San Diego Legion get first win over Austin Elite

Two more teams made their Major League Rugby debuts in a preseason tilt at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex on Sunday afternoon. The San Diego Legion got the edge on their hosts, defeating Austin Elite by 32-24.

Ben Cima enjoyed a strong match from the kicking tee landing five from six shots including the game’s opening score in just the second minute. The first ever try scored by the Legion would go to hooker Pat Blair just five minutes later, with Cima’s conversion making it a quick 10-0 to the visitors.

The edge in the scrum went to Austin and their captain for the day, Mason Pedersen, enjoyed a fine afternoon scoring the first of two tries in response to Austin’s effort. Timothée Guillimin couldn’t connect on the extras but the Elite had their historic first points.

A yellow card to Gil Covey reduced San Diego to 14 men but it was the Legion who instead found the score sheet with a try to Cam Dolan, the Eagles No8 packing down at lock for the day. Cima added his second penalty late in the half to give San Diego a commanding 18-5 lead at the intermission.

Austin came flying out of the blocks in the second half and Pedersen was in for a double within a minute of the restart. Deon Minnaar was up next, the No8 drawing the scores level with Guillimin’s conversion giving the home side their first lead, albeit a precarious one.

San Diego replied through outside center Anthony Salaber and then in rapid-fire fashion Blair made it two at the back of a driving maul. Both conversion kicks were on target to wrap up the scoring for the Legion. Pat Sullivan grabbed a consolation score for Austin to bring the match to a close.

The Legion have a week off to shore up any concerns before hosting the Houston SaberCats in their first ever home game at Torero Stadium. Austin head due east to New Orleans where the Gold await in the first match of a home-and-away set between the two teams.

 

SCORING

AUSTIN 24
Tries – M. Pedersen 2 (16’, 41’), D. Minnaar (51’), P. Sullivan (77’)
Cons – T. Guillimin 2/4 (42’, 52’)
Pens – T. Guillimin 0/1

SAN DIEGO 32
Tries – P. Blair 2 (7’, 62’), C. Dolan (29’), A. Salaber (59’)
Cons – B. Cima 3/4 (8′, 60′, 63′)
Pens – B. Cima 2/2 (2’, 39’)
Yellow cards – G. Covey (24’), T. Toilolo (75’)

 

TEAMS

AUSTIN ELITE
1 Tim Fitzgerald, 2 Chris Schade, 3 Mason Pedersen (capt.), 4 Ben Mitchell, 5 Kyle Breytenbach, 6 Junior Naruma, 7 Hanco Germishuys, 8 Deon Minnaar, 9 Michael Reid, 10 Timothée Guillimin, 11 Reece Czarnecki, 12 Andrew Suniula, 13 Sani Taylor, 14 Vetekina Malafu, 15 Sione Fangaihuia

Replacements: 16 David LeMasters, 17 Siaosi Finau, 18 Robert Drummond, 19 Dylan Goulding, 20 Knute O’Donnell, 21 Pat Sullivan, 22 Joedee Reyes, 23 Alex Faison-Donahoe

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Gil Covey, 2 Pat Blair, 3 Josh Zamudio, 4 Jay Harmon, 5 Cam Dolan, 6 Chris Turori, 7 Derrick Broussard, 8 Mungo Mason, 9 Nate Augspurger (capt.), 10 Tadhg Leader, 11 Nick Evans, 12 Ben Cima, 13 Anthony Salaber, 14 Taku Ngwenya, 15 Dylan Audsley

Replacements: 16 Tony Purpura, 17 Tasi Toilolo, 18 Ryan Walls, 19 Devin Short, 20 Sione Tu’ihalamaka, 21 Nick Boyer, 22 Cody Melphy, 23 Faitala Talapusi