Men’s Conference 2024/25
Malta……..43
Cyprus…..21
The Maltese rugby squad kicked off their Men’s Conference campaign with a hard-fought 43-21 win over Cyprus at the Tony Bezzina Stadium, successfully fending off a spirited second-half comeback from their opponents.
The match unfolded in two distinct phases. Malta dominated the opening half, notching up three unanswered tries. However, post-interval, Cyprus came out rejuvenated, threatening a comeback with two quick tries of their own.
Yet, the home team dug deep, securing another try to seal the victory, much to the delight of the Corradino crowd.
Malta started brilliantly, taking the lead after just five minutes. Owen Vassallo finished off a stunning driving maul to score, with Chris Dudman adding the conversion to put Malta 7-0 ahead.
Cyprus struggled to cope with Malta’s swift pace, and after 18 minutes, Zarrin Galea broke through the visitors’ defence to score Malta’s second try. Dudman’s precise conversion made it 14-0.
Holloway showcased his kicking skills by converting a penalty as Cyprus floundered.
The Maltese kept up the pressure, and a clever exchange saw Louis Mifsud set up Vassallo for his second try. Rob Holloway successfully kicked the conversion.
Early in the second half, Malta had a chance to extend their lead with a driving maul from a scrum, but fumbled the ball just short of the goalline.
Instead, Cyprus struck back with a well-executed attacking move. Dominic Georgiu and Alexander Thompson combined, with the former touching down for the visitors’ first try.
This boosted Cyprus’ confidence, and they scored again on 55 minutes when Thompson crossed the line. The try was duly converted, bringing the score to 24-14.
The visitors’ comeback hopes were dashed when Matthew Georgiou received a red card.
It took some time for Malta to capitalise on their numerical advantage, but they finally broke through on 71 minutes when the ball was moved wide, allowing Galea to score.
Later, Louis Singleton set up Rory O’Brien, who burst through to score under the posts. Holloway easily added the conversion.
Malta managed one final try at the death when the referee awarded a penalty try following foul play by the Cypriots, capping off an excellent day for the home side.
