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Rugby New York got the bonus point win they wanted against Old Glory DC, but it was far from easy with the final score reading 35-31 at JFK Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Each team managed five tries with two missed conversions the only difference after 80 minutes.
The home side were on the front foot in the opening exchanges. After several phases New York were knocking on the door and Will Tucker crossed from in close, with Sam Windsor converting. Not long after it was Windsor himself who cut through a gap to make keep the point-a-minute pace.
Before Old Glory would reply they were hit with two early injuries. Doug Fraser left the pitch for an HIA and did not return, and then Facundo Gattas limped off with a bad ankle. Jack Russell and Rob Irimescu were summoned from the bench.
A Junior Sa’u line break put New York on the retreat, and a quick recycle saw William Talataina busting through the midfield to score a try. Moments later the New York defense faltered again as Mike Dabulas somehow stepped past five defenders to touch down under the posts and tie the game.
New York went back to their bread and butter just before halftime. A penalty gave them a chance to kick for the corner, and the lineout drive went as planned with Dylan Fawsitt on the back to get the credit. Windsor nailed the sideline conversion to make it 21-14 at the break.
The visitors took a page from New York’s book to again draw the scores level. After turning down a shot at the posts, DC opted for the lineout. Stan South was the target but they shifted they drive to the right, and Dom Bailey would fall over the line for the try. Dabulas matched Windsor’s effort from the right sideilne.
Tucker provided the impetus for New York’s bonus point try. The big lock took the ball from a tackled Benjamín Bonasso and ran clean through the line. He connected with Conor McManus who stepped back inside the cover defense to score a seven pointer.
DC brought Thretton Palamo into the game at the hour mark and he made an immediate impact. His first carry bent the line and his second sucked in two defenders. Palamo managed a one-handed offload to Tevita Naqali, and the big lock fired a wide spin pass to Junior Sa’u, now playing on the wing, to score in the corner. Dabulas couldn’t convert to leave a two-point gap.
It was stretched to nine as the home side replied in double-quick time. Again it was the lineout drive and this time Kaleb Geiger was the scorer. DC had no intention of conceding, however, and Dabulas again found a gap, passing to an open Sa’u who crossed for a double.
The final minutes were tense as each side held possession. One last advance from Old Glory ended abruptly with a knock-on at a tackle and the referee signaled full-time.
Both teams are on the road next weekend. Old Glory head further north to play the Toronto Arrows on Saturday, while New York is off to the West Coast for a match against the LA Giltinis on Sunday.
SCORING
NEW YORK 35
Tries – W. Tucker (6′), S. Windsor (15′), D. Fawsitt (39′), C. McManus (58′), K. Geiger (68′)
Cons – S. Windsor 2/2 (7′, 40′), No kick 2 (15′, 58′), J. Emery 1/1 (69′)
DC 31
Tries – W. Talataina (31′), M. Dabulas (35′), D. Bailey (53′), J. Sa’u 2 (64′, 70′)
Cons – M. Dabulas 2/4 (32′, 54′), No kick (35′)
TEAMS
RUGBY NEW YORK
1 Nic Mayhew (17 Chance Wenglewski 63′), 2 Dylan Fawsitt (16 Kaleb Geiger 46′), 3 Wilton Rebolo, 4 Charlie Hewitt (20 Joe Basser 46′-56′), 5 Nate Brakeley (capt.), 6 Will Tucker, 7 Brendon O’Connor (19 Kara Pryor 46′), 8 Benjamín Bonasso, 9 Connor Buckley (21 Conor McManus 46′), 10 Sam Windsor (22 Andy Ellis 65′), 11 Ed Fidow (23 Quinn Ngawati 66′-69′), 12 Jason Emery, 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 14 Andrew Coe (23 Quinn Ngawati 69′), 15 Troy Lockyear
Not used: 18 Zak Taulafo
OLD GLORY DC
1 Kyle Stewart (17 Jack Carroll 77′), 2 Facundo Gattas (16 Rob Irimescu 19′), 3 Jake Ilnicki (18 Dante Lopresti 77′), 4 Tevita Naqali (20 Fintan Coleman 69′), 5 Stan South, 6 Cory Daniel, 7 Dom Bailey (19 Apisai Naikatini 60′), 8 Luke Campbell, 9 Danny Tusitala (capt.), 10 Mike Dabulas, 11 Doug Fraser (22 Jack Russell 10′ {23 Thretton Palamo 60′}), 12 Junior Sa’u, 13 William Talataina, 14 Peni Lasaqa, 15 Renata Roberts-Te Nana
Not used: 21 Danny Thomas
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Moe Chaudhry (Canada)
Assistants: Lex Weiner (USA) & Miles McIvor (USA)
TMO: Nick Hannon (USA)
