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The 2022 Major League Rugby season kicked off at Silverbacks Park in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams put on a good contest and played entertaining rugby. Rugby ATL came out on top, winning 55-22 with a flurry of tries in the second half. The win was the biggest in MLR history by the club. Their previous top offensive output was 41 points.
The home side started strongly; going out to an early 10-0 lead. It came with Rugby ATL having the better of play with Old Glory DC looking fragile. Yet, the visitors did very well to rebound. They fought back to be 10-10 in the final ten minutes of the opening half.
The first points of the season were scored by Rugby ATL fullback Joaquín de la Vega Mendía who landed an 8th minute penalty. The Pumita also converted his team’s opening try. It was scored by Marko Janse van Rensburg with the hooker using his strength to touch down in the try zone.
Old Glory DC opened with a penalty before leveling through captain Danny Tusitala. The scrum-half had his forwards to thank after a well-taken lineout culminated in advancing upfield and spaces opening.
The scores were not level for long; de la Vega Mendía added his second penalty to give the home side a 13-10 lead. Minutes later he added his second conversion. Winger Austin White scored an impressive solo try wherein he broke tackles and showed good pace after receiving a pass through the legs.
The teams traded tries early in the second half to retain the scoreline at 10 points in favor of Rugby ATL. Old Glory DC then scored again, this time with a breakaway try to Mike Dabulas DC. It got the visitors as close as they would come to catching Atlanta in the second half.
Rugby ATL took control to score a flurry of tries. Daemon Torres, Te Rangatira Waitokia, Eagle Duncan van Schalkwyk and de la Vega Mendía all scored in the try zone to ensure a sizeable lead and a bonus point victory.
Both teams will play again nest weekend. In week two Rugby ATL play on the road against NOLA Gold while Old Glory DC will travel to Texas to face the Austin Gilgronis.
SCORING
ATL 55
Tries – M. Janse van Rensburg (19′), A. White (35′), J. Basson (48′), D. Torres (58′), T. Waitokia (63′), D. van Schalkwyk (66′), J. de la Vega Mendía (71′)
Cons – J. de la Vega Mendía 6/6 (20′, 36′, 49′, 59′, 64′, 72′), No kick (66′)
Pens – J. de la Vega Mendía 2/2 (9′, 33′)
YC – M. Janse van Rensburg (24′)
DC 22
Tries – D. Tusitala (30′), J. Fa’anana-Schultz (42′), M. Dabulas (52′)
Cons – W. Talataina 2/3 (31′, 43′)
Pens – W. Talataina 1/1 (25′)
YC – J. Fa’anana-Schultz (12′)
TEAMS
RUGBY ATL
1 Will Burke (17 Jonas Petrakopoulos 59′), 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg (16 Alex Maughan 59′), 3 Wikus Groenewald (18 John Sullivan 59′), 4 Justin Basson (21 Evan Mintern 59′), 5 Johan Momsen, 6 Connor Cook (19 Conor Keys 59′), 7 Matt Heaton (co-capt.), 8 Daemon Torres (16 Alex Maughan 27′-34′) (20 Ross Deacon 59′), 9 Rowan Gouws (22 Ryan Rees 58′), 10 Duncan van Schalkwyk, 11 Austin White, 12 Will Leonard, 13 Ryan Nell (co-capt.), 14 Te Rangatira Waitokia, 15 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía (23 Nolan Tuamoheloa 73′)
OLD GLORY DC
1 Jack Iscaro (17 Will Vakalahi 73′), 2 Mo Katz (16 Rob Irimescu 54′), 3 Kyle Stewart (18 Jake Ilnicki 49′), 4 Api Naikatini, 5 Stan South (19 Matt Gordon 54′), 6 Tevita Naqali, 7 Fintan Coleman (20 Dom Bailey 54′), 8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, 9 Danny Tusitala (capt.), 10 Mike Dabulas, 11 Doug Fraser, 12 Junior Sa’u (23 Simi Moala 67′), 13 William Talataina, 14 Renata Roberts-Te Nana (22 LJ Koi-Larbi 76′), 15 Owen Sheehy (21 John LeFevre 73′)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Cisco Lopez (USA) & Dave Edwards (USA)p
TMO: Amelia Luciano (USA)
