The now-traditional curtain-raiser to the Serbian rugby league season, the Risman Cup, was won by ‘Team John’, named after the younger son of legendary Gus Risman, John a former Serbian national coach.

They defeated ‘Team Bev’, named after the former dual-code Lions tourist and the elder Risman son, 30-10 after a convincing second half performance to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Centre Miloš Acalic scored two tries, the first and last, for the victors with Stefan Nedeljkovic - who scored 10 points from a try and three goals - named man of the match and chaired back on to the field by both sides in the traditional manner. The game was a good show case and first test for the country's best players ahead of the start of Serbia's Championship.

Next Saturday, 28th February, the two best teams from the last season, national champions Red Star and Cup holders Dorcol face off in the Serbian Super Cup, while the first round of the championship will be played a week later.