RUGBY NEW YORK BEAT THE SEATTLE SEAWOLVES 30-15 TO WIN THE MLR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Written b y Joe Harvey | Top Picture by Davey Wilson   On Saturday afternoon, Rugby New York lifted the MLR Shield for the first time in their history, beating two-time champions the Seattle Seawolves 30-15 at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey. Nearly 90°F on the east coast, it was the Seattle Seawolves that began the game in front of a majority New York crowd in New Jersey. AJ Alatimu kicked off the game, the Seawolves regaining possession shortly after and working their way towards their hosts’ try line.

Photo by Davey Wilson

Moving the ball from touchline to touchline, Martin Iosefo was sent over the whitewash as scrum-half, JP Smith, opted to move the ball from right to left, hard carrying from the forward pack opening up space out wide, a pinpoint pass from Alatimu seeing his teammate home. Alatimu was unable to add the conversion, the missed place kick opening the door to New York, who hadn’t quite found their rhythm with just three minutes played. Marty Veale’s side would be let into the game partly thanks to the player that pegged them back just minutes earlier.

Photo by Davey Wilson

Unable to field a high ball, Iosefo’s error opened the door to New York, who moved the ball to their left wing, Brendan O’Connor’s grubber kick towards the in-goal area cleared up by Ross Neal but giving New York a scrum five meters out. The resulting set piece was where the breakthrough came from, Will Tucker barreling over to score while Jason Emery added the conversion. Shortly after a penalty for Alatimu, as well as a penalty miss from Emery, New York extended their lead thanks to a penalty try, their powerful maul and infringements from the Seawolves extending the hosts’ lead further.

Photo by Davey Wilson

With Seattle’s Rhyno Herbst in the sin bin, New York made the most of their man advantage. Not too far removed from an opportunity that saw Faasiu Fuatai knock the ball into touch, a break down New York’s left wing saw former All Black, Andy Ellis, reach over the try line to place the ball down with Neal tracking the 38-year-old down. With no further scoring between the break, it was New York’s game to lose thanks to their 11-point lead. It was a lead they weren’t able to extend in the opening period of the second half, as Seattle stopped multiple opportunities for their hosts to score. 

Photo by Davey Wilson

Eventually New York would get the scoreboard moving again, a penalty for Emery preceding a try for replacement prop, Nic Mayhew. Perhaps the try of the game, the New Zealander had two involvements in the move, firstly receiving Will Tucker’s offload and despite keeping the ball alive, fed the ball to O’Connor, who in turn found Mayhew with another offload.  Emery could not convert the try and would have felt slightly uneasy as Seattle hit back with a try. Sam Matenga was the scorer, the tighthead prop breaking through two blue shirts to conclude a move that involved a lung busting carry from Travis Larsen down the middle of the field.

Photo by Davey Wilson

Not long after his brother was yellow carded for not rolling away at the ruck, 2019 hero Brad Tucker had a score disallowed for a double moment, handing New York the ball back with just shy of 15 minutes left on the clock. Marching down to the opposite end of the field, New York’s first MLR title was confirmed thanks in no short order to a Sam Windsor drop goal, the league’s all-time leading points scorer kicking the points to win the competition for the first time