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Rugby United New York have their first match under their belt and also their first win. The associate Major League Rugby franchise defeated the visiting Ontario Arrows by 36-19 at Mazzella Field on Saturday afternoon. Ontario did well to recover from an horrendous opening that saw New York leading by 33-0 early in the second half.
The start could not have gone any better for United as prop Anthony Parry powered over just five minutes in, Harry Bennett adding the extras to make it a seven-pointer. Parity was achieved for 20 minutes but then a nightmarish period for the Arrows began with four unanswered tries to the home side.
Seamus Kelly turned pressure into points with a try to break the deadlock and then Luke Hume connected with Connor Wallace-Sims to put the Arrows immediately on the back foot from the restart. Marcus Walsh spotted a gap on the blindside and made it two scores in a matter of minutes.
Ontario lost a man to the sin bin when Kolby Francis took out Bennett with a dangerous tackle. The flyhalf was forced to leave the match and with the Arrows shorthanded New York parked themselves in scoring position. Eventually a driving maul opened space for Wallace-Sims to crash over. Jack Fitzpatrick took over the kicking duties and landed the conversion making it 26-nil on halftime.
The second half began just the same as the first. This time it was influential No8 Ross Deacon who muscled his way to the line. Fitzpatrick was on target again, duly slotting the extra two. At 33-0 the game was gone and threatening to become embarrassing.
Replacements streamed into the match and with them a turning of the tide. A scrappy lineout bounced up for Josh van Horne and the Brantford lock rumbled over to erase the goose egg. Shawn Windsor’s kick was on target to make it seven.
With their confidence starting to return Windsor himself made it through, stepping inside the defense. The conversion this time proving too difficult but he would connect on another soon after. Andrew Wilson forced his way through for a try and with 10 minutes to play it was a two-score game.
There would be no fairy tale finish, however, as New York regained control and a late Fitzpatrick penalty brought a close to the scoring and sealed the win for United.
New York now prepare for their second match and first in the Bronx when they play Boston Mystics at Gaelic Park next Saturday. The Arrows take two weekends off to sharpen their edges for another heavyweight tilt against fully-fledged MLR side Utah Warriors in Salt Lake City.
SCORING
NEW YORK 36
Tries – A. Parry (5’), S. Kelly (26’), M. Walsh (29’), C. Wallace-Sims (39’), R. Deacon (43’)
Cons – H. Bennett 3/4 (6’, 27’), J. Fitzpatrick 2/2 (40′, 44’)
Pens – J. Fitzpatrick 1/1 (78’)
ONTARIO 19
Tries – J. van Horne (52′), S. Windsor (65’), A. Wilson (69′)
Cons – S. Windsor 2/3 (53’, 70’)
Yellow cards – K. Francis (33′)
TEAMS
RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK
1 Anthony Parry, 2 Dylan Fawsitt (capt.), 3 Kirk Hamilton, 4 David Gannon, 5 Nate Brakeley, 6 Alex Schwarz, 7 James Denise, 8 Ross Deacon, 9 Marcus Walsh, 10 Harry Bennett, 11 Connor Wallace-Sims, 12 Jack Fitzpatrick, 13 Seamus Kelly, 14 Michael St. Claire, 15 Luke Hume
Replacements: 16 Mike Brown, 17 Brian McKellar, 18 Chris Sullivan, 19 Dave Shotton, 20 Nick Wolley, 21 Mike Petri, 22 Chris Vakasisikakala, 23 Greg Voigt, 24 Gavan D’Amore-Morrison
ONTARIO ARROWS
1 Pat Lynott, 2 Jack McRogers, 3 Tom Dolezel, 4 Josh van Horne, 5 Paul Ciulini, 6 Mike Sheppard (capt.), 7 Peter Milazzo, 8 Kolby Francis, 9 Alex Gliksten, 10 Will Kelly, 11 Kyle Lagasca, 12 Shawn Windsor, 13 Josh Campbell, 14 Johnny Sheridan, 15 Aaron McLelland
Replacements: 16 AJ Quattrin, 17 Rob Brouwer, 18 Mike Smith, 19 Tom van Horne, 20 Marcello Wainwright, 21 Mario van der Westhuizen, 22 Jamie Leveridge, 23 Mitch Richardson, 24 Andrew Wilson
