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The Toronto Arrows are headed to the Major League Rugby Semi Finals. A late drop goal from Sam Malcolm clinched a 22-20 win in front of an Arrows record crowd of 3,180 at Lamport Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The result leaves New York teetering on elimination with the result the evening matches to determine their fate.
It was the visitors who held the edge early on. Mike Petri spotted the defense short of numbers down the blindside just five minutes into the match, with straight hands from Will Leonard, Chris Mattina, and finally Matt Hughston putting Mike St. Claire away on a 40 meter sprint to the line. Cathal Marsh landed the sideline conversion to take the full seven points.
Toronto replied through captain Dan Moor. Peter Milazzo went off the top at the lineout and Leandro Leivas came in off his left wing to become the extra man on the right. He beat the tackle of Ben Foden and offloaded with Leonard on his back to put Moor into the corner. Sam Malcolm couldn’t equal Marsh’s effort but the Arrows were within two.
They would take the lead soon after. New York were on the back foot after the forwards went through several phases, Jamie Mackenzie hit Spencer Jones with a flat pass that took him through the line and in under the posts. Malcolm made good on the extras to make it a 12-7 halftime score in favor of Toronto.
An early try in the second half tilted the scales. A loose pass from Guiseppe du Toit was picked off by John Quill, the Eagles flanker striding in untouched with the routine conversion giving RUNY the lead. Marsh connected on two penalty goals before the hour mark to stretch the lead to eight and leave the Arrows with work to do.
A cheeky bit of business from Andrew Ferguson grabbed seven back. The referee awarded a penalty to Toronto and while Petri was looking for an explanation, Ferguson took the quick tap to catch the defense unprepared. Malcolm was on target again and it set the stage for a grandstand finish.
The Arrows had the momentum now and after the defense stymied the RUNY attack at halfway, a grubber from Patrick Parfrey bounced kindly for Moor to bring the ball well into scoring position. New York held out for several minutes and when it looked as though the try wouldn’t come, Malcolm moved back into the pocket and coolly chipped a drop kick through the uprights.
A long restart was collected easily by Toronto. Quill gave away a penalty with only two minutes left and Malcolm sent the ball into touch beyond halfway. RUNY would never regain possession. Moor called for a scrum after another penalty was conceded at the lineout, and once the ball emerged Ferguson smashed it into touch to bring on the final whistle.
SCORING
TORONTO 22
Tries – D. Moor (15’), S. Jones (20’), A. Ferguson (65’)
Cons – S. Malcolm 2/3 (21’, 66’)
Drop goals – S. Malcolm 1/1 (77’)
NEW YORK 20
Tries – M. St. Claire (6’), J. Quill (43’)
Cons – C. Marsh 2/2 (7’, 44’)
Pens – C. Marsh 2/2 (49’, 58’)
TEAMS
TORONTO ARROWS
1 Rob Brouwer (17 Pat Lynott 79’), 2 Andrew Quattrin (16 Steven Ng 68’), 3 Morgan Mitchell (18 Cole Keith 58’), 4 Mike Sheppard, 5 Paul Ciulini, 6 Peter Milazzo, 7 John Moonlight (20 Marcello Wainwright 71’), 8 Luke Campbell, 9 Jamie Mackenzie (21 Andrew Ferguson 49’), 10 Sam Malcolm, 11 Leandro Leivas (23 Kainoa Lloyd 71’), 12 Guiseppe du Toit (22 Patrick Parfrey 58’), 13 Spencer Jones, 14 Dan Moor (capt.), 15 Gastón Mieres
Not used: 19 Tom van Horne
RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK
1 James Rochford (18 Chance Wenglewski 53’ {17 Anthony Parry 71’}), 2 Dylan Fawsitt, 3 Paddy Ryan (18 Chance Wenglewski 75’), 4 Trevor Cassidy (19 Alex MacDonald 55’), 5 Nate Brakeley, 6 John Quill, 7 Matt Hughston (20 James Denise 77’), 8 Ross Deacon, 9 Mike Petri (capt.), 10 Cathal Marsh (21 Harry Bennett 77’), 11 Connor Wallace-Sims (23 Marcus Satavu 77’), 12 Will Leonard, 13 Chris Mattina, 14 Mike St. Claire, 15 Ben Foden
Not used: 16 Callum Mackintosh, 22 Jake Feury
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Elgan Williams (WRU)
Assistants: Moe Chaudhry (RC) & Peter Pender (RC)
Attendance: 3,180
