Police women retain rugby title

NATIONAL rugby team players Nigel Ballington and Nicolette Pantor picked up the MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards after they led their teams (Harvard and Police) to their respective men and women’s titles at the annual Police Rugby Sevens Tournament yesterday, at the Police Training Academy, St James Barracks.

Ballington also won an award for scoring most tries en route to Harvard’s 22-12 victory over a testy Exiles in the men’s final. He scored twice in the final, while Skakeel Dyte and Brian Daniel got the other tries for Harvard.

Leon Pantor, brother of Nicolette, and Wazim Stewart scored for Exiles. Neither Harvard nor Exiles lost a match before the final.

Harvard’s win, however, disrupted Exiles’ run in the series given the latter’s two victories at the UWI and YTC Sevens tournaments, which were held over the previous two weekends.

The women’s final was somewhat of a predictable affair as Police extended their unbeaten run throughout, which now spans the entire season. Police earned a 12-5 victory over Royalians.

Pantor was a class of her own as she led once again in the final, scoring two tries, one of which was converted by Jamilla Derrick.

Pantor’s double took her tournament tally to five tries, enough to once again see her pick up both MVP and top try-scorer awards.

The Police women’s victory was fitting for the occasion as the club’s rugby team celebrated its 40th anniversary, while this year marks the 36th year since the tournament was first held.

The Police women triumph came five days after their capture of the Inter-Service Cup, an annual fixture between Defence Force and Police’s men’s rugby teams, which for the first time this year featured an opening women’s cup match. Defence Force won the men’s cup match.

The Police Rugby Sevens Tournament ran over two days with an Under-19 boys and girls tournament taking place on Saturday.