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A five-try first half blitz from the LA Giltinis contributed to a 47-17 final score over the visiting Old Glory DC on Saturday evening. It was the second match of a double header at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the sixth consecutive bonus point win for the expansion side.
Old Glory were intent to put LA under pressure early and in that they succeeded. An early foray into DC territory was repelled and it was the visitors who would score first. LA were pinged for not rolling away and Jason Robertson had no trouble slotting three points off the tee.
Through 10 minutes Old Glory had the edge but a mistake in the midfield handed the lead to the Giltinis. Adam Ashley-Cooper escaped the clutches of Thretton Palamo and went clean through, finding Langilangi Haupeakui in support on his left to take it the rest of the way.
Within moments LA were in again. It was Ashley-Cooper this time getting the credit at the end of a mesmerising attack that went through numerous pairs of hands and featured two tackle-busting runs from John Ryberg. Matt Giteau knocked over his second conversion to make it 14-3.
LA turned up the heat after the hydration break. Loosehead prop JP Smith put in a grubber kick fit for a halfback that found a large patch of green space in behind the defensive line. Robertson’s slide to regather was badly misjudged and DTH van der Merwe was the beneficiary.
The two second rows combined to send Giteau in next, with Nathan Den Hoedt splitting the line and Dave Dennis on his shoulder. Smith would get one for himself as he follows Harrison Goddard’s lead from the back of a maul to drive in for the fifth try. At the break it was a disheartening 33-3 scoreline.
That ballooned to 40 just a few minutes into the second half as three touches from van der Merwe on one move saw the Canadian grabbing a brace. On the hour mark Angus Cottrell carried two defenders with him over the line for a seven pointer to make it 47 unanswered points.
To their credit Old Glory did not wave the white flag and were rewarded with two late consolation tries. Osea Kolinisau dove into the right corner on a quick tap penalty, and moments later a high ball from Danny Thomas eluded Glenn Bryce with D’Montae Noble taking the loose ball into the left corner. Robertson’s second conversion was the last scoring act of the game.
The road trip for DC continues with a four-day training stop in Las Vegas before venturing to Salt Lake City to play the Utah Warriors on Saturday. LA have an extra day’s rest before their big East Coast swing to face New York on Sunday at a venue to be confirmed.
SCORING
LA 47
Tries – L. Haupeakui (11’), A. Ashley-Cooper (15’), D. van der Merwe 2 (27’, 47’), M. Giteau (32’), J. Smith (36’), A. Cottrell (60’)
Cons – M. Giteau 5/6 (12’, 16’, 33’, 37’, 48’), No kick (60’)
DC 17
Tries – O. Kolinisau (71’), D. Noble (73’)
Cons – J. Robertson 2/2 (71’, 74’)
Pens – J. Robertson 1/1 (5’)
TEAMS
LA GILTINIS
1 Jean-Pierre Smith (17 Blake Rogers 61′), 2 Mahe Vailanu (16 Lindsey Stevens 34’), 3 Charlie Abel (18 Frikkie de Beer 61′), 4 Dave Dennis (capt.) (19 Angus Cottrell 57′), 5 Nathan Den Hoedt, 6 Corey Thomas, 7 Christian Poidevin, 8 Langilangi Haupeakui, 9 Harrison Goddard (21 Cristian Rodriguez 67’), 10 Matt Giteau (22 Luke Carty 50’), 11 DTH van der Merwe, 12 Luke Burton, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper (23 Ryan James 61′), 14 John Ryberg, 15 Glenn Bryce
Not used: 20 Adam Ashe
OLD GLORY DC
1 Jamie Dever (17 Jack Iscaro 25’-28’, 56’), 2 Mike Sosene-Feagai (16 Max Lum 61′), 3 Steven Longwell (18 Dante Lopresti 46’), 4 Tevita Naqali (19 Casey Renaud 13’), 5 Api Naikatini (23 Cory Daniel 61′), 6 Callum Gibbins, 7 Mungo Mason (co-capt.), 8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (20 Josh Brown 61′), 9 Danny Tusitala (21 Danny Thomas 72′), 10 Jason Robertson, 11 Renata Roberts-Te Nana, 12 Thomas Morani, 13 Thretton Palamo (co-capt.), 14 Osea Kolinisau, 15 Mike Dabulas (22 D’Montae Noble 58′)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistants: Marquise Goodwin (USA) & Andrew Stockton (USA)
