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San Francisco shocked the visiting San Diego Breakers with a completely dominant display of attacking rugby that saw them score seven tries en route to a 50-26 victory. The Rush rocketed out the of gates and had 17 points up before San Diego had any answer. The Breakers simply could not handle the power running and offloading game of their hosts.
Orene Ai’i picked off a lazy pass from Charlie Purdon very early on to race away under the sticks. With the Breakers still reeling Volney Rouse nudged over a penalty after his conversion, and then Devereaux Ferris was on the end of a lethal counter attack as the alarm bells sounded.
San Diego silenced them briefly when Tai Tuisamoa cut a great line and ambled in untouched, but Rouse capitalized on a terrible mix-up at the restart to restore the three-score gap. Cecil Garber was next on the try list, bowling over poor Ferris as he rounded the corner. Kalei Konrad’s conversion made it 24-14 at the break, but the Breakers were just holding on.
Michael Haley finished off a swift attack from the a lineout just barely into the second half to add to San Diego’s misery. Nick Blevins, or his stomach anyway, charged down a weak clearance attempt from Mike Te’o to snuff out any remaining belief in the Breakers.
Te’o tried to redeem himself by following up a sideline jaunt from Ryan Matyas to skip away for a try, but the Rush replied with a second through Ferris after a beauty offload from Sam Finau. The tit-for-tat continued when Derrick Broussard heaved his way over from close range, only to watch Ai’i cross for his double moments later on a Gregan-esque inside ball from Ferris.
The Rush stay put at Boxer Stadium for a date with Denver on Sunday. San Diego, meanwhile, shuffle over to Sacramento where the play their final game of the season at Bonney Field on Saturday.
SAN FRANCISCO 50
Tries – O. Ai’i 2 (4, 71), D. Ferris 2 (12, 61), V. Rouse (18), M. Haley (42), N. Blevins (49)
Cons – V. Rouse 6 (5, 13, 19, 43, 62, 72)
Pens – V. Rouse (9)
SAN DIEGO 26
Tries – T. Tuisamoa (16), C. Garber (30), M. Te’o (55), D. Broussard (68)
Cons – K. Konrad 3 (17, 31, 69)
SAN FRANCISCO RUSH
1 Codi Jones 2 Jacob Finau 3 Patrick Latu 4 Nick Grass 5 Jérémy Lenaerts 6 Brendan Daly 7 Sam Finau 8 Siupeli Sakalia 9 Devereaux Ferris 10 Volney Rouse (capt.) 11 Pila Iongi 12 Orene Ai’i 13 Nick Blevins 14 Michael Haley 15 Martini Talapusi
16 Saimone Laulaupea’alu 17 Niko Lolohea 18 Fancy Namulau’ulu 19 Bill Fukofuka 20 Jack O’Hara 21 Michael Reid 22 Junior Helu 23 Pila Huihui
SAN DIEGO BREAKERS
1 Mason Pedersen 2 Joe Taufete’e 3 Jake Ilnicki 4 Ian Carpenter 5 Tai Tuisamoa 6 Bruce Thomas 7 Cecil Garber 8 Chris Turori 9 Charlie Purdon 10 Kalei Konrad 11 Pono Haitsuka 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Ryan Matyas 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya 15 Mike Te’o
16 Mike Sosene-Feagai 17 Kakalea Pule 18 Epeli Kalemani 19 Sam Lilley 20 Derrick Broussard 21 Zach Pangelinan 22 Ben Leatigaga 23 Tim Stanfill
Referee: Scott Green
Assistants: Nick Ricono & George O’Neil
