Divers go under
Cross country goes down to wire

 

The victorious mixed team from HMAS Waterhen, Harman and Albatross with the Patrons Cup.

Photo: Rugby League Review

By Pte John Wellfare

A three-base mixed Rugby League team stole the 2004 Patrons Cup from the Clearance Divers during Sportex2, in a game that remained unpredictable to the final whistle.

An intense day of Rugby League preceded the grand final match, with each of the five teams playing four 20-minute games in a round robin competition.

A shaky start for the divers, who suffered a first-round loss to FIMA, left their chances of reaching the finals in doubt.

In the end it was an unexpected win for Parramatta against a previously undefeated Fima, which allowed the Divers to hold onto the lead.

The Baa baas, a mixed team made up of sailors from HMAS Waterhen, Harman and Albatross, had defeated the Divers 10-0 in round three of the round robin competition and for the first half of the final it looked like they would do it again, scoring two converted tries to lead 12-0.

Divers came back with a converted try in the second half to stay within striking distance of the cup.

A second try out wide from the divers as the final whistle blew made for a nail-biting attempt at a conversion from the sideline to even the scores.

A miss for the Divers left the Baa baas two points ahead to take the cup. The WOCD “Dixie” Foord Player of the Tournament award went to ABCD Daniel Gordon from the Divers, while the WOPT Bones” Sutton Player of the Final award went to SMNMED David Harris from the Baa baas.

A function was also held on the day, attended by a number of VIPs from the NSW Rugby League board and Navy, to launch a partnership with the Defence Force to host the 2008 Defence World Cup to be held in Australia, yet to be finalised with the IRB.

A match between the ADF Rugby League side and the New Zealand Defence Force team has been scheduled as the curtain raiser to the Anzac Day test in Brisbane on April 22, next year.

RAN Rugby League president Sion Griffiths said LSPT Damien Cann and CPO Jim Lawless, responsible for running the tournament, had done an outstanding job.

“The competitiveness, closeness and good spirit in which it was played was indicative of teamwork in the Navy,” he said.

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