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The New York Ironworkers got one back in the win column with a 31-20 result over Rugby ATL in a wild contest at Memorial Field on Sunday. It was back-and-forth action with four lead changes and no shortage of dramatic moments from start to finish.
An early break from Jack Heighton gave New York a penalty in front of the posts, but they opted instead to press for a try. Meanwhile forwards on both sides limped off. ATL’s Tiaan Erasmus was replaced by Will Burke, with Alex Maughan shifting to hooker. New York brought on Kara Pryor for Pago Haini. A scrum penalty then went against the Ironworkers on their own put-in and the scoring opportunity was lost.
The two sides went back and forth with first ATL threatening on the outside. Ben Bonasso stripped the ball in contact and put boot to ball, setting up a foot race between Ed Fidow and Duncan van Schalkwyk. It was a mismatch, with the New York winger toeing it ahead before grounding the ball for the first score of the game. Heighton’s conversion make it 7-nil to the home side at the hydration break.
New York were hit with a double-blow as Andrew Coe was issued a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, while at the some time Fidow was helped from the field with a leg injury. ATL had no interest in testing the wide spaces, however, and instead used their pack to make ground before Jason Damm crashed over from a couple meters out. The kick from van Schalkwyk was on target and the scores were level.
ATL would spent the rest of the half on the attack, but they couldn’t quite break through. Eventually on a penalty in front of the posts they asked van Schalkwyk to take three points with the boot, and the flyhalf obliged. Just before halftime a cross-kick nearly found Jack Shaw wide open but the winger couldn’t quite hang on and the whistle sounded with the visitors holding a 10-7 lead.
It was the home side who came out quickest in the second half. Dylan Fawsitt won the restart from Heighton and then a short pass from Teihorangi Walden to Pryor put the loose forward in the clear with a 30-meter dash for the finish. Heighton slotted the extras to make it a four-point lead for the Ironworkers.
Coe picked off a floated pass from van Schalkwyk to set up a penalty attempt for Heighton, but the kick sailed well wide of the posts. Nick Feakes then broke free on a 40-meter run, only to be felled just short by Shaw. Heighton lost possession and Rewita Biddle hacked the ball ahead, with Coe just barely winning the race. The support was there in numbers for ATL, however, and after winning the ruck Ryan Rees fired a wide ball to Shaw for a go-ahead try.
Once again the pendulum swung and New York came roaring back. Heighton hit Feakes with a flat pass at halfway, and the fullback fed Quinn Ngawati on his left. The big winger fended off the challenge of Rees and drove through Nolan Tuamoheloa to touch down in the corner.
A bit of Heighton magic put the game beyond reach of the visitors. New York’s flyhalf sold a dummy to thin air, and then slipped past the confused defense. Coe was waiting on the outside to take the scoring pass and he would cross untouched for the bonus point. The sideline conversion from Heighton sailed over to the delight of the partisan crowd.
There was still time enough for ATL to fight for the bonus point. A penalty put them into scoring position and then Kaleb Geiger was binned for collapsing a maul. Another drive came on and then Rees dove in with two minutes left on the clock.
The rugby gods were whimsical on this day. An accidental obstruction cost ATL possession at the restart. At the scrum they got the shove-on but somehow Pryor got the ball way from the back, peeling away to the short side of the pitch. He bumped off Rees and sent an under-handed offload to Jason Emery who promptly sprinted into the corner to deny the visitors their bonus point.
It’s a short turnaround for both teams, who return to action next Saturday. New York will be the first team to travel north of the border this season to face the Toronto Arrows, while ATL head home for another Eastern Conference clash against Old Glory DC.
SCORING
NEW YORK 31
Tries (5) – E. Fidow (19′), K. Pryor (41′), Q. Ngawati (59′), A. Coe (73′), J. Emery (80′)
Cons (3) – J. Heighton 3/5 (20′, 42′, 74′)
Pens (0) – J. Heighton 0/1
YC (2) – A. Coe (23′), K. Geiger (77′)
ATL 20
Tries (3) – J. Damm (24′), J. Shaw (54′), R. Rees (78′)
Cons (1) – D. van Schalkwyk 1/2 (25′), R. Biddle 0/1
Pens (1) – D. van Schalkwyk 1/1 (34′)
TEAMS
NEW YORK IRONWORKERS
1 Chance Wenglewski (17 Tevita Langi 60′), 2 Dylan Fawsitt (16 Kaleb Geiger 60′), 3 Nic Mayhew (18 Sam Davies HT), 4 Nate Brakeley (capt.) (19 Charlie Hewitt 74′), 5 Hamish Dalzell, 6 Benjamín Bonasso, 7 Joe Basser (2 Dylan Fawsitt 79′), 8 Pago Haini (20 Kara Pryor 6′), 9 Connor Buckley (21 Conor McManus 45′), 10 Jack Heighton, 11 Ed Fidow (23 Quinn Ngawati 23′), 12 Teihorangi Walden (22 Jason Emery 50′), 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 14 Andrew Coe, 15 Nick Feakes
RUGBY ATL
1 Alex Maughan, 2 Tiaan Erasmus (17 Will Burke 4′), 3 John-Roy Jenkinson (18 Wikus Groenewald 60′), 4 Justin Basson (19 Nahuel Milán 65′), 5 Johan Momsen (capt.), 6 Vili Helu (20 Ross Deacon 60′), 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Ryan Rees, 10 Duncan van Schalkwyk, 11 Nolan Tuamoheloa (23 George Barton 60′), 12 Will Leonard, 13 Te Rangatira Waitokia, 14 Jack Shaw (22 Seth Purdey 78′), 15 Rewita Biddle
Not used: 16 Isaac Bales, 21 Rowan Gouws
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Paulo Duarte (Portugal)
Assistants: Miles McIvor (USA) & Marty Steffens (USA)
TMO: Nick Hannon (USA)
