Northerns new Bruno Browne champs

TRINIDAD Northerns ended Caribs’ two-year reign as holders of the Bruno Browne Cup with a convincing 23-10 victory at the President’s Grounds, St Ann’s on Saturday last.

Caribs began promisingly with Graeme Alkins intercepting an attempted clearance from Northens fly-half James Walkins and scoring the easiest of tries to give the “Beer Boys” a 5-0 lead. But Northerns fought back valiantly and took a 7-5 lead at halftime after a Dexter Snaggs try was converted by Kirt Collier. Collier kicked a penalty between the uprights to extend Northerns’ lead to 10-5 before another unconverted try by Caribs — this time scrum half Bernard Yetming, evened the scores at 10-10. Caribs’ joy was short-lived however, as a play featuring Marcus Knaggs and Dexter Snaggs ended with a try from Adam Frederick to put Northerns back in front 15-10. And there was no turning back for Northerns, with a drop goal by Walkins pushing the lead to 18-10 while a try from Mark Kidman gave the Cipriani Boulevard-based team the title which they last held in 2000.