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The Seattle Seawolves are now the only remaining unbeaten team in Major League Rugby after a pulsating 24-12 victory over the Houston SaberCats on Saturday night. It was closer than the scoreline suggested with mistakes at key moments denying the visitors a bonus point. For 80 minutes, however, the two sides went toe-to-toe with a passionate crowd giving the game a playoff atmosphere.
A ferocious opening saw the SaberCats getting the first scoring opportunity. Davy Coetzer turned down a shot at the posts in favor of the corner, as Dillon Smit left the field favoring the leg injury which had delayed his start to the season. Nick Boyer came on and it was the replacement scrumhalf who provided a critical clearout that opened the door for Rob Cobb to crash over for a try. Coetzer made it a full seven with the conversion.
The home side came roaring back in no time. Tavite Lopeti made ground in traffic and then Riekert Hattingh busted clean through. He was felled but the Seattle captain offloaded from his back to Peter Malcolm in full flight for the finish. AJ Alatimu calmly slotted the extras and it was all square.
JP Smith spotted an opening and delivered a 50-22, with the Seawolves awarded a penalty soon after. Just as Coetzer had, Alatimu opted instead for an attacking lineout. Houston’s defense held firm, however, and when a second penalty came in front of the posts Alatimu settled for the three points.
Another penalty from Alatimu came after Siaosi Mahoni was binned for an off-the-ball hit on Duncan Matthews. A couple minutes later Martin Iosefo was dinged for hitting Coetzer while he was still in the air, but Gerrie Labuschagne’s long-range effort was pushed just right of the posts.
With Mahoni back in just before halftime, Labuschagne would come close to scoring. Dom Akina was next to have a crack, and finally it was Gideon van Wyk who powered over the line with some help from his fellow forwards. Coetzer sliced his kick but the gap was just a single point at the intermission.
Nakai Penny left the field early in the second half with an injury that wasn’t immediately clear, replaced by Ben Mitchell. Cobb won a turnover for Houston on halfway and the ball was flung wide to Labuschagne. The big winger fired a grubber down the sideline and seemed to have won the race, but a TMO review showed that Christian Dyer’s pass had been forward.
The Seawolves grabbed their next opportunity with both hands. A series of phases saw the ball pushed wide right where Lauina Futi made ground, then when it came back to the left Hattingh beat the Houston defense around the corner and he was not to be denied. Alatimu couldn’t make the conversion from wide out but the lead was now six points.
A turning point came with Houston on attack. Charles Elton was shown yellow for a deliberate foul, but the TMO called the play back for an illegal clearout from a SaberCats forward. Elton’s yellow was waved off and soon after Alatimu split the uprights with another three-pointer.
Houston’s discipline started to fail and Alatimu was gifted another shot at the posts to make it a 12-point game. The SaberCats came agonizingly close to scoring in the final moments but their lineout faltered with back-to-back steals from the Seawolves denying the visitors any consolation.
Both teams will enjoy a bye week to recovery from the bruising contest. Houston return on Saturday, March 25 for a home game against Rugby ATL. Seattle are on the road against the Chicago Hounds on Sunday, March 26.
SCORING
SEATTLE 24
Tries (2) – P. Malcolm (12′), R. Hattingh (47′)
Cons (1) – A. Alatimu 1/2 (13′)
Pens (4) – A. Alatimu 4/4 (20′, 29′, 55′, 63′)
HOUSTON 12
Tries (2) – R. Cobb (9′), G. van Wyk (40’+3′)
Cons (1) – D. Coetzer 1/2 (10′)
Pens (0) – G. Labuschagne 0/1
YC (1) – S. Mahoni (29′)
TEAMS
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Mzamo Majola (17 Jake Turnbull 63′), 2 Peter Malcolm (16 James Malcolm 60′), 3 Sam Matenga (18 Mason Pedersen 60′), 4 Ben Landry (19 Taylor Krumrei 52′-60′, 73′), 5 Rhyno Herbst, 6 Charles Elton, 7 Nakai Penny (20 Ben Mitchell 43′), 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 AJ Alatimu, 11 Martin Iosefo (23 Conner Mooneyham 60′), 12 Dan Kriel, 13 Tavite Lopeti, 14 Lauina Futi, 15 Duncan Matthews
Not used: 21 Karl Keane, 22 Lopeti Aisea
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Rob Cobb (17 Alec McDonnell 63′), 2 Axel Zapata, 3 Morgan Mitchell (18 Pono Davis 63′), 4 Siaosi Mahoni (19 Emmanuel Albert 66′), 5 Nathan Den Hoedt (capt.), 6 Hanco Germishuys (20 Danny Barrett 48′), 7 Marno Redelinghuys, 8 Gideon van Wyk, 9 Dillon Smit (21 Nick Boyer 8′), 10 Davy Coetzer, 11 Vereniki Tikoisolomone (23 Zach Pangelinan 69′), 12 Dom Akina, 13 Christian Dyer, 14 Gerrie Labuschagne, 15 Drew Wild
Not used: 16 Will Vakalahi, 22 Jax Hidalgo
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Cisco Lopez (USA)
Assistants: Brad Schwalger (Canada) & Clint Lemkus (Canada)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
