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The Toronto Arrows will leave Jersey City with a stunning 53-12 win over Rugby United New York on Sunday afternoon. It’s a major statement from the Canadian side who have now recorded back-to-back winning margins of 40+ points after a slow start to the campaign.
An early offside penalty gave an attacking lineout to New York. Toronto held off the driving maul and several phases on the line, but Luke Hume was left wide open and quick hands put the winger into the corner. Dan Hollinshead’s effort from the sideline went wide of the posts.
A dozen minutes of parity ended with a first phase set move try for the Arrows. Joaquín Tuculet came flying up the middle from his fullback spot to take a short ball from Patrick Parfrey through the gap and in under the posts.
Tayler Adams missed a shot at goal but the Arrows had a second try soon after. Tuculet’s probing kick ahead was closed down by Gastón Mieres, and Ben LeSage was first to the tackle to win the penalty. Adams spotted Manuel Montero in space on the left side and his cross-kick was perfectly weighted.
Dylan Fawsitt put the Arrows under pressure with a fly-hack that rolled a meter over the tryline. Instead of touching down, however, Mieres opted to run it out and the counter-attack took the ball out to halfway. Ross Braude spotted space and his kick into space worked a charm as Troy Lockyear was caught in possession deep in New York territory.
The Arrows won a penalty but the kick from Adams rang of the upright. New York couldn’t clear their lines and when Toronto regained possession Montero popped up on his opposite wing, his long strides and outside angle too much for the New York defense to catch up to. Adams made good this time and Toronto were ahead by two converted tries.
New York had a chance to score points just ahead of the intermission. They worked their way deep into Toronto territory but Lucas Rumball came up with a crucial turnover at the breakdown to shut down the attack. The score at halftime was 19-5 to the visitors.
Misfortune hit New York early in the second half. Rumball won a turnover to give the Arrows an attacking lineout but the home side turned the ball over. Mike Sheppard charged down the clearance attempt from Conor McManus and fell on the ball for the try, though the replay suggested there may have been a knock-on in the process.
Marty Veale rang the changes and they made an immediate impact for New York. Kyle Sumsion tore off the scrum, connecting with Evan Mintern to take the ball most of the way. The pressure stayed on until Andy Ellis crossed the line with Hollinshead adding the extra two.
The revival was short-lived. Manuel Diana broke from a ruck, and when the ball was recycled Adams put LeSage through a gap. A long looping pass found Mieres free for the try, with the kick from Adams bouncing off the posts and through to make it a full seven.
Another Rumball turnover shut down a New York counter and then a scrum penalty gave Adams a shot at three, which he made good on. A second successful penalty made it 39-12 to the visitors and the result was beyond doubt.
Montero grabbed a hat trick from a scrum turnover, and the misery wasn’t over yet. Just seconds after the restart LeSage broke free and when he was tackled inches short of the line, Jason Higgins was the first in support to pick and touch down for try number seven.
Both teams are on the road next Sunday. It’s a shorter trip for Toronto as they depart for New Orleans from their temporary home of Atlanta. New York head from coast-to-coast, the first side this season to take on the Seawolves at their Starfire Stadium home.
SCORING
NEW YORK 12
Tries – L. Hume (3’), A. Ellis (50’)
Cons – D. Hollinshead 1/2 (51’)
TORONTO 53
Tries – J. Tuculet (15’), M. Montero 3 (21’, 37’, 75’), M. Sheppard (45’), G. Mieres (54’), J. Higgins (77’)
Cons – No kick (15’), T. Adams 5/6 (38’, 46’, 55’, 76’, 78’)
Pens – T. Adams 2/4 (67’, 72’)
TEAMS
RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK
1 James Rochford (16 Wilton Rebolo 51’), 2 Dylan Fawsitt (capt.) (17 Anthony Parry 59’), 3 Samu Tawake (18 Zak Taulafo 52’), 4 Charlie Hewitt (20 Evan Mintern 46’), 5 Nick Civetta, 6 Nate Brakeley, 7 Benjamín Bonasso (19 Kyle Sumsion 46’), 8 Kara Pryor, 9 Conor McManus (21 Andy Ellis 46’), 10 Dan Hollinshead (22 Harry Bennett 59’), 11 Apenisa Cakaubalavu (23 Joel Miranda 69’), 12 Quinn Ngawati, 13 Troy Lockyear, 14 Luke Hume, 15 Ben Foden
TORONTO ARROWS
1 Cole Keith (17 Pat Lynott 61′), 2 Jack McRogers (16 Andrew Quattrin 61′), 3 Tyler Rowland (18 Gastón Cortes 46’), 4 Mike Sheppard (19 Mason Flesch 55’), 5 Paul Ciulini, 6 Tomás de la Vega, 7 Lucas Rumball (co-capt.) (20 Marcello Wainwright 63’), 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Ross Braude (21 Jason Higgins 61′), 10 Tayler Adams, 11 Manuel Montero, 12 Patrick Parfrey (23 Spencer Jones 61′), 13 Ben LeSage (co-capt.), 14 Gastón Mieres (22 Leandro Leivas 61′), 15 Joaquín Tuculet
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Derek Summers (USA)
Assistants: Miles McIvor (USA) & Gavin McCandless (USA)
