Up and Under

Up and Under is a weekly exclusive on Americas Rugby News which reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week.

 

UP

Old Glory DC
A landmark partnership between Major League Rugby expansion side Old Glory DC and the Scottish Rugby Union has been confirmed. While full details have not been disclosed, the deal has seen the SRU purchase a minority stake – reportedly close to 30% – in the club with Chief Operating Officer Dominic McKay taking a place on the Old Glory board of directors. It’s the first such agreement between a national union and an MLR club and a vote of confidence for the long-term viability of the league.

Glendale Raptors vs NOLA Gold
The Glendale Raptors earned a last-gasp win over NOLA Gold on Saturday. In a candidate for match of the year the home side secured a 34-33 result, doing so after having been overtaken by NOLA less than two minutes earlier. The back-and-forth match had seen Glendale leading 17-0 after 16 minutes but what would transpire was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride.

Toronto Arrows
Also in the Rockies on Saturday was a match between the Arrows and the Utah Warriors. The visitors smashed records in a comprehensive 64-31 victory. It ends Toronto’s road swing with an even four wins and four losses and leaves them only five points out of a playoff spot. They now play the entire second half of the regular season at home, a worrying fact for the rest of the league.

San Diego Legion
The Legion earned a major victory against the Seattle Seawolves on Sunday. They didn’t get the bonus point but they held on with only 14 men – at times 13 – to get a vital road win and stay in the playoff hunt. It’s just a shame more people didn’t get so see it live due to broadcasting issues. More on that below…

Toyota Field
MLR fans got a glimpse of heaven on Saturday as Austin Elite hosted Rugby United New York at the spectacular Toyota Field in San Antonio. The game itself wasn’t much to talk about and a ‘misstep’ left the bleachers looking empty with all fans on the wrong side of the pitch, but the field conditions were the best seen in MLR to date. Austin won’t be moving to San Antonio any time soon but perhaps a move to the shiny new Bold Stadium could revitalise the struggling franchise.

Americas Players in Barbarians squad
Three Canadians and two USA internationals have been named in the Barbarians squad to face the Women’s Eagles at Glendale on April 26. Amanda Thornborough, Andrea Burk, and Julia Folk will represent Canada in the first ever women’s international for the famed invitational side while local favorites Carmen Farmer and Hannah Stolba will dust off the boots for the big occasion.

Argentina
Argentina does not have a list of impressive results in recent years. This saw the long-serving coach, Daniel Hourcade, replaced last July. The regime to take Argentina to RWC 2019 is vastly different. Head Coach Mario Ledesma played in RWCs 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011. Support staff Gonzalo Quesada, Martín Gaitán, Nicolas Fernández Miranda also played in RWCs as did Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe who will join them in July from Toulon.

AJ MacGinty
The Sale Sharks secured a Semi Finals spot in the European Challenge Cup. The English Premiership side did so by defeating Connacht 20-10. Heavily involved was USA Eagles fly half AJ MacGinty. The 29-year-old kicked ten points for the Sharks, doing so against his former team.

Martín Chiappesoni
A second half try from Argentine flanker Martín Chiappesoni helped Colomiers to a 27-9 win over Carcassonne on Friday evening. The club is still in the relegation zone but they are now just three points behind 14th place Bressane and safety with four rounds to go. Agustín Costa Repetto and Sebastián Poet would also be affected should Colomiers fall to Fédérale 1.

 

UNDER

Jaguares
A horrific first half from Los Jaguares saw them thoroughly outmatched by the Chiefs in the opening half. Quesada’s men were a different side in the second half but they would pay for their rudderless first 40 as they were beaten at the death. The 30-27 defeat sees the Argentine side tied for bottom spot in Super Rugby this season. Their upcoming tour to South Africa is highly daunting.

MLR Broadcasting Failures
Once again international fans were left twiddling their thumbs over the weekend as the Facebook feed for the Seattle-San Diego match failed in spectacular fashion. It wasn’t just that. Local viewers missed the final 20 minutes as FOX 5 cut the game early, and the 9News broadcast of the wonderful Glendale-NOLA game was completely unavailable to UK viewers. MLR has released a statement that they are moving to correct those errors and it needs to take decisive action as broadcasting disruptions have left the league looking mighty amateur in recent weeks.

Utah Warriors
The Utah Warriors were steamrolled at home by the Toronto Arrows on Saturday. It’s another loss in what has been a woeful season thus far. At times their attack looks impressive and they managed to score five tries to earn a bonus point, but the set piece and defense was another story altogether. Upcoming matches against Seattle, NOLA, and New York will ask big questions of the Warriors.

Seattle Seawolves
It was not a good day at the office for the Seawolves, who dropped a 28-22 result to the visiting San Diego Legion. This came despite playing with a man advantage for more than half the game as the Legion’s discipline failed them. Slow starts have been a recurring theme for Seattle and it’s a problem they need to rectify quickly if they are to challenge for the title once again.

San Diego Discipline
While the Legion came away winners, they may be losers off the pitch after starting lock Keni Nasoqeqe was sent off in the first half for a reckless boot to the head of a Seattle player. With second row stocks already thin, San Diego may be forced to bring in some local help should a suspension be forthcoming. It wasn’t just Nasoqeqe who fell foul of the referee. Jasa Veremalua and Jordan Manihera were also binned for reckless behavior. Against more clinical sides that lack of discipline will be costly.

Josua Vici
The Houston SaberCats have lost Josua Vici for the next six games. The star winger was hit with an eight-week suspension for foul play following his red card against the NOLA Gold for an elbow after the whistle on Holden Yungert. He will be eligible to return again for the game against NOLA on May 18.

Santiago González Iglesias
Los Jaguars’ 30-27 defeat came after they had appeared on track for a win in the final minute of the match. Instead a Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias clearance was charged down in-goal and the Chiefs scored from the resulting scrum. For a player of his experience such an error is inexcusable. Many have questioned his longevity in the team as well as in Los Pumas. Other players simply merit an opportunity.

Perry Baker and Danny Barrett
Star Eagles Sevens players Perry Baker and Danny Barrett have been ruled out of the upcoming Hong Kong Sevens. Baker suffered a broken jaw while playing against Tonga in the first game of the Hamilton Sevens. Barrett fractured his arm against South Africa at Las Vegas. Both will miss out on the Singapore tournament as well but are eyeing a return for the European leg that begins in London on May 25.

Gastón Revol
Santiago Álvarez Fourcade has replaced Gastón Revol as Pumas Sevens captain. The 2016 Olympian takes over from the veteran 32-year-old who steps down after setting a new appearance record. Revol called time on his HSBC Sevens career last week. He did so after having played in 321 matches on the World Sevens Circuit, a number greater than that of all other players past and present.