Free Jacks fight back to earn home win over Austin

A three-try second half surge was good enough to see New England earning a 22-18 win over Austin at Union Point Stadium on Saturday. It was a come-from-behind victory with the Gilgronis enjoying an 11-point lead on two occasions before ultimately falling away in the final quarter.

The visitors dominated possession in the first half but it was the home side with the first opportunity for points. Beaudein Waaka couldn’t connect on the penalty and instead it was the visitors who went up on the scoreboard first.

With the AG’s inside Free Jacks territory, Will Magie popped up at second receiver and his miss-pass connected with an open Conner Mooneyham on the right wing. He showed good strength to drive through the tackle of Peceli Rinakama and score in the corner.

Mack Mason couldn’t land the difficult conversion but made good on two penalty goals, one at 15 minutes and one just past the half-hour mark. Austin’s scrum was proving superior with the Free Jacks warned for repeat collapses.

New England conjured a much-needed try just before halftime. A trick play at the lineout went over the top to John Poland wrapping around the back. The diminutive scrumhalf broke free, bumping off one defender before finding Harry Barlow in support from the opposite wing for the finish. Waaka’s kick drifted past the face off the posts to leave the score 11-5 at the break.

Another scrum collapse landed Quentin Newcomer in the bin just six minutes into the second half. Within a minute of his departure Pele Cowley found a gap on the fringe and snuck in for five. Mason added the extra two and the AG lead was now up to 13.

Somehow New England found the line while a man down. Harrison Boyle sent Dougie Fife through a gap to move into the Austin 22. The move was broken down but from a resulting scrum Barlow and then de Jager took it on, the latter doing just enough to make the line. This time Waaka found his target and the gap was back to just six.

Once back to full strength the pressure stayed on the AG’s and repeat penalties resulted in a yellow card for Sebastian de Chaves. New England took the lineout, and when the drive stalled Wian Conradie broke off the back and powered over for a try. The conversion from Waaka went astray, however, and Austin held a one-point lead.

The lead would disappear with a second try for Barlow. It was another set move, this time from the scrum. Poland looped around Aleki Morris-Lome and found Boyle who had in turn looped outside Fife. Straight hands from Boyle to Waaka and finally Barlow put the winger into the corner.

Any chance of final flourish for the AG’s was effectively ended as their discipline faltered. Mooneyham saw yellow for an intentional knock-on, and then Paddy Ryan joined him in the sin bin for an infringement at the breakdown. New England bizarrely finished the game with only 14 men after failing to replace an injured Sean Yacoubian at a 79th stoppage, but held out to secure the victory.

Both teams are back in action next Saturday. New England head south for a road game against Rugby ATL. Austin head back to Texas with Rugby United New York their guests at Bold Stadium.

 

SCORING

NEW ENGLAND 22
Tries – H. Barlow 2 (38’, 68’), E. de Jager (51’), W. Conradie (58’)
Cons – B. Waaka 1/4 (52’)
Pens – B. Waaka 0/1
Yellow cards – Q. Newcomer (46’)

AUSTIN 18
Tries – C. Mooneyham (10’), P. Cowley (47’)
Cons – M. Mason 1/2 (48’)
Pens – M. Mason 2/2 (15’, 31’)
Yellow cards – S. de Chaves (57’), C. Mooneyham (72’), P. Ryan (75’)

 

TEAMS

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Quentin Newcomer (18 Kyle Ciquera 64’), 2 Pieter Jansen (16 Vili Toluta’u 60’), 3 Erich de Jager, 4 Josh Larsen (capt.), 5 Jackson Thiebes, 6 Justin Johnson (18 Kyle Ciquera 50’-56’) (20 Tera Mtembu 56’), 7 Joe Johnston, 8 Wian Conradie, 9 John Poland (21 Sean Yacoubian 70’)*, 10 Harrison Boyle, 11 Harry Barlow, 12 Aleki Morris-Lome, 13 Dougie Fife, 14 Peceli Rinakama (23 Danny Collins 60’), 15 Beaudein Waaka

Not used: 17 Spencer Krueger, 19 Matt Wirken, 22 Evan Geist

*21 Sean Yacoubian came off the field at 79 minutes but the Free Jacks did not make a substitution before play resumed and played the last minute with 14 men on the field.

AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Jake Turnbull (17 Jamie Mackintosh 50’), 2 Robbie Coetzee (16 Hugh Roach 50’), 3 Mason Pedersen (18 Paddy Ryan 50’), 4 Sebastian de Chaves, 5 Isaac Ross (19 Cam Dodson 73’), 6 Dom Bailey (3 Mason Pedersen 75’), 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Michael de Waal (20 Dominic Akina 67’), 9 Pele Cowley, 10 Mack Mason (22 Kurt Morath 67’), 11 Conner Mooneyham, 12 Ned Hodson, 13 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 14 Zinzan Elan-Puttick (23 Nick Johnson HT), 15 Will Magie

Not used: 21 Sidney Shoop

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Nick Tricarico (USA)