Bingham Cup roundup – Day 2: Sydney through to Bingham Cup grand final; Brisbane in contention

AN all-Australian derby is a real possibility in tomorrow’s Bingham Cup final with a stunning day of success for the Brisbane Hustlers and the Sydney Convicts. So successful, in fact, that the Convicts’ A and B sides will face off against one another in the semis.

Organisers this afternoon announced NSW Governor Marie Bashir, the openly-gay US Ambassador to Australia John Berry, and South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Thomas Burgess will be at Rose Bay for the Bingham Cup decider.

A morning of more mud and rain didn’t deter the home sides with six of the seven Australian teams winning their matches, propelling Sydney A and B, Melbourne A and Brisbane into the afternoon knockout round for the cup.

It is was tears for team USA and cheers for team Australia as the Sydney Convicts A squad kicked Los Angeles Rebellion out of contention with a 54-0 win.

The Brisbane Hustlers had a tougher time snatching victory from San Francisco Fog.

Meanwhile, the Melbourne Chargers can hold their heads high after holding the Sydney B side to a 0-0 draw. However, the Convicts prevailed on penalties, setting up a Sydney vs Sydney clash tomorrow morning and a guaranteed spot for the home club in the final.

The only hiccup to a Sydney vs Brisbane final is the UK’s Kings Cross Steelers. London’s finest, always the team to watch, badly want the cup back. So much so that they pummelled the Gotham Knights 41–0 in today’s battle.

The Hustlers have a tough fight on their hands against the British side tomorrow morning.

On the other hand, the Convicts’ C team’s quest for the second-tier Bingham Bowl was dashed by the Royal Bucks. The Bucks, hailing from Atlanta and Charlotte, hadn’t scored a point in the entire competition until meeting Sydney’s third team who they saw off 12 to 5.

However, it’s the New Zealand Falcons and Dublin’s Valkyries that look to both be within a mud splatter’s distance of the bowl.

Melbourne’s second team will play the Ottawa Wolves early tomorrow morning to see which side will go forward for the third-tier Hoagland Cup. Unfortunately, Australia’s remaining side – the Hustler Ba Baas – were shown the exit by the Philadelphia Gryphons.

Tomorrow’s Bingham Cup games to watch:

• 10.40am Sydney Convicts A vs Sydney Convicts B
• 10.40am Brisbane Hustlers vs London Kings Cross Steelers
• 2.30pm Bingham Cup final

Knockout competition results – Saturday, August 30:

Bingham Cup and Plate

• Sydney Convicts A 54–0 Los Angeles Rebellion
• Sydney Convicts B 0–0 Melbourne Chargers A (Sydney A win on penalties)
• Kings Cross Steelers A 41–0 New York Gotham Knights
• Brisbane Hustlers 16–14 San Francisco Fog

Bingham Bowl and Shield

• New Zealand Falcons 54–7 West Coast Phever
• Charlotte / Atlanta Royal Bucks 12–5 Sydney Convicts C
• Manchester Village Spartans 13–7 London Kings Cross Steelers B
• Emerald Valkyries 33–5 Chicago Dragons

Hoagland Cup and Vase

• Philadelphia Gryphons 27–0 Hustler Australian Barbarians
• Ottawa Wolves 38–0 Toronto / San Diego / Stockholm Muddy Armada Berzerkers
• Melbourne Chargers B 10–0 Southern USA Ba Bas
• Amsterdam Lowlanders 14–7 Boston Ironsides

Pool matches – Saturday, August 30:

Pool A

• Melbourne Chargers A 38–0 Chicago Dragons
• Sydney Convicts A 33–0 Los Angeles Rebellion

Pool B

• Brisbane Hustlers 24–14 New Zealand Falcons
• San Francisco Fog 13–3 Manchester Village Spartans

Pool C

• Sydney Convicts B 46–0 Charlotte / Atlanta Royal Bucks
• Kings Cross Steelers A 24–0 New York Gotham Knights

Pool D

• Kings Cross Steelers B 30–0 Toronto / San Diego / Stockholm Muddy Armada Berzerkers
• West Coast Phever 12–10 Philadelphia Gryphons

Pool E

• Amsterdam Lowlanders 12–0 Southern USA Ba Baas
• Sydney Convicts C 22–10 Boston Ironsides

Pool F

• Melbourne Chargers B 10–5 Hustler Australian Barbarians
• Emerald Valkyries 43–0 Ottawa Wolves