San Diego win big over NOLA but it comes at a cost

The San Diego Legion took a dominant 42-12 win over NOLA Gold on Saturday. It keeps their playoff dreams alive for another week but came at a cost with two key players suffering what appeared to be significant injuries.

Just three minutes into the game the Legion suffered a hammer blow when Will Hooley was forced off with an arm injury. Joe Pietersen moved up to flyhalf with Matías Freyre entering the game at fullback.

After a scoring stalemate the visitors would strike first. JP Eloff couldn’t hang on to a kick from Freyre, and the replacement hacked it ahead before Michael Smith regathered to score. Pietersen landed the extras from a tricky angle.

Smith set the wheels in motion for the second try, the Canadian flanker stripping the ball away from JP du Plessis in a tackle. Jason Higgins was there to snatch it off the deck and sprint home untouched from 60 meters out.

The Gold got back into the game from an attacking lineout. Cam Dolan was the target and the drive came on, but it was collapsed and the referee went under the posts for a penalty try. Smith was singled out as the culprit and he was dispatched to the sin bin.

Discipline was becoming an issue for both sides and the referee soon lost his patience, marching NOLA back 20 meters for backchat. When the Gold won a turnover it was San Diego’s turn to complain, and they were hit with a ‘back 10′ before the sir called in both captains to calm things down.

Another breakdown turnover for San Diego, this time from Dan Pryor, yielded a third try. It was near identical to the second with Higgins again on hand to speed away halfway. The conversion from Pietersen made it 21-7 to the visitors.

NOLA looked to have scored from a lineout drive when Pat O’Toole went over. It was waved off, however, when the TMO spotted the two Gold centers illegally joining the maul in front of the ball carrier.

Instead it was San Diego who would secure the bonus point with their own lineout drive. Pryor passed to Ben Mitchell off the top and Tevita Tameileu was there to drive the ball home, with another Pietersen kicking leaving the score 28-7 at the intermission.

Not long into the second half Freyre was carried off after landing awkwardly in a tackle, appearing to twist his left knee. Ryan Matyas was summoned from the bench and soon after Pietersen attempted a drop goal that fell short.

After another scoreless stretch the Legion would score a tremendous long-range try. Pietersen took off running from his own end, making it beyond halfway before connecting with Tiaan Loots. Short passes from Bjorn Basson and finally Pryor sent Higgins in under the posts for his hat trick.

A reply came from the Gold just two minutes later through Aaron Matthews. Devin Short kept the ball alive in a tackle and there was nobody left to stop Matthews from running clear from the 22-meter line. JP Eloff’s kick sailed wide right of the uprights.

Maciu Koroi was shown a red card for a clumsy head-high shot on James Hilterbrand with only a few minutes left to play. There was time enough for one last try from San Diego. Higgins chipped in behind the defense and Pietersen was there to collect, converting his own for good measure.

Both teams return to action next Saturday. NOLA bid adieu to The Gold Mine until next season as they hit the road to play New England. San Diego are also on the road against Austin, with their fate possibly determined on Friday should Houston come away from Seattle with points.

 

SCORING

NOLA 12
Tries – Penalty try (29′), A. Matthews (65′)
Cons – No kick (29′), J. Eloff 0/1
RC – M. Koroi (72′)

SAN DIEGO 42
Tries – M. Smith (20′), J. Higgins 3 (23′, 34′, 63′), T. Tameilau (40’+1′), J. Pietersen (80′)
Cons – J. Pietersen 5/5 (21′, 24′, 35′, 40’+2′, 80’+1′), No kick (63′)
DG – J. Pietersen 0/1
YC – M. Smith (29′)

 

TEAMS

NOLA GOLD
1 Kevin Sullivan (17 Matt Harmon 48′), 2 Pat O’Toole (16 George Sharpe 78′), 3 Brian Nault (18 Dino Waldren 53′), 4 Ignacio Dotti (19 William Waguespack 53′), 5 Billy Stewart, 6 Moni Tonga’uiha, 7 Devin Short, 8 Cam Dolan (capt.) (20 Maciu Koroi 53′), 9 Devereaux Ferris, 10 Robbie Coleman (12 Aaron Matthews 49′), 11 Nick Feakes, 12 Aaron Matthews (22 Juan Cappiello 48′ {21 Christian Alvarez 66′}), 13 JP du Plessis, 14 Kyle Rogers (23 Harley Wheeler 48′), 15 JP Eloff

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Joe Walsh (17 Nathan Sylvia 53′), 2 James Hilterbrand, 3 Hencus van Wyk (18 Chris Baumann 61′), 4 Ben Mitchell (19 Ben Grant 49′), 5 Jale Railala (20 Chris Robshaw 53′), 6 Dan Pryor (16 Pat Lynott 76′), 7 Michael Smith, 8 Tevita Tameilau, 9 Jason Higgins, 10 Will Hooley (23 Matías Freyre 3′ {21 Ryan Matyas 49′}), 11 Tomas Aoake, 12 Ma’a Nonu (capt.) (22 Josh Thiel 66’), 13 Tiaan Loots, 14 Bjorn Basson, 15 Joe Pietersen

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: George Selwood (England)
Assistants: Allen Alongi (USA) & Saade Bou-Mikael (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)