DC edge tight encounter to claim first win
After nine games, Od Glory DC finally have their first win of the season and what a way to win it.
In one of the tightest games of the season DC won by 22-21 and with a last gasp try in the final 5 minutes. The win earned them the accolade of MLR ‘Team of the Week’.
A massive effort from @OldGloryDC saw them battle until the final minute to pick up their first win of the season earning them the title of Team of the Week! 👏#MLR2022 | #RiseOfRugby pic.twitter.com/gODmJRl7sK
— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) April 19, 2022
Once again, it was a brutal, bruising encounter with both teams conceding double figure penalties, 10 to Old Glory and 14 to Utah.
DC winger, Peni Lasaqa scored another of his team’s four tries and finished with figures of 89 metres ran. It puts him level 6th place in the top try scorers table with 5.
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It’s another disappointing result for Utah, who competed in the middle of the park and at the scrums, but couldn’t find the attacking accuracy needed to finish off phases.
With neither side in a realistic hunt for play-offs, the rest of the season will be one to build and prepare for a better campaign in 2023.
Toronto score eight to move third
Toronto Arrows notched eight tries on their way to a blistering 53-36 victory over NOLA Gold which moved them up to third in the Eastern table.
There were eight different scorers for all of the Arrows’ tries. The pick of them was lock, Cole Keith. He finished with figures of 1 try, 12 ball carries and 85 running metres made to put in an all-round convincing performance.
NOLA scored five tries of their own, but it was their defensive capabilities that let them down in this clash. Toronto were stronger at the breakdown (89-85), lineouts (12-9) and scrums (7-2).
The @TorontoArrows now sit 3rd in the Eastern Conference after picking up a high-flying 53-36 win over @nolagoldrugby to end their three-game home stand!
👇🏽 Check out the best moments of the game#TORvNOLA | #MLR2022 pic.twitter.com/JikKMDX385
— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) April 16, 2022
Other results
Seattle Seawolves 34 – 32 San Diego Legion
Three of the Seattle Seawolves team made the MLR team of the week as they put in an all-round attacking and defensive display to edge Legion in a tight Western encounter.
San Diego’s influential kicker, Joe Pietersen had an off day as he only converted 1 from 4 opportunities after Legion scored over the gain line. Legion outscored Seawolves in tries (5 to 4), but Pietersen’s misses proved key to the final result.
Introducing the #FirstXV for week 11! 👏
Find the top 15 players stats from this weekend: https://t.co/gntbRtdlc6#MLR2022 | #RiseOfRugby pic.twitter.com/5BwJPx3ehB
— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) April 19, 2022
Dallas Jackals 3 – 57 Austin Gilgronis
It was another bruising encounter for Dallas in this Texas derby.
The Gilgronis maintain their margin at the top of the Western table. With 9 unanswered tries Austin once again overpowered their opponents’ defensive fragilities.
Outside Centre for the Gilgronis, Mark O’Keefe displayed a dominant performance finishing with 2 tries, 13 carries, 5 offloads and 159 metres run to earn the MLR “Player of the Week” award.
Another unstoppable showing from Mark O’Keeffe earned him the title of Player of the Week! 🔥#MLR2022 | #RiseOfRugby pic.twitter.com/s8bXraDoXB
— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) April 20, 2022
LA Giltinis 17 – 12 Houston SaberCats
The Champions made it five wins in a row and avenged their opening season loss with a controlling win against Houston.
Number 8, Hanco Germishuys again controlled the game in defence and offence as he continues to show his power and authority to run the game. He finished with 1 try, 8 carries and 134 metres run.
Here’s how the tables stack up…
New York looking for a bounce back against Free Jacks
Rugby New York (6-3) v New England Free Jacks (8-1), Saturday 24th April 14:30pm (ET)
After a bye week, both Rugby New York and New England Free Jacks will be feeling rejuvenated for a top Eastern clash.
Coming off a destructive 43-0 loss to LA Giltinis in Round 10, Rugby New York will be looking to bounce back. They have bought in reinforcements as well. During their bye week they recruited All Blacks winger Waisake Naholo.
Could he make the difference for a team that sits 10th in the overall standings for points scored this season?
Waisake Naholo is coming to New York for the rest of the ‘22 season. 🗽
With 62 caps for the @Highlanders and 27 for the @AllBlacks, the powerful winger becomes a New Yorker.
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Next home game: 4/24 v New England. Get your tickets here: https://t.co/JBvXet3L5W pic.twitter.com/aXospMArCB
— Rugby New York (@rugbynewyork) April 14, 2022
For New England, they will be looking to pick up where they left off. Beaudein Waaka is the 2nd highest points scorer and joint 2nd highest try scorer in the league so far. He will be the Free Jacks biggest threat.
New England will look to pounce on a shaky New York defence and with a team low on confidence having to come up against the likes of Waaka and Slade McDowall who also has 5 tries to his name this season, it’s going to be tough for New York to bounce back.
Prediction: New England to win by 7
Other fixtures
- Old Glory DC (1-9) v Dallas Jackals (0-10), Friday 23rd April 8:00pm (ET)
- NOLA Gold (3-7) v Austin Gilgronis (8-2), Friday 23rd April 8:00pm (ET)
- Houston SaberCats (5-5) v Toronto Arrows (6-4), Friday 23rd April 8:00pm (ET)
- Utah Warriors (2-7) v Seattle Seawolves (5-5), Friday 23rd April 10:00pm (ET)
- San Diego Legion (5-5) v Rugby ATL (7-2), Saturday 24th April 8:00pm (ET)
You can catch the highlights of all Round 11 fixtures on the MLR YouTube channel here.
