MANZA exacts sweet revenge in Jakarta

MANZA exacts sweet revenge in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Still smarting from losing to the Jakarta Touch
Rugby Club (JTRC) in the final of its own tournament last
November, MANZA from Kuala Lumpur exacted sweet revenge by
winning the JTRC invitational mixed tournament here Saturday.

After starting uncertainly in the round-robin section of the
ten team event, including losing to the JTRC Cavaliers - who had
had one player sent off - MANZA played with greater discipline in
the knock-out stages.

In the semifinals it defeated the pre-tournament favorites,
the JTRC Barbarians, and then met the Cavaliers again in the
final.

At full time the score was 2-2, Peter Coomer and former SEA
Games track gold medalist Dilip Kaur having scored for MANZA
while Myke Cavanagh and Stuart Dunbar touched down for the
Cavaliers.

There then began extra time, in which both sides lost one
player after every two minutes. After two and a half minutes,
with both sides reduced to six players, Greg Bate sidestepped his
opposite number on the half-way line to break away and score the
try that gave MANZA the Coca-Cola Cup.

Winning captain Steve Heaton said afterwards: "It was a bit of
grudge match with us having lost to the Cavaliers earlier in the
tournament. But once it came to the drop-off extra time we
fancied our chances."

A philosophical Russell Macey, the Cavaliers captain, said:
"It was a great final. Both teams lifted their games for the
match and it was always going to be close.

"Unfortunately it was MANZA who got the decisive break but I
thought the whole of our team played very well throughout the
tournament."

In the plate competition Jakarta International School (JIS)
demolished the MANZA second team 8-0, making the students the
event's leading try scorers.

JIS' Anna Lopez was voted the tournament's most valuable
female player while Mike Patterson of the Singapore Wanderers
took the male award.

Tournament organizer Mark Morgan said: "JIS' success shows the
sport is developing well locally at the youth level and I'm sure
it will only go from strength to strength." (jea)