Steppingstones sink Island Air in touch final

(CRFU): The KRyS Global Summer Touch Rugby League 2013 ended in style with a Play-Off Finals Day to remember. After the winners of each Division had been crowned at the Season Awards Dinner the previous week, it was gloves off (unless your name is Jerry Beck) for a chance for all teams to win some “silverware” and finish the season on a high. In Division 1, SteppingStones were determined to overturn a buoyant Island Air flying high after they had clinched the Divisional title only a few short weeks ago. These two teams, full of players who recently represented the Cayman Pirates Touch Team at the US Nationals, served up a real treat of a game.

There was more nip and tuck in this fixture than a Convention of Hollywood Wives, but it was the ‘Stones who eventually won through.

“Revenge is a dish best served cold” may be an old Mafioso saying but clearly Don Corleone had no idea of the soaring temperatures here in Cayman, yet revenge it certainly was for SteppingStones and I’m sure it tasted sweet.  Each team will go into the close season with something to celebrate.

In Division 2, Broadhurst went into Finals day with a point to prove. Having led the League for much of the summer they had been chastened and bested by Village Greenies who won the Divisional title with a superb string of late results. But (sit down Shirley Bassey because) history was definitely not repeating on this day. Nothing was going to stop the Broadhurst juggernaut from claiming the Division 2 Cup although the mighty Delta Force gave it a real good go. Crucial tries from the Broadhurst girls gave them a narrow lead and it was only a full length dive by the gravity-defying Jason Scarff that prevented the inimitable Jyoti Choi from equalizing in the final seconds. Such was the drama at the final whistle that fellow Force-ian Riley Mullen could only sink to his knees in anguish and repeatedly thump the ground in despair. Who says this guy doesn’t care? Mullen 1. Pitch 0.

The Village Greenies, short of players and no doubt over-hydrated from a radical and pioneering isotonic replenishment regime, won the Plate Final against a plucky UBS who fought hard but could just not get the upper hand. DMS took the Division 2 Bowl.

Ogier completed the Double winning the Division 3 Cup to go with their League title and virtually assured promotion to Division 2 next year. GCM took the Division 3 Plate.

As the sun set slowly in the West, all teams came together to share stories of the season and to cap off another fine summer season of touch rugby. It was the biggest touch tournament the Cayman Islands has ever seen with twenty-nine teams taking part and thanks must go to KRyS Global and to all other sponsors of teams for helping make it happen.

Other sponsors include: Island Air, SteppingStones, Maples, Genesis Trust, Harmonic, Broadhurst Barristers, PwC, DMS, Travel Pros, Dart, Delta Force, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, EFG Bank, GCM, KPMG, LIME TV, Ogier, Rawlinson & Hunter, Trident, Appleby, Zolfo Cooper, UBS, Queensgate, BDO, Walkers and Heineken.