DAVID WEINER

THE Maccabi Rugby Club is celebrating its historic victory in the Meldrum Cup, with a 24-17 win over Manly Savers, clinching the sixth division title in NSW Suburban Rugby.

The win sealed an historic double for the Blues, after a majority of their side travelled to Israel last month and came home with a  gold medal for Australia at the Maccabiah Games.

Saturday’s match reversed the ledger against Manly – who beat the Blues a fortnight ago – in another fiercely competitive and cagey match of rugby.

Maccabi goal kicker Steve Cohen went for a penalty goal from every long arm penalty within 50 metres, and kicked the side to a 12-10 lead early in the second half.

With Manly throwing everything at the Blues, Maccabi stepped up and showed they had learnt from previous encounters. They went toe-to-toe with the bigger Savers unit in the scrums, breakdown and line-outs.

Shaun Jankelowitz and Keith Friedlander sealed the win with two canny and almost identical tries on either sideline, nicking the ball from the ruck before striding home untouched over 20 metres.

Manly pegged one try back to set up an anxious final few minutes, but the Blues held on, sparking rapturous scenes and celebrations with the couple of hundred supporters who made their way to David Philips Field.