Renegades 30 Police 19 Scrummaging superiority and accurate goal-kicking by Phil Heaney laid the platform for Renegades' fifth consecutive win and a share of the lead in the Beck's First Division.

A normally dominant Police pack were ineffective and sorely missed the presence of Rob Steinoff, who has left to live in Australia, and the leadership skills and tenacity of Sean Field-Lament, who was unavailable.

Renegades were also below strength but took every opportunity to turn the game around after being a try down within ten minutes.

In the lineout, Rod Stewart stole many of the poor throw-ins by Police who, with only one jumper, had limited set-piece possession and were constantly driven backwards by the Gades' scrum.

Police's first try came from a textbook break from a scrum by Gareth Davies who fed Dave Bird inside who strolled over the try line. Gades then took the lead after 20 minutes with a well-taken try by Brad Adderley who crashed over the line following good lineout work, and Heaney made the conversion.

Ten minutes later, a typical scrum against the head by Gades, 20 metres from the Police line, saw Stewart pick up quickly from the base of the scrum and storm in for an easy try. Police hit back with a superb try of their own by Shane Richmond after a clever looping movement involving Gareth Lewis. A Heaney penalty took the half-time score to 17-12 for Gades.

Early second half pressure by Renegades involving a series of scrums near the Police line was rewarded when Heaney took a short scrum pass from Dominic Sommers and dived for the line. He also converted.

And another Heaney penalty took the lead to 15 points. Sensing the game slipping away, Police stalwarts Dave Lunn and Dave Bird took control with Lunn scampering over the Gades line.

The conversion by Alan Oliver reduced the deficit to seven points. But it was a case of too little, too late and the game was put out of reach five minutes from time with another Heaney penalty, taking his personal tally for the day to 20 points.

Teachers 7 Mariners 15 Nothing is going right for Teachers who will have to pull some rabbits out of the hat if they're to seriously challenge Police or Renegades for the league title.

This was the Reds' third consecutive loss but a huge victory for Mariners who now have their first win of the season. They achieved it with some dogged determination from their forwards and the inspirational, aggressive, in-your-face tenacity of Danny and Josh McGavern.

It was the attacking power of Danny McGavern that tore Teachers apart with a great individual try with 20 minutes left of the second half. The half-time score was seven points each after Darryl Bean had crashed through for a try under the posts and Deveray Noel-Simmons had crossed for Mariners.

Things improved for Teachers when Patrick Cooper took over the scrum half duties in the second half and Gerry Paddock came on as a fly half substitute.

But, by that stage Mariners forwards had hammered away at the Teachers pack and started to take control in the scrums and second phase.

If it hadn't been for the defensive skills of Darryl Bean and Nathan Brown and the superb tackling of Anthony Cupidor, Mariners would have taken a commanding lead late in the first half.

Mariners had their tails up in the final 20 minutes and it was Keith Hodgkins who put the final nail in Teachers' coffin with a penalty five minutes from full-time.

In Second Division action, Teachers demolished Renegades 33 to 17, Mike Robinson scoring four tries for the Reds. Mariners easily got by Police 25 to 10, Terry Madeiros and Mark Loveboy giving outstanding performances.