Round Ten Recap

WRITTEN BY ALEXANDER DIEGEL FOR THE RUGBY NETWORK

LA Outlasts Austin in Epic Wednesday Night Encounter

In the league’s top of the table match LA took down Austin in a gritty defensive affair. This match was billed as offense versus defense with the league’s top scorers visiting the stingy Gilgronis.

Both teams threatened throughout the first half only to be thwarted time and again. LA Hooker Lindsey Stevens picked off the back of a ruck to notch the half’s only try 16 minutes in. Austin responded moments before halftime with a penalty kick, and the combatants headed into halftime with the Giltinis on top 7-3.

The visitors extended their lead nine minutes into the second stand when Man of the Match Angus Cottrell fed John Ryberg. Fly half Matt Giteau’s boot was good again to make it 14-3. A Giteau penalty kick later marked the final tally as the underrated LA defense kept Austin out of the try zone for all 80 minutes to secure the 17-3 victory.

Austin remains in second place via point differential tiebreaker over Utah, who lost Saturday night. LA now takes on Atlanta as it continues to run the gauntlet against the rest of MLR’s top contenders.

NOLA Gold Win

NOLA Gold got the scoring started five minutes in when #11 Julian Dominguez put the big fend on his opposite number to break the line and finish the try through the scrambling Utah defense. Utah happily took the penalty offered moments later and closed the gap to 5-3 with the kick from #13 Calvin Whiting.

NOLA extended its lead at 17’ when hooker Pat O’Toole made the heads up play to intercept Utah’s overthrown lineout at the 5 meter line and dive across the try line. The Warriors were right back on the front foot and held some sustained phases inside NOLA territory. Flanker Thomas Tua’vao ran a great line to break through and offloaded to #9 Michael Baska who scored Utah’s first try of the game 21 minutes in and close the gap to 12-10.

That lethal Utah combination of Kruse and Te’o came into play yet again when Kruse fed the beefy fullback who outraced the defense to give the Warriors its first lead, 17-12. It looked like New Orleans tied the game just minutes later with some lineout trickery but the throw did not quite go five meters so the play was blown up and the points came off the board. NOLA did keep the pressure on to notch a penalty kick to close things up, 17-15, at halftime.

New Orleans was first to score in the second stand with a beautifully-executed maul off its attacking lineout for O’Toole’s second try of the game. The Gold extended its lead at 58’ with Kyle Rogers’ try and the conversion made it 29-17, which proved more than enough to secure the win.

Utah did fight through to the end to make it 29-24 and gain some key points in the loss. It was enough for the Warriors to move into a tie with Austin at 26 points apiece, with the Gilgronis holding the tiebreaker advantage.

Old Glory Secures Road Victory over Houston

Old Glory DC earned an important win that helped it jump up a couple spots in the crowded Eastern Conference. Houston struck first with a penalty kick after it thwarted an early DC attempt to flip the field. Sam Windsor was good again at 21’ to make it 6-0 in favor of the home team.

Old Glory backed itself five minutes later when it turned down the chance for an easy three points and instead went for 5. The lineout was well-executed, drive was good on the maul, and Danny Tusitala pounced on the ball when it was knocked loose out of Mikey Sosenei Feagai’s hands as he tried to score.

At 36’ DC decided to take the points and the chip shot was nailed by Jason Robertson to give the visitors their first lead, 8-6. That score held until six minutes into the second half when this time it was Houston that recovered the wet ball to score its first try of the match and take a 13-8 lead.

Old Glory came right back four minutes later and found Mike Dabulas out wide, Robertson slotted the tricky conversion and DC was back on top. A couple more Robertson conversions secured this one for the visitors, 21-13.

The win evened Old Glory to 4-4-1 and one and moved up to fourth place in the Eastern Conference, five points out of the second playoff spot. DC faces New York next in what will be a key clash in the East.

New York Keeps Pace with 29-19 Win over New England

Rugby United New York secured its vengeance from last year’s loss with a 29-19 victory over New England. Hooker Dylan Fawsitt got the scoring started at the back of the lethal New York maul seven minutes in. Scrummy Andy Ellis then showed his veteran guile with a quick tap and break that eventually found the hands of Joel Miranda for the try and early 12-0 lead.

New England came right back moments later with flanker Joe Johnston’s try, then Ben Foden opened up space with a nifty flick pass that led to Apenisa Cakaubalavu’s score for New York. The Free jacks struck back at the 36’ with a huge maul near midfield that opened things up for #8 Wian Conradie to close the gap to 17-12 heading into halftime.

After a second half try for New York’s fly half Harry Bennett, Conradie notched his second to tighten things up, 22-19, setting up a dramatic final 30 minutes. The score held amongst some back and forth action before Fawsitt scored his second try of the match at the back of another maul to seal this one for the home team, 29-19.

The win keeps New York in playoff position via point differential tiebreaker over New Orleans. New England now drops a game below .500 and to 5th in the East with Toronto on deck Saturday afternoon.

Atlanta Holds Seattle out of Try Zone to Secure Road Victory

Rugby ATL took flight to Seattle and came home with an important win to keep it on top of the Eastern Conference. Seattle struck first with a penalty kick but it didn’t take long for Atlanta to strike back with Bautista Ezcurra’ try between the posts.

Seattle hit another penalty kick at 20’, then ATL attacked again with some fancy hands that found lock Johan Momsen, who crashed across the line to extend his team’s advantage. Seattle had plenty of opportunities throughout the rest of the match but was unable to find the try zone or add to its tally, while the visitors extended the lead to its final margin, 25-6.

The win keeps Atlanta on top of the Eastern Conference with 31 league points, two ahead of New York and New Orleans. Seattle will try to regroup on its bye week.