Austin takes hard-earned win over Seattle

The Austin Gilgronis made it five wins in a row as they took a hard-earned 17-6 home win over the Seattle Seawolves on Sunday. Both teams took a tactical approach with the committed AG defense keeping the visitors out of the try zone.

A physical opening saw both teams held scoreless until the 15-minute mark when AJ Alatimu knocked over a penalty goal. At the same time Mack Mason left the pitch with what looked like a hamstring injury, with Will Magie taking over the flyhalf role for Austin.

Marcel Brache showed his class with a chip-and-chase that would have been a try, were it not for the offload from Isaac Ross drifting forward. The AG’s were on advantage and Magie pointed at the sticks, but his attempt was pushed right and the flags stayed down.

Soon after Austin would get the their try. Magie swept around the left side from a scrum in front of the posts and then pulled it back to Ross. Again the second row offloaded in the tackle, this time finding Bryce Campbell who in turn dished off to Hugh Roach for the finish.

Alatimu responded with his second penalty goal but the AG’s went one better. Campbell charged straight ahead on a first phase play from a scrum. The Seawolves defense couldn’t handle the Austin captain and he freed his hands to put Mark O’Keeffe in under the posts.

It was an arm-wrestle for much of the second half. Austin were dominant at the lineout but the Seawolves began to take an edge in the scrum. After winning a penalty Alatimu had a crack at the posts but it was well off-target and the AG’s cleared their lines.

Would-be tries from Campbell and Roach were called back for penalties against Austin, but the pressure finally yielded points with a minute to play. Seattle conceded a penalty of their own and Magie split the uprights, the final whistle coming shortly after the restart.

Both teams return to action next Sunday. Austin travel to LA for a match that is likely to decide who heads directly to the Western Conference Final. The Seawolves will head home to play the Dallas Jackals.

 

SCORING

AUSTIN 17
Tries – H. Roach (26′), M. O’Keeffe (35′)
Cons – W. Magie 1/1 (27′), No kick (35′)
Pens – W. Magie 1/2 (79′)

SEATTLE 6
Pens – A. Alatimu 2/3 (15′, 31′)

 

TEAMS

AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Jake Turnbull (17 Faka’osi Pifeleti 57′), 2 Hugh Roach (16 Robbie Coetzee 72′), 3 Mason Pedersen (18 LaRome White 66′), 4 Sebastian de Chaves (19 Christian Ostberg 61′), 5 Isaac Ross, 6 Locky McCaffrey (20 Luke Beauchamp 61′), 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Michael de Waal, 9 Ryan Louwrens (21 Pele Cowley 62′), 10 Mack Mason (22 Will Magie 16′), 11 Conner Mooneyham (23 Chris Mattina 72′), 12 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 13 Mark O’Keeffe, 14 Zinzan Elan-Puttick, 15 Marcel Brache

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Mzamo Majola (17 Kellen Gordon 77′), 2 James Malcolm (16 Sean McNulty 57′), 3 Sam Matenga (18 Taniela Tupou 61′), 4 Brad Tucker (19 Tommy Clark 52′), 5 Rhyno Herbst, 6 Samu Manoa, 7 Setefano Funaki (20 Travis Larsen 71′), 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 AJ Alatimu (21 Reid Watkins 72′), 11 Martin Iosefo (22 Cole Zarcone 77′), 12 Tavite Lopeti, 13 Dan Kriel, 14 Lauina Futi (23 Ross Neal 57′), 15 Duncan Matthews

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Marcus Playle (New Zealand)
Assistants: Scott Green (USA) & Joey Swatzell (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)