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Avery Oitomen sparked an incredible second half comeback as the Toronto Arrows defeated the San Diego Legion 27-20 at Torero Stadium on Sunday evening. A terrible first half saw the Arrows trailing 20-3 but they somehow rallied to score 24 unanswered points in the last half-hour to bring the Legion’s four-game win streak to a screeching halt.
It could not have started any worse for the Arrows as Marcello Wainwright spilled the ball on the first pass after the kickoff. Within seconds it was the newcomer Jordan Manihera who ran a straight line off Joe Pietersen to score a try with his first touch in Major League Rugby. Pietersen converted and Toronto had gifted their hosts seven points with fans still finding their way to their seats.
The Legion dominated possession and territory in the first half and with the Arrows stuck defending their line a second try was inevitable. This time is was Psalm Wooching who picked a line between defenders. Andrew Ferguson appeared to hold him up but the referee awarded the try and Toronto were left reeling.
Sam Malcolm got Toronto on the board with a penalty but Pietersen added his own on the stroke of halftime. He wasn’t done with the boot yet, casually knocking over a drop goal just two minutes into the second half. With the score now 20-3 things were looking ominous for the weary travelers.
Toronto fans needn’t have worried. A switch seemed to flip and suddenly the Arrows had San Diego on the back foot. After probing on the right side, the ball swung left and Spencer Jones hit a screaming Oitomen with a flat pass, the 19-year-old stepping Kyle Rogers to dive in for an uplifting try.
Not three minutes later Oitomen was at it again. A relentless attack saw Mike Sheppard and Wainwright stopped inches short, with a desperate tackle from Conor Kearns stopping Peter Milazzo from a certain score. The ball came out quickly and found Oitomen at first receiver and just enough space in front of him to make try number two.
A well-placed return kick from Shawn Windsor pinned the Legion deep in their end and Oitomen’s pressure gave Kearns no angle to clear. The ball went right from the lineout and Andrew Quattrin showed an impressive turn of pace to break through and palm off one, hauled down with the tip of his scrum-cap touching the line but the ball still short. Sheppard was on hand to pick and drive the rest of the way and the Arrows took the lead for the first time.
With their energy rapidly diminishing the Legion conceded a penalty which Malcolm duly slotted through the posts to make the gap a converted try with less than 10 minutes to play. San Diego would push into Toronto’s end but the Arrows scrum stood tall, winning two penalties to diffuse the assault and secure a famous victory.
The Arrows face arguably their toughest test on Friday as they face the in-form Rugby United New York in the first-ever MLR game at Coney Island’s MCU Park. San Diego pack their bags for Colorado where they will square off against the Glendale Raptors on Saturday.
SCORING
SAN DIEGO 20
Tries – J. Manihera (1’), P. Wooching (19’)
Cons – J. Pietersen 2/2 (2’, 20’)
Pens – J. Pietersen 1/1 (40’)
Drop goals – J. Pietersen 1/1 (42’)
TORONTO 27
Tries – A. Oitomen 2 (51’, 54’), M. Sheppard (64’)
Cons – S. Malcolm 3/3 (52’, 55’, 65’)
Pens – S. Malcolm 2/2 (15’, 72’)
TEAMS
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti (17 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 66’), 2 Dean Muir (16 Kapeli Pifeleti 66’), 3 Paddy Ryan (18 Aaron Mitchell 68’), 4 Louis Stanfill, 5 Keni Nasoqeqe, 6 Psalm Wooching, 7 Devin Short (20 Drew Gaffney 68’), 8 Jordan Manihera (19 Siaosi Mahoni 30’), 9 Nate Augspurger (21 Nick Boyer 74’), 10 Joe Pietersen (capt.), 11 Conor Kearns, 12 JP du Plessis, 13 Dylan Audsley, 14 Jasa Veremalua, 15 Kyle Rogers
Not used: 22 Tai Enosa, 23 Nick Lupian
TORONTO ARROWS
1 Rob Brouwer, 2 Andrew Quattrin (16 Steven Ng 74’), 3 Morgan Mitchell (18 Tom Dolezel 74’), 4 Mike Sheppard, 5 Paul Ciulini, 6 Peter Milazzo, 7 Marcello Wainwright (19 Tom van Horne 76’), 8 Jack Nay (20 Kolby Francis HT), 9 Andrew Ferguson (21 Riley DiNardo 66’), 10 Sam Malcolm, 11 Dan Moor (capt.), 12 Guiseppe du Toit, 13 Spencer Jones, 14 Avery Oitomen (23 Johnny Sheridan 68’), 15 Shawn Windsor
Not used: 17 Pat Lynott, 22 Jamie Leveridge
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Scott Green (USAR)
Assistants: Ben Crouse (SARU) & Lex Weiner (USAR)
