The 2008 winners Caribs RFC started their title defence in the Championship division, as the 2009 T&T Rugby Football Union (TTRFU) League kicked off on Saturday on the Caribs pitch, Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
Caribs claimed a comfortable 23-6 win over arch rivals Stag Trinidad Northern RFC, after leading 10-3 at the half. Caribs had four tries and a penalty, while Northern had two penalties.
On the Harvard pitch also at the Queen's Park Savannah, the host were pounded by Rainbow Sports and Culture Club I, 56-15, after leading 12-5 at the half. It was Harvard Sports Club which took the early lead from an unconverted try, however, Rainbow rallied back to outscore them 7-0 to end the half.
On the resumption, the Marabella based Rainbow took the ascendancy as fitness proved the difference, as they ran Harvard into the ground, outscoring them 44-10. In the battle of the protective services, Defence Force blanked Police 39-0 at the Police Training Academy, St James. The army/coastguard unit had seven tries and two conversions.