The South City Rams had an undefeated run in the JT Super 9s tournament, ultimately edging the Kaugere Seagulls with a 16-4 victory in the Cup decider to claim the trophy on Sunday, March 24th, 2024, at Port Moresby South Stadium in Port Moresby.
This would be Rams’ maiden title in the nine-a-side tourney. They took part in the tournament in 2023 and bowed out in the semi finals. After their hearts were shattered last year, they did their homework and went on a mission in this year’s edition, mending their broken hearts with the prized silverware.
The Port Moresby South stadium was brought to live by the rowdy fans, cheering on the players to put their bodies on the line. The game started intensely, which was expected of a grand final encounter. After a few minutes into the contest, the Rams scored first. Some minutes later, the Seagulls responded with a four pointer. Rams scored again to take a 10-4 lead over the Seagulls at half time.
In the second half, both sides defended their lines resolutely. Their impregnable defence was top-notch. The eventual champions, Rams, scored a solo try in the second stanza to ice the game, clinching their first 9s tournament title with a respectable margin against the courageous Seagulls.
Rams coach, Nelis Tumae, was happy with his team’s performance, crediting the players for winning their first nines title.
“This is one of the biggest tournaments that we’ve taken part in. Knowing the pressure of such tournaments, we started our preparation early and focused on what we would like to achieve in the tournament,” Tumae said.
“All the players were committed and disciplined throughout the tournament; hence, the result was shown on the field. I’m excited for the boys. Their hard work has paid off.”
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Cup Grand Final, the Sabama City Raiders smashed Vadavada United with a 20-0 scoreline to walk away with the title.
In addition, JT 9s Tournament Director, Moses Kumbi, expressed satisfaction, despite experiencing a few hiccups. The bad weather in particular had disrupted the finals for two weekends, but he was pleased that they finally concluded the tournament on a positive note.
“The bad weather disrupted our finals but we made it through to complete the tournament on time. Though we’ve faced some minor issues, everything went smoothly. For the love of the game and true sportsmanship, we were able to complete the tournament on a high note,” Kumbi expressed.
The JT 9s tournament will be hosted again next year. All the teams who participated in the 2024 tournament are looking forward to taking part in the annual event in 2025. The 2024 Champions, South City Rams, are also looking forward to defending their title next year.
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