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Old Glory DC were one step ahead of San Diego as the home side secured a 38-29 victory in an entertaining contest at Leesburg. The Legion scored five tries but conceded six as their frustrating season comes to a close with a record of just six wins against ten defeats.
Jamie Dever was forced off just five minutes in with a hamstring injury, replaced by Jack Iscaro. The bad luck did not throw off DC. Tevita Naqali’s offload from the deck freed Api Naikatini, who in turn passed to Josh Brown. The lumpy No8 bumped off one and held his feet to return the ball to Naqali for the try.
A response came quickly with Cecil Afrika on the end of a well-manufactured attacking move. San Diego went through the phases moving right and then coming back to the left where the fullback was waiting to finish in the corner.
The two sides then exchanged tries in rapid succession. Iscaro smashed over from close range and then Keni Nasoqeqe responded for the Legion. Mungo Mason was next, with a superb individual effort as picked up a loose ball at halfway stepped the last defender for the score. There was enough time for Paddy Ryan to crash home with the halftime score 19-17 for DC.
It wasn’t long until Old Glory were in for the bonus point try. Ciaran Hearn curled around an injured DC player and sped clear, with the referee allowing play to continue despite the protestations of the San Diego defense. Jason Robertson’s conversion extended the lead to nine points.
Ryan Matyas made inroads on the right side before the Legion swung the ball left. Cameron Clarks’ short pass put Afrika free and the resulting two-on-one yielded a score for Bjorn Basson. On the other side of the hydration break Brown picked from the back of a scrum and shrugged off three would-be tacklers in an impressive feat of strength.
Brown came close to a second in the 75th minute with Naikatini on hand to pick and reach over from the breakdown. There was time enough for a consolation effort from Peter Malcolm but the quick conversion attempt from Afrika went wide and the final whistle came soon after.
The Legion are now on holiday, left to watch the final week of the regular season and playoffs with thoughts of what might have been. Old Glory are out of the Eastern Conference basement and have one more game left next Saturday against the Austin Gilgronis at Segra Field.
SCORING
DC 38
Tries – T. Naqali (14′), J. Iscaro (24′), M. Mason (32′), C. Hearn (43′), J. Brown (64′), A. Naikatini (75′)
Cons – J. Robertson 4/6 (15′, 25′, 44′, 76′)
Pens – J. Robertson 0/1
SAN DIEGO 29
Tries – C. Afrika (18′), K. Nasoqeqe (26′), P. Ryan (38′), B. Basson (57′), P. Malcolm (79′)
Cons – S. González Iglesias 2/4 (27′, 58′), C. Afrika 0/1
Yellow cards – C. Baumann (70′)
TEAMS
OLD GLORY DC
1 Jamie Dever (17 Jack Iscaro 5′), 2 James King (16 Max Lum 65′), 3 Steven Longwell (18 Dante Lopresti 65′), 4 Tevita Naqali, 5 Api Naikatini, 6 Cory Daniel (20 Dacoda Worth HT), 7 Mungo Mason (capt.), 8 Josh Brown (19 Mo Katz 76′), 9 Danny Tusitala (21 Danny Thomas 73′), 10 Jason Robertson, 11 Sam Cusano (23 Simi Moala 54′), 12 Ciaran Hearn, 13 Renata Roberts-Te Nana, 14 D’Montae Noble, 15 Dylan Taikato-Simpson (22 Owen Sheehy 71′)
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti (17 Nathan Sylvia 54′), 2 Dean Muir, 3 Paddy Ryan (18 Chris Baumann 54′), 4 Keni Nasoqeqe, 5 Aaron Mitchell (20 Cronan Gleeson 56′ {3 Paddy Ryan 74}), 6 Jasa Veremalua, 7 Dan Pryor (19 Derrick Broussard 22′-35′, HT {16 Peter Malcolm 44′}), 8 Tevita Tameilau, 9 Nate Augspurger (capt.) (21 Ethan McVeigh 61′), 10 Santiago González Iglesias (22 Patrick Madden 68′), 11 Bjorn Basson, 12 Tiaan Loots, 13 Thomas Morani (23 Ryan Matyas 30′), 14 Cameron Clark, 15 Cecil Afrika
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Mike O’Brien (USA) & Gavin McCandless (USA)
