New York scrapes by NOLA to set up dramatic finale

Rugby United New York took a 24-22 win over the NOLA Gold at MCU Park on Sunday afternoon. While they failed to secure a bonus point, the nail-biting result leaves New York even with NOLA on points and sets up a dramatic final weekend of the Major League Rugby regular season next week.

It was the Gold who took a page out of RUNY’s playbook when they drove ahead from the lineout and nearly walked over just 5 minutes in. They were stopped short but after repeat phases it was Cam Dolan who hit and spun over from short range for an early seven-point lead.

New Orleans kept the pressure on and soon had a second scoring opportunity. This time the New York backline was caught offside and JP Eloff took the three points on offer.

New York responded as required. Their forwards had been a talking point before the match and it was the scrum that brought them back into the match. At a 5-meter put-in they got the shove on and though Mike Petri’s dart didn’t quite make it, the referee was playing advantage and awarded the penalty try.

The Gold fired back with a creative set move from a lineout. Four attackers flooded one channel and it was Tim Maupin who emerged with the ball, sprinting clear in under the posts to restore the 10-point gap.

Again it was the RUNY forwards who rolled up their sleeves. The scrum put them on the front foot and from there it was pick and drive until Matt Hughston went low and over the line from a meter out.

A turning point came just before halftime. Tristan Blewett was sent to the bin after an off-the-ball scuffle with Luke Hume. The resulting penalty gave New York perfect attacking position to set their driving maul, and as he has all season, Dylan Fawsitt jumped off the back and in for the try.

Remarkably there would be only two scores in the second half. Moni Tonga’uiha made a half break and put Dolan clear through, who in turn passed to Holden Yungert. Connor Wallace-Sims was there to make the cover tackle but the ball came wide left to a waiting Nick Feakes to slide into the corner and put the Gold ahead by one.

Leave it to the scrum to make the difference, and they did once again, earning New York a penalty in range for Cathal Marsh to nudge over the sticks and slip the home side back into pole position. RUNY spent much of the final quarter in search of the bonus point but NOLA’s defense held out, and the clock would run out before the Gold would get another chance.

It’s all to play for in the final week of the regular season next week. New York will travel to Toronto on Sunday with points of any kind absolutely necessary. The same can be said for NOLA, who have suddenly dropped three in a row and must find something extra for their road match against San Diego.

 

SCORING

NEW YORK 24
Tries – Penalty try (18’), M. Hughston (28’), D. Fawsitt (36’)
Cons – C. Marsh 2/2 (29’, 37’)
Pens – C. Marsh 1/1 (63’)

NEW ORLEANS 22
Tries – C. Dolan (6’), T. Maupin (22’), N. Feakes (55’)
Cons – J. Eloff 2/3 (7’, 23’)
Pens – J. Eloff 1/1 (13’)
Yellow cards – T. Blewett (35’)

 

TEAMS

RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK
1 James Rochford (17 Anthony Parry 63’), 2 Dylan Fawsitt, 3 Paddy Ryan (18 Chris Sullivan 63’), 4 Alex MacDonald (19 Trevor Cassidy 57’), 5 Nate Brakeley, 6 John Quill, 7 Matt Hughston (16 Sean McNulty 76’), 8 Ross Deacon (20 Kyle Sumsion 51’), 9 Mike Petri (capt.), 10 Cathal Marsh (21 Harry Bennett 75’), 11 Connor Wallace-Sims (22 Marcus Satavu 75’), 12 Will Leonard (23 Luke Hume 29’), 13 Mark O’Keeffe, 14 Mike St. Claire, 15 Ben Foden

NOLA GOLD
1 Hubert Buydens (16 Matt Harmon 57’), 2 Eric Howard (capt.), 3 Alex Maughan (17 Cam Falcon 57’), 4 Kane Thompson (20 Moni Tonga’uiha HT), 5 Nikola Bursic, 6 Ignacio Dotti, 7 Zack Stryffeler (19 John Sullivan 73’), 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Holden Yungert (21 Michael Baska 69’), 10 Scott Gale (23 Tadhg Leader 63’), 11 Nick Feakes, 12 Con Foley, 13 Tristan Blewett, 14 Tim Maupin (22 Taylor Howden 69’), 15 JP Eloff

Not used: 18 Kevin Sullivan

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Elgan Williams (WRU)
Assistants: Mike O’Brien (USAR) & Amelia Luciano (USAR)

 

Attendance: 1,685