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Rugby New York claimed a bonus-point 30-22 victory over the Seattle Seawolves in Hoboken on Sunday. While the home side’s backline that received much of the attention in the build-up, it was the forwards who proved the difference with their set piece too strong for the visitors.
The home side were on the front foot from the kickoff. Waisake Naholo had two strong carries to start his MLR account. Seattle repelled the initial foray but it was only a temporary reprieve as quick hands soon put Andrew Coe over for the first try. Jack Heighton added the conversion, and a penalty goal soon after to make it 10-nil with as many minutes played.
Both teams lost back rowers to injury with Seattle’s Setefano Funaki replaced by Tommy Clark and New York’s Kara Pryor limping off with Antonio Kiri Kiri coming on. The Seawolves finally got some momentum and when New York collapsed a driving maul the referee awarded a penalty try and dispatched Will Tucker to the sin bin.
No further scoring would come from the advantage, but the Seawolves kept the pressure on until AJ Alatimu landed a penalty to draw the scores level. Heighton was given an opportunity to strike back after a scrum penalty and he connected on the stroke of halftime to restore New York’s lead.
Early in the second half the home side again took the initiative. A penalty gave them an attacking lineout and when Seattle slowed the lineout drive, Dylan Fawsitt peeled to the left and with a little help from Ed Fidow drove over for the try.
After a 10-minute stalemate the Seawolves replied from a set move off a lineout. They attacked the midfield, and then pulled it back to the left where Duncan Matthews was waiting in space. The fullback committed two defenders and popped to Dan Kriel for the finish in the corner. Alatimu landed the conversion to make it a one-point game.
On the other side of the hydration break New York expanded the lead once again. It started with a scrum penalty, then a lineout drive. Kaleb Geiger broke to the short side but didn’t quite make it, but he went low and hard under the defense to breach the line on his second carry. The kick from Heighton drifted past the left upright.
The Seawolves fired back with another set piece move. This was from a scrum, with Ross Neal coming in from his right wing to set Martin Iosefo free on the left side. Iosefo bounced through the tackle attempts of Coe and Fidow to reach the corner. Alatimu pushed the conversion attempt across the face of the posts and the flags stayed down.
With time winding down New York pressed back into Seattle territory. Rhyno Herbst earned a yellow card for side entry at the maul. Absent their biggest lock, the Seawolves scrum couldn’t hold out the New York scrum and a penalty try was awarded with New York collecting the bonus point.
Seattle now have a bye week and will hope that Old Glory can topple Houston before the Seawolves host the SaberCats on May 27. New York will stay at home to play Rugby ATL next Sunday, with a victory almost certainly locking down home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
SCORING
NEW YORK 30
Tries – A. Coe (5′), D. Fawsitt (44′), K. Geiger (63′), Penalty try (77′)
Cons – J. Heighton 1/3 (6′), No kick (77′)
Pens – J. Heighton 2/2 (10′, 40′)
YC – W. Tucker (18′)
SEATTLE 22
Tries – Penalty try (18′), D. Kriel (56′), M. Iosefo (68′)
Cons – No kick (18′), A. Alatimu 1/2 (57′)
Pens – A. Alatimu 1/1 (34′)
YC – R. Herbst (75′)
TEAMS
RUGBY NEW YORK
1 Nic Mayhew (17 Chance Wenglewski 50′), 2 Dylan Fawsitt (16 Kaleb Geiger 61′), 3 Kalolo Tuiloma (18 Sakaria Taulafo 64′), 4 Charlie Hewitt (19 Nick Civetta 43′), 5 Will Tucker, 6 Benjamín Bonasso (capt.), 7 Brendon O’Connor, 8 Kara Pryor (20 Antonio Kiri Kiri 14′), 9 Connor Buckley (21 Conor McManus 51′), 10 Jack Heighton, 11 Ed Fidow, 12 Jason Emery (22 Quinn Ngawati 67′), 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 14 Waisake Naholo, 15 Andrew Coe
Not used: 23 John Powers
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Mzamo Majola (17 Kellen Gordon 78′), 2 Sean McNulty (16 James Malcolm 45′), 3 Sam Matenga (18 Taniela Tupou 60′), 4 Samu Manoa (19 Brad Tucker 64′), 5 Rhyno Herbst, 6 Andrew Durutalo, 7 Setefano Funaki (20 Tommy Clark 10′), 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 AJ Alatimu, 11 Martin Iosefo, 12 Tavite Lopeti (21 Reid Watkins 78′), 13 Dan Kriel, 14 Lauina Futi (23 Ross Neal 62′), 15 Duncan Matthews
Not used: 22 Lopeti Aisea
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mike Lash (New Zealand)
Assistants: Lex Weiner (USA) & Gavin McCandless (USA)
TMO: Miles McIvor (USA)
