NEWS

Geico XV | Week Four

Loosehead Prop,  Nikoloz Khatiashvili – Houston SaberCats

Khatiashvili provided a cornerstone to a solid SaberCats attacking platform.  Around the park he made nine hard carries for 24 meters and a tackle break. On defense he completed five tackles, in breakdown had 25 ruck arrivals

Hooker, Tuvere Vugakoto – Utah Warriors

After having a messy lineout in New England, Vugakoto produced clean throws to give the Warriors the edge in the aerial game.  On the ground he scored a key try to keep the Warriors in the game early and made five carries for 20 meters, a tacklebreak, and an offload.  On defense he completed 7 tackles and had 12 ruck arrivals in the breakdown.

Tighthead Prop, Charlie Abel – Los Angeles Giltinis

Abel had a physical presence around the park and in scrum.  He was key to getting Corey Thomas over the line and also providing a link for Ryberg’s try. Around the park he had five carries for 20 meters.  On defense he made 10 tackles and in the breakdown he had 11 ruck arrivals. 

Left Lock, Ben Mitchell – San Diego Legion

Mitchell is one thing every match and that is his ability to be a strong lineout option leading the Legion with four lineout takes.  He also has the ability to create and generate gained territory with the ball in hand making 11 carries for 56 meters, a tacklebreak, and an offload.  On defense he completed  11 tackles and in the breakdown he had 21 ruck arrivals. 

Right Lock, Corey Thomas – Los Angeles Giltinis

Thomas set the tone early for the Giltinis as he plowed through multiple Arrows on his way to a try, seven carries for 68 meters, two line breaks, four tackle breaks, and two offloads. On defense he completed seven tackles, in the breakdown he had eight ruck arrivals, and in the aerial game he came down with two lineout takes.   

Blindside Flanker, Andrew Durutalo – Seattle Seawolves

Durutalo showed how dangerous he can be as a physical ball carrier in space scoring a try, making seven carries for 100 meters, two line breaks, and two tackle breaks.  In the breakdown he had 11 ruck arrivals. 

Openside Flanker, Harry McNulty – Los Angeles Giltinis

McNulty led the Giltinis in workrate with his high level of involvement around the ball.  In the breakdown he had two breakdown steals and 33 ruck arrivals.  Around the pitch he scored a try, made seven carries for 42 meters and a line break.  On defense he had 16 tackles.

No 8., Jason Damm – Rugby ATL

Damm put Rugby ATL on his back.  He was physically dominant at the breakdown with 13 ruck arrivals and two breakdown steals. On the ground he made 16 carries for 113 meters, a line break, five tackle breaks, and an offload. On defense he completed 7 tackles.  

Scrum-half, Nicklas Boyer – Houston SaberCats

Slotting into the starting scrum-half role almost immediately, Boyer showed his skillset from kickoff.  He got to every ruck rapidly and provided rapid service with crisp and on target passes. He made eight carries for 22 meters, four tackle breaks, and two offloads. He used his boot to put the ball in play with three kicks for 52 meters. 

Fly-half, Dan Hollinshead – Rugby United New York

Hollinshead paired with Andy Ellis had significant control of their victory over Rugby ATL.  Hollinshead found the space in the Atlanta backfield and forced the territory game with 16 kicks for 611 meters. He scored a 7-point try, kicked two penalties, and made one conversion yielding a total of 15 points. On the ground he made five carries for 56 meters, two line breaks, and three tackle breaks.  

Left Wing,  Conner Mooneyham – Austin Gilgronis

Electricity, that’s what Mooneyham provided to the Gilgronis as he made cuts through the Gold line with every carry.  On six carries he made 103 meters, a line break, and five tackle breaks. On defense he completed five tackles. 

Inside Center, JP du Plessis – NOLA Gold

Du Plessis was everything for the Gold on Saturday as he broke through tackles and did the dirty work that he was known for while in San Diego.  He had 15 carries for 89 meters, four tackle breaks, and three offloads.  On defense he completed 11 tackles.  In the breakdown he completed one breakdown steal and had 16 ruck arrivals.

Outside Center, Veramu Dikidikilati – Houston SaberCats

When Dikidikilati is in space, he can be almost unstoppable.  With his physicality with the ball in hand he always sucks in multiple defenders.  He scored a try, and had 11 carries for 74, a line break, a tacklebreak, and an offload.  

Right Wing, Paula Balekana – Houston SaberCats

Balekana often pairing up with Dikidiklati to form a dynamic duo showed how difficult he was to track down.  With the ball in hand he scored a try, made six carries for 75 meters, two line breaks, seven tackle breaks.  On defense he completed six tackles and had seven ruck arrivals in the breakdown.

Fullback, Ben Foden – Rugby United New York

Foden was very strong under the high ball.  But paired with Hollinshead he used his boot to help control the territory with his five kicks for 182 meters.  On the ground he had 11 carries for 62 meters, two tackle breaks, and three offloads.