Rugby League Jamaica (RLJ) staged its annual New Year 9’s festival at the UWI Mona Bowl in Kingston last Saturday.

Nineteen teams turned up to contest four categories, including Wigan-Leigh College from England.  

Tries from Kenneth Walker (2), Marvin Thompson, Jade Harrison and Akel Jenson led Duhaney Park Redsharks to a 24-12 win over Washington Blvd Bulls in the men’s final.  

For the Bulls, Oshane Edie (2) and Linval Green replied with tries. Jamaica Defence Force shutout St Bess Sledgehammers 24-0 for third, while St Catherine OB Thundercats and Liguanea Dragons finished 5^th and 7^th respectively, topping West Kingston Hyenas and Spanish Town Vikings. 

The Women’s final was a hotly contested affair between Redsharks and Sledgehammers. Shanique Smith and Allison Frazier rushed the winners to 8-0 lead before Sledgehammers came roaring back through scores from Yanique Days and Yianna Wilson. It needed sudden death extra time to settle the affair, and it was Smith who produced a brilliant solo break to settle the matters. 

In Boy’s Academy U19 finals, Jamaica Hurricanes Academy A edged English outfit Wigan-Leigh College 12-8.  Scorers for Jamaica were Damoy Palmer, Tyreke Hutchinson and Shevaugh Smith, the latter scoring in extra time. Both Wigan tries came from Toa Bayliss. The win marked the first ever by a Jamaican domestic team over an English team in any format of the game. Meanwhile, in the High School U19 Category, BB Coke High school got the better of The Cedar Grove Academy 12-8.

Director of Romeo Monteith commented, "RLJ is extremely pleased with the execution of the tournament, we had competitive games all round and Wigan-Leigh added an excellent international flair to this staging."