In the first-ever Major League Rugby game played in Tennessee, the Music City Rugby Showdown, the Hounds dismantled the Free Jacks 50-26 and secured their third straight bonus-point win. Chicago scored eight tries in the game.
Hooker Theo Fourie, coming off a two-try game last week, got the scoring started for Chicago. In the eighth minute, the Hounds kicked for the corner and mauled their way over the line from the ensuing lineout. Hilsenbeck hit the conversion attempt and gave Chicago a 7-0 lead early on.
New England showed life a few minutes later, however. Center Wayne Van Der Bank read the Chicago attack well and burst into a passing lane to intercept a Hilsenbeck pass. He ran through the sticks untouched and with a successful conversion, the game was all tied at seven-a-piece. They took their only lead of the game moments later. After streaking down the sideline, the Free Jacks worked through the phases and got loosehead prop Nate Sylvia over for the score. The kick was no good, but New England suddenly took the lead.
It was basically all Chicago from that point onward. Charlie Abel scored a try in the 23rd minute. Hilsenbeck hit the conversion attempt, giving the Hounds the lead back at 14-12. Then a moment of Hound’s magic happened a few minutes later. After receiving the ball from the base of a ruck, center Ollie Devoto kicked a cross-field shot to flanker Mason Flesch, who outran at least two New England outside backs to catch the ball. As Free Jack defenders dragged him down, he passed the ball inside to scrumhalf Ruben De Haas, running a perfect support line. The capped-Eagle ran across the try line and dotted it down for Chicago’s third try of the night. After another successful Hilsenbeck kick, it was 21-12 Chicago.
New England was shown a red card and would be down a man for the remainder of the game after a nasty stomp to Hilsenbeck’s head, resulting in a blood-sub. With the penalty, Chicago kicked for the corner and started to work the maul once more. After cutting the maul in-field, they went to the weak side and found right wing Mark O’Keeffe for the score, his second of the season. Reece Botha, replacing a bloodied Hilsenbeck, scored his first points as a Hound with the successful conversion attempt.
With the clock past the 40 minute mark, the Hounds drew blood of their own once again, this time through center Ollie Devoto. After picking up a loose ball, Devoto saw space on the corner and raced for it, beating defenders as he turned the corner into the try zone. The tough conversion kick was no good, but Chicago went into the locker room for halftime with an insurmountable 33-12 advantage.
It didn’t stop in the second half. After a converted New England try in the 52nd minute, Hounds lock Nathan Den Hoedt crossed the line for his first score of the season, extending the lead to 38-19. The kick was no good, but Charlie Abel added his second score of the day off a beautiful run, bringing the scoreline to 43-19 in the 63rd minute. Hilsenbeck couldn’t hit that kick either, but the game was out of reach at that point.
Emmanuel Albert, making his debut for the Hounds, scored another Chicago try in the 69th minute. Videla tacked on the extras, and Chicago crossed the 50-point threshold. New England hit the four-try bonus point with a late score, bringing the scoreline to 50-26, but it wouldn’t even come close to changing the outcome.
In the win, Hounds stalwart Luke White earned his 100th Major League Rugby cap. The Australian native signed with the Hounds before their inaugural 2023 season and has been a leader in the clubhouse since day one. Chicago moves to 3-0 on the season and is in sole possession of first place on the MLR Standings table. They now look ahead to a cross-country match against the Seattle Seawolves on Friday night.
CHI: 50
NE: 26
Scorers:
Tries: Fourie, Abel (2), De Haas, O’Keeffe, Devoto, Den Hoedt, Albert
Conversions: Hilsenbeck (3/6), Botha (1/1), Videla (1/1)