Monarchs second in Pairs final to home team Rebels

Sam Masters and Ryan Fisher show off their runners-up trophy. Pic: Ron MacNeill

Monarchs’ duo, skipper Sam Masters and Ryan Fisher, who replaced the injured Kevin Wolbert, stormed through their group qualifying heats with an excellent 23 points, finishing ahead of Sheffield Tigers.

In the other group, Somerset and Glasgow Tigers emerged top with relative ease.

In the first semi-final Somerset easily outpaced Sheffield with Monarchs taking care of Glasgow in the second semi-final.

This set up a Grand Final showdown between Somerset and the Capital duo who last won the title in 2014 when Masters partnered Max Fricke to glory.

But the Rebels pairing of Josh Grajczonek and Rohan Tungate, who had been very strong in the heats, stormed to glory with miles to spare with a 7-2 advantage over Masters and Fisher which sparked wild celebrations among the home support.

Monarchs may well feel disappointed at having to settle for the runners-up spot especially as Fisher was on fire in the early races, racking up 14 points to be the top individual scorer on the night alongside Grajczonek who also rattled up 14.

But when it mattered most Monarchs were well beaten in the Grand Final underlining, and not for the first time, how powerful Somerset are round their own track.