Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The Houston SaberCats took a mighty step towards the postseason with a thrilling 31-27 win over the Utah Warriors on Saturday night. With five tries scored Houston took maximum points from the home fixture and move into third place in the Western Conference with only three games to play.
A Lance Williams turnover halted Houston’s first attack, and quickly yielded a penalty goal from Calvin Whiting. The SaberCats advanced a second time but were again repelled. This time it was Tomasi Tonga who got over the ball in the shadow of his own posts, and Utah were able to clear their lines.
Houston were not deterred, and the relentless pressure at last paid off. An attacking lineout made some headway and then Davey Coetzer wrestled his way to the line despite the attention of Zion Going. Coetzer’s conversion was stabbed right of the posts but the home side now had the lead.
Going dropped a high ball to give the SaberCats another opportunity. Juan Pablo Zeiss crashed ahead and the defense was too slow to realign, leaving a hole for Louritz van der Schyff to exploit and fly past the cover for the second try. This time Coetzer pushed his kick across the face of the uprights.
Zeiss was shown yellow for failing to retreat on a quick tap from going. The Warriors took full advantage as Saia Uhila took a short ball from Williams and blasted in under the posts for a seven-pointer.
Just after the restart Kian Meadon knocked on to give Utah an attacking scrum. The ball was immediately flung wide right with Mika Kruse arriving from his opposite wing to become the extra man. Two defenders pinched and left Joe Mano wide open for a clear run-in to the corner. Whiting split the uprights and the visitors were suddenly seven points ahead.
Once back to full strength the SaberCats struck back. Marcell Muller broke a tackle and made inroads that resulted in a penalty. Dean Muir opted for the corner, and the decision paid off with the captain himself touching down on the back of a driving maul. This time Coetzer found his mark and the scores were dead even at halftime.
An end-to-end attack from the Warriors pinned the SaberCats on their goal line early in the second half. Marno Redelinghuys then received a yellow card for a no-arms tackle. Barely a minute later Williams popped off the back of a collapsed scrum and pass to Mano on his right, the winger stepping inside Muller to score his brace.
The pendulum swung again just before the hour mark. Coetzer chipped over the defense and the ball ricocheted off two converging defenders straight into the arms of Zach Pangelinan. He celebrated with a swan dive between the posts to secure the bonus point and put the home side back up by two.
Utah lost both Mike Gieselman and Cliven Loubser to injury with five minutes to play and only one could be replaced, leaving them with 14 men. The SaberCats went for the kill and Gideon van Wyk crashed over between the sticks from close range to put the result beyond doubt. A consolation score went to Chad Gough, now playing on the wing, on the final play of the game.
Both teams are back in action next Saturday. Houston are on the road against Old Glory DC, while the Warriors return home to take on the Austin Gilgronis.
SCORING
HOUSTON 31
Tries – D. Coetzer (10′), L. van der Schyff (19′), D. Muir (38′), Z. Pangelinan (57′), G. van Wyk (78′)
Cons – D. Coetzer 1/3 (39′), No kick 2 (57′, 78′)
YC – J. Zeiss (25′), M. Redelinghuys (46′)
UTAH 27
Tries – S. Uhila (27′), J. Mano 2 (30′, 47′), C. Gough (80′)
Cons – No kick (27′), C. Whiting 1/3 (31′)
Pens – C. Whiting 1/1 (4′)
TEAMS
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Alec McDonnell (17 Frikkie de Beer 60′), 2 Dean Muir (capt.) (16 Diego Fortuny 71′), 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss (18 Aaron Mitchell 61′), 4 Marno Redelinghuys, 5 Siaosi Mahoni (20 Emmanuel Albert 59′), 6 Gideon van Wyk (18 Aaron Mitchell 29′-35′), 7 Keni Nasoqeqe (19 Will Crawford 71′), 8 Malon Al-Jiboori, 9 Dillon Smit (21 Nick Boyer 71′), 10 David Coetzer (23 Robbie Povey 78′), 11 Marcell Muller, 12 Louritz van der Schyff, 13 Christian Dyer, 14 Matai Leuta, 15 Kian Meadon (22 Zach Pangelinan 49′)
UTAH WARRIORS
1 Emerson Prior (17 Tuvere Vugakoto 49′), 2 Chad Gough, 3 Angus MacLellan (18 Paul Mullen 49′), 4 Saia Uhila (19 Puna Vuli 58′), 5 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Thomas Tu’avao (20 Mike Gieselman 67′ {16 Joey Backe 75′}), 7 Bailey Wilson (capt.), 8 Lance Williams, 9 Zion Going (21 Danny Christensen 63′), 10 Caleb Makene, 11 Mika Kruse (23 Mike Te’o HT), 12 Tomasi Tonga (22 Tyler Fisher 59′), 13 Calvin Whiting, 14 Joe Mano, *15 Cliven Loubser
*15 Cliven Loubser left the field at 75 minutes and could not be replaced
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Andrew Low (USA) & Brian Dusablon (USA)
TMO: Luke Rogan (USA)
