Ohio smash San Francisco in Obetz

San Francisco might have been better off staying home as they were absolutely pulverised by the Ohio Aviators at Memorial Park in Obetz in Sunday. The final score read Ohio 71 to 13 for the Rush. Ohio are the first team to reach 70 points in PRO Rugby, and set a new record for point differential and tries scored with 11 scored by nine different players.

Volney Rouse was on target for an early penalty goal but San Francisco’s joy would end there. Davis was put into space when the defense pinched on Dom Waldouck, and just two minutes later Elkins got a near carbon-copy on the left flank with Dylan Fawsitt giving the final pass.

A second penalty from Rouse offered a momentary break from the blitz. After regathering from the kickoff, a short line by Pierce Dargan off a ruck put him clean through for Ohio’s third try. More hard work from the forwards opened acres of space out wide and Sebastián Kalm went over untouched with two men outside him for the bonus point try with only 29 minutes on the clock.

The second half started with much of the same. From a standing start Davis spun and smashed through the hapless defense to jog in under the posts. Kalm got his double from the back of a maul. Filippo Ferrarini went over from close range, and then Peter Malcolm was on hand to capitalize on some sloppy kick coverage. With 20 minutes still to play Ohio were already over the half-century.

Dylan Fawsitt, Ahmad Harajly, and Waldouck added to San Francisco’s misery with Robbie Shaw’s kicking pushing them over the 70-point mark. A last second breakaway try for Jack O’Hara made the gap a little closer, scant consolation for a devastated Rush team.

Ohio now inch closer to league leaders Denver, and will stay at home next week when they host San Diego. San Francisco crawl home to Boxer Stadium to play Sacramento.

OHIO 71
Tries – S. Davis 2 (4, 44), A. Elkins (6), P. Dargan (19), S. Kalm 2 (29, 48), F. Ferrarini (53), P. Malcolm (59), D. Fawsitt (64), A. Harajly (66), D. Waldouck (74)
Cons – S. Davies 4 (7, 30, 45, 49), R. Shaw 4 (54, 60, 67, 75)

SAN FRANCISCO 20
Tries – Penalty try (70), J. O’Hara (79)
Cons – V. Rouse 2 (70, 80)
Pens – V. Rouse 2 (2, 9)

OHIO AVIATORS
1 Jamie Mackintosh 2 Dylan Fawsitt 3 Demecus Beach 4 Pierce Dargan 5 Ryan McTiernan 6 Filippo Ferrarini 7 Sebastián Kalm 8 Riekert Hattingh 9 Shaun Davies (capt.) 10 Zac Mizell 11 Alex Elkins 12 Roland Suniula 13 Dominic Waldouck 14 Spike Davis 15 Allan Hanson

16 Peter Malcolm 17 Derrek van Klein 18 Dominic Pezzutti 19 Chad Joseph 20 Ryan Cochran 21 Robbie Shaw 22 Chris Kunkel 23 Ahmad Harajly

SAN FRANCISCO RUSH
1 Niko Lolohea 2 Patrick Latu 3 Fancy Namulau’ulu 4 Nick Grass 5 Jérémy Lenaerts 6 Siupeli Sakalia 7 Sam Finau 8 Bill Fukofuka 9 Devereaux Ferris 10 Volney Rouse (capt.) 11 Jake Anderson 12 Orene Ai’i 13 Junior Helu 14 Michael Haley 15 Martini Talapusi

16 Jacob Finau 17 Codi Jones 18 Saimone Laulaupea’alu 19 Siaosi Mahoni 20 Neil Barrett 21 Michael Reid 22 Pila Huihui 23 Jack O’Hara

Referee: Derek Summers
Assistants: Nick Ricono & Jamie Miller