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Major League Rugby fans were given an unexpected first viewing of this season’s lone expansion side as Austin hosted LA at Bold Stadium for a preseason tilt on Saturday evening. The Giltinis enter the season with no shortage of hype, but they will now know that nothing is guaranteed after requiring a late score to salvage a debut win over their cocktail cousins.
It was the Gilgronis who got on the board first. Dominic Akina showed his impressive acceleration to launch off the back of a 5-meter scrum and reach the line. Mack Mason had no trouble adding two points with the routine conversion.
LA came back immediately and after Matt Giteau picked the corner the forwards went to work from the lineout. Austin repelled several forays before the long arms of Nathan Den Hoedt touched the ball down on the short side of a ruck. Giteau’s extras were good and the Giltinis had their first ever points.
A second try came shortly afterwords, this time a more conventional driving maul with Mahe Vailanu falling over the line. It wasn’t long before a LA had a third. Crisp hands through the star-studded backline saw Glenn Bryce putting DTH van der Merwe around the outside to finish a picture-perfect two-on-one.
The AGs showed they were up for the challenge in double-quick time. An LA error gave Austin possession in their end, and then a penalty set up an attacking lineout. Akina took the throw-in and when the drive went over Maclean Jones came up with the ball.
Will Magie made the most of another LA penalty with a brilliant kick from inside his own half that found touch near the 5-meter line. Sebastian de Chaves was the target for the throw-in, and when the maul was stopped Akina went low and hard to score his second of the match.
Austin took the lead for the first time before the break. Another maul made ground and then Pele Cowley went to the short side, connecting with Rodrick Waters for a try in the left corner. Mason’s kick was no good but the AGs were up 24-19 after 40 minutes.
The first try of the second half went to LA. It was a near repeat of an earlier score as Vailanu grabbed a double, once again via the maul. As if reading from a script, Austin mimicked LA’s success and fired back with a successful maul of their own, with Hugh Roach the man to get the credit.
Robbie Coetzee was only just into the match when he was binned for illegal entry into a ruck, though it appeared to be a case of mistaken identity. LA took advantage of the overlap with Adam Ashley-Cooper making the corner on the end of a set move from a scrum.
The set piece would account for the final three tries. Austin’s scrum, which had the edge all night, was rewarded with a penalty try. LA’s lineout drive took care of the rest, the first going to Christian Poidevin and the game winner to Lindsey Stevens. Luke Carty converted both from the sideline, the second bringing on the final whistle.
SCORING
AUSTIN 38
Tries – D. Akina 2, M. Jones, R. Waters, H. Roach, Penalty try
Cons – M. Mason 3/5
Yellow cards – R. Coetzee
LA 43
Tries – N. Den Hoedt, M. Vailanu 2, D. van der Merwe, A. Ashley-Cooper, C. Poidevin, L. Stevens
Cons – M. Giteau 2/5, L. Carty 2/2
Yellow cards – L. Burton
TEAMS
AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Jamie Mackintosh, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Mason Pedersen, 4 Sebastian de Chaves, 5 Christian Ostberg, 6 Moe Abdelmonem, 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Dominic Akina, 9 Pele Cowley, 10 Will Magie, 11 Rodrick Waters, 12 Mack Mason, 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Conner Mooneyham, 15 Zinzan Elan-Puttick (capt.)
Replacements: Robbie Coetzee, Jake Turnbull, LaRome White, Cam Dodson, Dom Bailey, Michael de Waal, Marcelo Torrealba, Kurt Morath, Lui Sitama, Cole Davis
LA GILTINIS
1 Blake Rogers, 2 Mahe Vailanu, 3 Charlie Abel, 4 Dave Dennis (capt.), 5 Nathan Den Hoedt, 6 Angus Cottrell, 7 Christian Poidevin, 8 Adam Ashe, 9 Harrison Goddard, 10 Matt Giteau, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 12 Bill Meakes, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 John Ryberg, 15 Glenn Bryce
Replacements: Sean McNulty, Luke White, Frikkie de Beer, Corey Thomas, Lindsey Stevens, Pago Haini, Cristian Rodriguez, Luke Carty, Luke Burton, Visesio Leasi
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Derek Summers (USA)
