Extraordinary finale sees Warriors defeat Seawolves

The Utah Warriors have claimed a famous 33-31 victory over the Seattle Seawolves. An extraordinary finale saw the winning try scored in the 88th minute of play. Continual penalties extended the game well beyond its typical conclusion.

In no time from kickoff the Seawolves were on Utah’s doorstep. Just four minutes in Mike Shepherd ran straight and hard off a ruck to crash over for the first try. Ben Cima chipped over the conversion to make it a full seven.

Utah fired back with a try of their own. Brad Tucker committed an uncharacteristic knock-on from the restart, and the Seawolves couldn’t get out of their end. The Warriors kept the pressure on until a lineout drive made it over in the left corner with Veremalua Vugakoto getting the credit. Robbie Povey slotted the conversion to level the scores.

A penalty straight in front of the posts could have been an easy three for Cima, but the Seawolves showed their intent by instead opting for the corner. The maul was stopped but Seattle went through the phases until Riekert Hattingh crashed over beside the uprights for a simple conversion.

No further scoring would come before the break. Both sides had a share of the possession but neither could solve the defense. A late Seattle attack went begging from a knock on, and Utah countered with a kick ahead that had the Seawolves under pressure. Cima’s clearance attempt was charged down but the half was over and the Warriors could not take full advantage.

The Warriors would score early in the second half. Povey slipped through a gap in the midfield and when the ball was recycled Tyler Fisher was there to drag two defenders with him over the line. The conversion from Povey split the uprights to once again tie the game.

Seattle brought on fresh legs in Stephan Coetzee, Jérémy Lenaerts, and Eric Duechle. The changes paid off immediately. A penalty conceded at center field allowed Cima to kick to the corner. From the lineout, the drive moved ahead until Coetzee peeled off the back and crashed over for the try. Cima nailed the conversion from a tricky angle.

A near-identical score came in response. Utah summoned their giant prop duo Huluholo Mo’ungaloa and Kalolo Tuiloma from the bench. The extra weight powered a lineout drive ahead to earn a penalty. They turned down the points and took the corner, and Tuiloma steamed over from the back of the maul. Povey matched Cima’s effort from the tee with another conversion.

On cue, the pendulum swung back towards the Seawolves. Hattingh barreled in for his second try on a set play from a lineout. Cima landed the conversion but his day would come to an end shortly as Ryno Eksteen came on to make his Major League Rugby debut.

As the clock ticked closer to 80 minutes discipline became a problem for Seattle. Coetzee was binned for playing the ball illegally in a ruck. Utah called for a scrum and the shorthanded Seawolves crumbled, conceding a penalty try.

It looked as though Brock Staller had won the game with a penalty kick just a minute before full-time with Seattle still down a man. In the process of grinding the last few seconds out after the restart, Utah won a penalty in kicking range. They chose to play for a win, kicking to the corner knowing the next stoppage would surely end the game.

For eight long minutes the Seawolves were pinned on their own goal-line. A lineout drive, a scrum, another lineout, another scrum, multiple phases were repelled by the defense as penalties continued to mount. At last there was space on the corner. When Fisher was hauled down just short, Calvin Whiting was in close support to pick and smash over the line.

Next weekend will see Utah hosting NOLA in their home opener at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday night. It will be a trying week for the defending champions. The Seawolves drop to 1-4 and must make the long trip to New York for their match on Sunday.

SCORING

SEATTLE 31
Tries – M. Shepherd (4’), R. Hattingh 2 (24’, 59’), S. Coetzee (46’)
Cons – B. Cima 4/4 (4’, 25’, 47’, 60’)
Pens – B. Staller 1/1 (79’)
Yellow cards – S. Coetzee (75’)

UTAH 33
Tries – V. Vugakoto (12’), T. Fisher (43’), K. Tuiloma (53’), Penalty try (76’), C. Whiting (80’+8)
Cons – R. Povey 3/4 (13’, 44’, 54’)

TEAMS

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Djustice Sears-Duru (17 Kellen Gordon 60’), 2 Mike Shepherd (16 Stephan Coetzee 45’), 3 Tim Metcher (18 Jake Ilnicki 60’), 4 FP Pelser (19 Jérémy Lenaerts 45’), 5 Brad Tucker, 6 Vili Toluta’u, 7 Nakai Penny (20 Eric Duechle 45’), 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 Ben Cima (21 Ryno Eksteen 63’), 11 Peter Tiberio (22 Suli Tamaivena 48’), 12 Shalom Suniula (23 Joey Iosefa 66’), 13 David Busby, 14 Brock Staller, 15 Mat Turner

UTAH WARRIORS
1 Franco van den Berg (17 Huluholo Mo’ungaloa 51’), 2 Veremalua Vugakoto (16 Sama Malolo 61’), 3 Angus MacLellan (18 Kalolo Tuiloma 51’), 4 John Cullen (capt.), 5 Matt Jensen (20 Puna Vuli 70’), 6 Bailey Wilson, 7 Ara Elkington, 8 Jurie van Vuuren (19 Saia Uhila 61’), 9 Michael Baska, 10 Robbie Povey, 11 Josh Whippy, 12 Calvin Whiting, 13 Tyler Fisher, 14 Gannon Moore, 15 Vatemo Ravouvou

Not used: 21 Dwayne Polataivao, 22 Dom Toluono, 23 Jared Whippy

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Henrique Platais (Brazil)
Assistants: Austin Reed (USA) & Denny Russell (USA)