted by the designated kicker, Jamila Derrick. After another try, Police entered the half with a 17-0 advantage.

The police ran riot in the second half, adding an additional five tries in the 10 minute period. George added a second, as did Stephens, while national stand-out Nicolette Pantor, Venice Frederick and Shernella Glaude scored one each. Derrick converted one more try for an additional two points.

That match followed a clash between Harvard and Caribs, a match in which the former won 15-5. Arissa Romany scored two tries for Harvard, while Schezelle Fleming scored the other. Pateia Paul scored Caribs’ try.

The final stage of the TTRFU Women’s Division Festival will hosted by the rugby union itself and is scheduled for next month.