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The Houston SaberCats got their preseason back on track with a dominant 42-13 win over visiting Canadian club side James Bay on a damp Saturday evening at Constellation Field. After a competitive first 40 minutes that saw the score 20-10 at the break, the superior fitness of the professional side saw them pull away in the final quarter.
Early pressure put the SaberCats in scoring position early but inaccuracy cost them both possession and territory, but luckily not points as Aaron Evison couldn’t convert on the game’s first penalty attempt. Eventually the scores would come however, with Connor Murphy and Zach Pangelinan touching down to give Houston a 10-point lead. Sam Windsor made a little history with the first drop goal in a Major League Rugby preseason match in the 25th minute to make it a baker’s dozen.
The visitors fought back, however, and just moments after Windsor’s field goal it was his opposite Mitch Richardson who found his way over the paint for a deserved try. Blake Mahovic made it two in a row for the Bays and though Evison couldn’t make good on either conversion the gap was a mere three points approaching halftime.
There was just enough time before the break for Josua Vici to show his class. The strapping Fijian winger stepped up on both sides of the ball, putting in a thunderous tackle in defense before smashing his way under the sticks for the score. Pangelinan couldn’t miss this time and SaberCats were 10 points up.
Evison found his range with a penalty goal after a period of stalemate to start the second half. Houston replied with a brilliant cross kick from Osea Kolinisau to his countryman Vici who touched down for his second. A well-worked maul ended with Petey Hepburn scoring his first try in SaberCats colors, and then an unlikely chip ahead from Kyle Sumsion saw Kolinisau on the end of the kick to wrap up the scoring.
Next up for Houston is the Capital Selects on Saturday as the SaberCats reach the midpoint of their inaugural exhibition schedule. The Selects were due to play a Stars Rugby XV this past weekend in Washington DC but their opponents were forced to cancel their tour mid-week. They were defeated 68-15 by the NOLA Gold in New Orleans on January 20.
SCORING
HOUSTON SABERCATS 42
Tries – C. Murphy (12′), Z. Pangelinan (15′), J. Vici 2 (38′, 60′), P. Hepburn (66′), O. Kolinisau (79′)
Cons – Z. Pangelinan 3/5 (39′, 61′, 67′), K. Farmer 0/1
Drop goals – S. Windsor 1/1 (25′)
JAMES BAY 13
Tries – M. Richardson (28′), B. Mahovic (34′)
Cons – A. Evison 0/2
Pens – A. Evison 1/2 (52′)
TEAMS
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Petey Hepburn, 2 Diego Maquiera, 3 Adam Macklin, 4 Charlie Hewitt, 5 Robert Meeson, 6 Chris Parker, 7 Cecil Garber, 8 Kyle Sumsion (capt.), 9 Connor Murphy, 10 Sam Windsor, 11 Josua Vici, 12 Conor Mills, 13 Dan Paul, 14 Osea Kolinisau, 15 Zach Pangelinan
Replacements: 16 Andres Diaz, 17 Estevan Florez, 18 Jack Riley, 19 Justin Allen, 20 Jackson Slater, 21 Chris Slater, 22 Kieran Farmer, 23 Art Reyes, 24 Paul Mullen
JAMES BAY
1 Blake van Heyningen, 2 Steven Ng, 3 Noah Barker, 4 Shea Wakefield, 5 Jake de Goede, 6 Jakob Butler, 7 Moe Abdelmonem, 8 Paul Ciulini, 9 Mitchell Sora, 10 Mitch Richardson, 11 Aaron Evison, 12 Guillaume Caillaux, 13 Mike Nieuwenhuysen, 14 Nathan Waldmann, 15 Blake Mahovic
Replacements: 16 Andrew Macpherson, 17 Jason Lines, 18 Jack Mealey, 19 Tyler Rockwell, 20 Nathan Tough, 21 Liam Murray, 22 Thomas Burton
Attendance: 2,150
