Austin return to form with blowout win over Houston

The Austin Gilgronis returned to impressive form with a resounding 43-5 win over the Houston SaberCats at Bold Stadium on Sunday. It was a ruthless display from the home side, whose two-game losing streak looks long forgotten. The bonus point win gives them the top spot in the Western Conference at the midpoint of the season.

Mack Mason led the way for Austin with one try, three conversions, and a penalty goal. He was the architect of the first score with a 50:22 kick to earn an attacking lineout, and then did the finishing himself as the SaberCats defense left a gaping whole in the center of the pitch.

Houston were hit by early injuries to Siaosi Mahoni and Nicolás Solveyra. After a bit of arm-wrestling, the SaberCats struck back with a try from Gideon van Wyk from close range. Davey Coetzer stepped up to take the conversion but sliced it badly and the flags stayed down.

The two sides continued to jostle after the whistle and eventually the referee lost his patience, sending Ryan Louwrens to the bin. There was no further reward for Houston, however, as the AG’s repelled their forwards and instead Mason kicked a penalty at the other end.

With time ticking over the 40-minute mark, Coetzer missed touch and gave Austin another chance to score. Mark O’Keeffe spun past a couple defenders and then quick ball wide left to an open Julián Domínguez saw the winger touching down in the corner. Mason slotted the extras from the sideline to make the halftime score 17-5 to the home team.

There was nowhere to run for Houston in the second half. Mason Pedersen scored from a rolling maul just three minutes after the restart. Next it was a penalty try for a collapsed maul, with Keni Nasoqeqe singled out as the culprit and awarded a yellow card for his efforts.

Two more tries came in the final quarter. Domínguez got a double in a picture-perfect set move from a scrum, with Mason’s no-look inside ball sending his man  through on an angled run to the line. Mason Koch would have the last say, crossing in the left corner as the visitors looked on in dismay.

The SaberCats start the second half of their campaign at home on Saturday against their other Texan rivals, the Dallas Jackals. Austin square off against the Legion in San Diego in a battle between the two top teams in the West on Sunday.

 

SCORING

AUSTIN 43
Tries – M. Mason (7′), J. Domínguez 2 (40’+1′, 65′), M. Pedersen (43′), Penalty try (54′), M. Koch (76′)
Cons – No kick 2 (7′, 54′), M. Mason 3/3 (40’+2′, 44′, 66′), W. Magie 0/1
Pens – M. Mason 1/1 (39′)
YC – R. Louwrens (29′), C. McDermott Vai (79′)

HOUSTON 5
Tries – G. van Wyk (24′)
Cons – D. Coetzer 0/1
YC – K. Nasoqeqe (54′)

 

TEAMS

AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti (17 Jake Turnbull 50′), 2 Hugh Roach (16 Mason Koch 66′), 3 Mason Pedersen (18 LaRome White 66′), 4 Sebastian de Chaves (19 Cam Dodson 50′), 5 Isaac Ross (20 Christian Ostberg 50′), 6 Locky McCaffrey, 7 Maclean Jones (23 Casey McDermott Vai 66′), 8 Michael de Waal, 9 Ryan Louwrens (21 Pele Cowley 54′), 10 Mack Mason (22 Will Magie 67′), 11 Julián Domínguez, 12 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 13 Mark O’Keeffe, 14 Zinzan Elan-Puttick, 15 Marcel Brache

HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Nicolás Solveyra (17 Frikkie de Beer 15′), 2 Dean Muir (capt.) (16 Diego Fortuny 48′), 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss (18 Aaron Mitchell 55′), 4 Siaosi Mahoni (19 Gideon van Wyk 8′), 5 Keni Nasoqeqe (20 Will Crawford 75′), 6 Danny Barrett (23 Emmanuel Albert 65′), 7 Willie Britz, 8 Jaco Bezuidenhout, 9 Dillon Smit (22 Nick Boyer 52′), 10 David Coetzer, 11 Kisi Unufe (21 Zach Pangelinan 57′), 12 Matai Leuta, 13 Christian Dyer, 14 Gerrie Labuschagne, 15 Robbie Povey

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Mike Lash (New Zealand)
Assistants: Joey Swatzell (USA) & Andrew Low (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)