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A sensational 39-point second half scoring explosion gave the Utah Warriors a 47-19 victory over the Toronto Arrows at Zions Bank Stadium on Saturday. The injury-depleted visitors remarkably led 12-8 at halftime and 19-18 at the hour mark, but ran out of gas in the final quarter.
Joel Hodgson opened the scoring with a penalty goal after several minutes stuck in a tug-of-war. The Arrows got the shove-on at the scrum and fired back. Lolani Faleiva took the ball at a standing start and four defenders weren’t enough to stop him.
More bad news on the personnel front saw the Arrows lose both Ramón Ayarza and Mason Flesch to injury in the first half. Sandwiched in between Mitch Eadie tore up the middle and connected with Ross Braude, but Kobe Faust’s attempt at the line was held up by Joe Mano and Zion Going. Soon after Hodgson missed a kickable penalty shot after a scrum penalty went Utah’s way.
Both teams would score in an eventful end to the half. Thomas Tu’avao was binned for a high shot on Faust, and then Gene Syminton peeled off an ensuing lineout drive to barge over for the Arrows. From the restart, however, Tyler Fisher put Mano into space and he first shook off the challenge of Faust before wrong-footing Brenden Black for a superb individual marker.
Mano’s impact increased in the second half. A searing break down the sideline was stopped but the winger regained his feet and after the ball was recycled he had a second go. This time Mano would not be denied, with Hodgson finding his range on the conversion.
Sensing more energy was needed, the Warriors rang the changes with five players entering the match. Hodgson missed another shot at the posts but made good soon after to make it 18-12 in favor of the home side. The Arrows would not lie down, however, and quick thinking from Braude on a penalty saw him step past his opposite number with Malcolm’s kick putting Toronto ahead by one.
Utah suddenly found another gear when Paul Lasike found Lance Williams loitering on the wing. The flanker ran straight over the top of Malcolm and offloaded back to Lasike in support for the finish. Next it was Hodgson with two cross-kicks that resulted in tries. The first was to Mano on the left side, then to Mika Kruse on the right.
Club captain Bailey Wilson came on and wasted no time getting into the action with a clear break from a ruck. Kruse and Connor McLeod got in on the act with two touches for Onehunga Havili, the second taking him over the line. The match ended when Fisher’s outside break put Caleb Makene into the corner for the seventh Utah try on the day.
It’s a short turnaround for the Warriors who will wrestle with the New England Free Jacks at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday night. The Arrows limp on to Dallas with a first-ever victory for the Jackals very much a possibility on Saturday.
SCORING
UTAH 47
Tries (7) – J. Mano 3 (39′, 46′, 68′), P. Lasike (64′), M. Kruse (71′), O. Havili (73′), C. Makene (79′)
Cons (3) – J. Hodgson 3/7 (47′, 65′, 74′)
Pens (2) – J. Hodgson 2/4 (9′, 58′)
YC (1) – T. Tu’avao (36′)
TORONTO 19
Tries (3) – L. Faleiva (15′), G. Syminton (37′), R. Braude (62′)
Cons (2) – S. Malcolm 2/3 (38′, 63′)
TEAMS
UTAH WARRIORS
1 Emerson Prior (17 Olive Kilifi 52′), 2 Joey Backe (16 Chad Gough 52′), 3 Angus MacLellan (18 Takaji Young Yen 60′), 4 Jurie van Vuuren (19 Saia Uhila 52′), 5 Jamie Lane, 6 Jeremiah Noaese (20 Onehunga Havili 52′), 7 Lance Williams (21 Bailey Wilson 70′), 8 Thomas Tu’avao, 9 Zion Going (22 Connor McLeod 63′), 10 Joel Hodgson, 11 Joe Mano, 12 Tyler Fisher, 13 Mika Kruse, 14 Logan Tago (23 Paul Lasike 52′), 15 Caleb Makene (capt.)
TORONTO ARROWS
1 Lolani Faleiva (17 Conan O’Donnell 58′-76′), 2 Ramón Ayarza (16 Gene Syminton 17′), 3 Tyler Rowland (18 Isaac Salmon 47′), 4 Mason Flesch (19 Hank Stevenson 29′), 5 Mike Sheppard, 6 Owain Ruttan, 7 James O’Neill, 8 Lucas Rumball (capt.), 9 Ross Braude (22 Cole Brown 72′), 10 Sam Malcolm, 11 Avery Oitomen, 12 Mitch Eadie, 13 Fabian Goodall, 14 Kobe Faust, 15 Brenden Black
*Toronto were unable to field a full complement of 23 players due to injuries before the match
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Cam Stone (New Zealand)
Assistants: Kahlil Harrison (USA) & Justin Canova (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)
