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The New England Free Jacks extended their record-setting winning streak to nine games, defeating Old Glory DC 26-20 at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday evening. It was no picnic for the Eastern Conference leaders, with the visitors twice taking the lead and pushing their hosts to the final whistle.
Old Glory were on the back foot from the kickoff. Just four minutes into the game they had conceded three penalties, and the referee immediately dispatched Tevita Naqali for cynical play. The Free Jacks kicked to the corner and the lineout drive was unstoppable with Mills Sanerivi on the end for the credit. Beaudein Waaka split the uprights to make it a full seven.
A response came just before Naqali returned to the pitch. The Free Jacks let their own discipline slip, and with DC on advantage Rohan Saifoloi fired a huge miss-out pass directly to an open Doug Fraser on the wing. He had no trouble with the finish but Saifoloi couldn’t connect with the extras.
DC took the lead via the boot of Saifoloi after Jesse Parete had been penalised for taking out Jack Iscaro off the ball. It would be short-lived as Parete turned from villain to hero, stretching out from a tackle to ground the ball. Again Waaka was on target and the halftime score read 14-8 to the home side.
The visitors came out fired up in the second half and nearly scored a sensational team try just three minutes in. After a turnover Felix Kalapu broke free and connected with Danny Tusitala. William Talataina crossed at the end of the move but the ball had come forward from Fraser and the score was waved off.
New England remained pinned and conceded another penalty. DC took a scrum and after two quick phases Tusitala took it on himself. The captain was stopped inches short but Junior Sa’u was on hand to pick and dive over the line. Saifoloi’s conversion nudged the visitors back in the lead.
The pendulum soon swung back to the home side. After several phases DC were caught in an offside position. Waaka found Wayne van der Bank on his left and the center cut back across the grain and straight through the line to touch down under the posts. That would be Waaka’s final act of the game as he limped off with what looked like an ankle injury.
After a long period that saw the two sides wrestle for superiority, at last a decisive score came for the Free Jacks. Slade McDowall sauntered over in the corner after several phases for the bonus point try. There was just enough time for Old Glory to earn a bonus point. Fraser grabbed a double after Peni Lasawa had broken the line on the right side.
The Free Jacks will stay at home next week with a Friday night fixture against Rugby ATL. Old Glory are on the road against NOLA Gold on Saturday.
SCORING
NEW ENGLAND 26
Tries – M. Sanerivi (6′), J. Parete (37′), W. van der Bank (55′), S. McDowall (77′)
Cons – B. Waaka 2/2 (7′, 38′), No kick (55′), J. Poland 0/1
DC 20
Tries – D. Fraser 2 (13′, 80′), J. Sa’u (48′)
Cons – R. Saifoloi 1/2 (49′), D. Thomas 0/1
Pens – R. Saifoloi 1/1 (35′)
YC – T. Naqali (4′)
TEAMS
NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Kyle Ciquera (17 Alex Johnston 62′), 2 Mills Sanerivi (16 Pieter Jansen 50′), 3 Erich de Jager (18 Spencer Krueger 62′), 4 Josh Larsen (capt.), 5 Stan van den Hoven (19 Reegan O’Gorman 50′), 6 Jesse Parete (20 Joe Johnston 67′), 7 Slade McDowall, 8 Wian Conradie, 9 John Poland, 10 Beaudein Waaka (23 Harrison Boyle 56′), 11 Paula Balekana, 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Wayne van der Bank, 14 Mitch Wilson, 15 Dougie Fife
Not used: 21 Zachary Short, 22 Jack Reeves
OLD GLORY DC
1 Jack Iscaro (17 Jack Carroll 78′), 2 Rob Irimescu (16 Mo Katz 78′), 3 Kyle Stewart (18 Dante Lopresti 78′), 4 Tevita Naqali (19 Api Naikatini 62′ {5 Stan South 72′}), 5 Stan South (20 Fintan Coleman 67′), 6 Felix Kalapu, 7 Cory Daniel (21 Dom Bailey 70′), 8 Luke Campbell, 9 Danny Tusitala (capt.) (22 Danny Thomas 78′), 10 Rohan Saifoloi, 11 Doug Fraser, 12 Junior Sa’u, 13 William Talataina, 14 Peni Lasaqa, 15 Owen Sheehy (23 John Rizzo 70′)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Chris Assmus (Canada)
Assistants: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Jarrod Ford (USA)
TMO: Davey Ardrey (TMO)
