ATL stuffs San Diego at The Snake Pit

Rugby ATL produced a stunning performance at Lupo Family Field on Saturday evening, turning away the visiting San Diego Legion by a final score of 41-22. A one-sided second half and 21 points from the boot of Robbie Petzer was the difference as ATL set new franchise marks for points scored and winning margin.

It was San Diego who scored first, and with surprising ease. A simple lineout set move set a midfield target and then Joe Pietersen’s miss-pass caught the ATL wide defense counting daisies. Bjorn Basson snatched up the ball on a one-bounce and casually strode around the corner. Joe Pietersen’s kick was off target but the Legion were up by 5.

The home side struck back immediately. A miscue on the restart handed the ball to ATL and after a couple hit-ups, slick hands found Matt Heaton out wide. The captain freed his arms in the tackle with the offload putting Mark O’Keeffe in for five. Robbie Petzer made it seven with the routine conversion.

Pietersen had no trouble with a penalty goal after Ryan Matyas was impeded on a kick-ahead. Six minutes later it was the Psalm Wooching show, the flanker cutting clean through the line and sprinting home from 40 meters. Connor Cook’s desperation tackle wasn’t quite enough as Wooching rolled and reached out to ground the ball. Another two from Pietersen made it 15-7 at the hydration break.

The switched flipped to ATL as Petzer landed a penalty goal and then O’Keeffe was in for a double. A huge miss pass from Rory van Vugt found Te Rangatira Waikotia, and the outside center held two defenders out wide to put his winger in the clear. Petzer’s conversion from wide out was no good and it was all square at 15 apiece.

There was just enough time for ATL to take the lead before halftime. A Waitokia line break was shut down, but San Diego conceded a penalty that left Petzer with another shot at goal. It rang off the right post and flew behind the left. The officials raised their flags and the home side took a three-point lead.

Martini Talapusi replaced Waitokia at halftime and it only took a minute before he found himself on the score sheet. Keni Nasoqeqe over-ran Pietersen’s flat pass and spilled possession, leaving a free run for Talapusi from 30 meters out. Petzer was again on target and the gap was suddenly 10 points.

A third penalty from Petzer sent shockwaves through the Legion and then disaster struck as Santiago González Iglesias limped off with what looked like a groin injury. Not long after and it was Petzer again putting three points up as ATL methodically pulled away from their guests.

The final nail came just moments later. Jason Damm entered the game and immediately made in impact, rumbling up the field from the restart. San Diego held the attack but then could only watch as Manasa Saulo obliterated the Legion’s scrum leaving Damm with the simplest of scores off the back.

Petzer would land a fifth penalty for good measure before San Diego scored a consolation try. Dylan Audsley stepped through for a seven-pointer in the 78th minute but it was for naught, with not even a bonus point on offer for the Legion.

Both teams will be in action next weekend. San Diego are up first with a road game against the Houston SaberCats on Saturday. On Sunday the Ratlers will stay at home to welcome Rugby United New York to The Snake Pit.

 

SCORING

ATL 41
Tries – M. O’Keeffe 2 (5’, 32’), M. Talapusi (41’), J. Damm (68’)
Cons – R. Petzer 3/4 (6’, 42’, 69’)
Pens – R. Petzer 5/5 (28’, 40’, 50’, 64’, 73’)

SAN DIEGO 22
Tries – B. Basson (2’), P. Wooching (20’), D. Audsley (78’)
Cons – J. Pietersen 1/2 (21’), No kick (78’)
Pens – J. Pietersen 1/1 (14’)

 

TEAMS

RUGBY ATL
1 Chance Wenglewski (18 Will Burke 78’), 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg (16 Alex Maughan 52’), 3 Jonas Petrakopoulos (17 Manasa Saulo 66’), 4 Marno Redelinghuys, 5 Johan Momsen, 6 Connor Cook (21 Vili Helu 70’), 7 Matt Heaton (capt.), 8 Daemon Torres (20 Jason Damm 61’), 9 Ryan Rees (22 Eamonn Matthews 75’), 10 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Mark O’Keeffe, 12 Robbie Petzer, 13 Te Rangatira Waitokia (23 Martini Talapusi HT), 14 Jeremy Misailegalu, 15 Rory van Vugt

Not used: 19 Conor Keys

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti (17 Nathan Sylvia 55’), 2 Dean Muir, 3 Aaron Mitchell (20 Cronan Gleeson 55’), 4 Ben Mitchell, 5 Siaosi Mahoni (16 Tevita Tameilau 50’), 6 Jasa Veremalua (19 Travis Larsen 66’), 7 Psalm Wooching, 8 Keni Nasoqeqe, 9 Carlo de Nysschen, 10 Joe Pietersen (capt.), 11 Bjorn Basson (23 Cecil Afrika 49’), 12 Santiago González Iglesias (22 Cole Zarcone 55’), 13 Ryan Matyas, 14 Save Totovosau, 15 Dylan Audsley

Not used: 18 Chris Baumann, 21 Patrick Madden

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Jack Gohl (Australia)
Assistants: Cisco Lopez (USA) & Dave Edwards (USA)

 

Attendance: 750