ATL too strong for Legion in San Diego

Rugby ATL earned a dominant 30-17 road win over the San Diego Legion at the Sports Deck on Sunday. The Ratlers overwhelmed their opposites at the set piece and used their suffocating defense to frustrate the high-flying offense of their hosts.

It was a tactical arm-wrestle for the opening quarter until the Ratlers opened the scoring. An attacking lineout drive had momentum but Ben Mitchell was singled out for illegally collapsing. The referee awarded a yellow card to the San Diego lock and a penalty try to ATL.

Joaquin de la Vega Mendia showed his class with a clean break up the middle. San Diego’s defense conceded a penalty and the Argentine did the honors himself to make it a 10-nil game. Will Hooley responded soon after to get the Legion on the board with his own penalty goal.

The Ratlers continued to get the edge in the kicking game and won another attacking lineout. This time they opted to shift the point of attack and when the drive the ball went to the backs. Will Leonard bent the line and after a quick recycle Te Rangatira Waitokia stepped back inside two defenders to score. da la Vega Mendia missed the extras but ATL were now up 15-3.

San Diego got back into the game with a try just before halftime. Jason Higgins stood in at first receiver as Hooley switched the flow of play at a ruck. Higgins broke to the outside and freed Dan Pryor down the left sideline to score in the corner. Hooley’s conversion curled perfectly to make it a five-point gap.

A long raking kick from de la Vega Mendía earned an attacking lineout early in the second half. The result was a try through the rolling maul, with Marko Janse van Rensburg piling over at the back. de la Vega Mendía matched Hooley’s earlier effort from the sideline to make it a full seven.

Mitchell looked to redeem himself with a line break that put the Ratlers on the back foot. After several phases the Legion had advantage and Hooley looked to his left to see Tomas Aoake alone in acres of space. The cross-kick bounced up into Aoake’s hands for the try, with Hooley again nailing the conversion from wide out.

Discipline was becoming a larger problem for San Diego and though they stalled another lineout drive, de la Vega Mendía added three points with his boot. Higgins hit Bjorn Basson with a flat pass to free the winger and take a return pass, but the potential scoring offload from Higgins to Ryan Matyas was forward and the opportunity was lost.

Basson suffered a lower leg injury on the play while Ryan Rees was helped off with concussion. Matías Freyre was summoned for San Diego while Rowan Gouws returned for the Ratlers. ATL would then lose Ross Deacon who limped off with what looked like a bad ankle, forcing Leonard up to flanker as George Barton came into the midfield.

Two scrum penalties demoralised San Diego’s pack and then the Legion lost two players to the bin in a span of two minutes. Ma’a Nonu went for a tip tackle and Chris Baumann followed with a shoulder charge off the ball. As Hooley went down holding his knee, a turnover was quickly shipped to Lui Sitama for a clear run to the bonus point try.

Both teams return to action next Saturday. ATL play host to the LA Giltinis, while the Legion are on the road against the Dallas Jackals.

 

SCORING

SAN DIEGO 17
Tries – D. Pryor (39′), T. Aoake (56′)
Cons – W. Hooley 2/2 (40′, 57′)
Pens – W. Hooley 1/1 (32′)
YC – B. Mitchell (20′), M. Nonu (75′), C. Baumann (77′)

ATL 30
Tries – Penalty try (20′), T. Waitokia (36′), M. Janse van Rensburg (48′), L. Sitama (79′)
Cons – No kick (20′), J. de la Vega Mendia 1/3 (49′)
Pens – J. de la Vega Mendia 2/2 (30′, 61′)

 

TEAMS

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Joe Walsh (17 Nathan Sylvia 53′), 2 Peter Malcolm (16 Pat Lynott 71′), 3 Hencus van Wyk (18 Chris Baumann 58′), 4 Ben Mitchell, 5 Ben Grant (19 Jale Railala 58′), 6 Dan Pryor (20 Chris Robshaw 47′), 7 Michael Smith (3 Hencus van Wyk 78′), 8 Tevita Tameilau, 9 Jason Higgins (22 Joe Pietersen 75′), 10 Will Hooley, 11 Tomas Aoake, 12 Ma’a Nonu (capt.), 13 Tiaan Loots, 14 Ryan Matyas, 15 Bjorn Basson (23 Matías Freyre 66′)

Not used: 21 Chris Turori

RUGBY ATL
1 Will Burke (17 Jonas Petrakopoulos 61′), 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg (16 Alex Maughan 61′), 3 John-Roy Jenkinson (18 John Sullivan HT), 4 Justin Basson (19 Conor Keys 67′), 5 Johan Momsen, 6 Vili Helu (20 Ross Deacon 67′ {23 George Barton 71′}), 7 Matt Heaton (capt.), 8 Evan Mintern, 9 Rowan Gouws (21 Ryan Rees 61′-66′), 10 Duncan van Schalkwyk (22 Kurt Coleman 61′), 11 Lui Sitama, 12 Martini Talapusi, 13 Will Leonard, 14 Te Rangatira Waitokia, 15 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Marcus Playle (New Zealand)
Assistants: Jacob Gonzalez (USA) & Alexis Alfaro (USA)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)