SaberCats too much for Hounds in Chicago

The SaberCats came away from Chicago with a 38-21 win over the Hounds at SeatGeek Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Houston’s size and power up front proved too much for their hosts, as they dominated the set piece and collisions on the way to a six-try-to-three result.

After a feeling-out process, the SaberCats got on the board at the 15-minute mark after working their way deep into Chicago territory. Marno Redelinghuys picked a line between two defenders and offloaded to Siaosi Mahoni running at full tilt on his inside. JP Eloff had no chance to stop the giant second row at that range and Mahoni was in for the try.

Houston captain Dean Muir reacted to a high tackle from John Cullen with a swinging elbow to the neck area of the Hounds lock. The penalty was reversed and Muir was sent to the bin for his troubles, but the SaberCats hardly blinked at the numerical disadvantage.

At a scrum just a minute later a set move saw Gerrie Labuschagne bursting up the middle on a switch play with Davy Coetzer. Labuschagne fixed the last defender and passed to Dom Akina on his right for an easy sprint to the finish line. Coetzer knocked over the extras and it was 12-nil to the visitors.

It was Labuschagne again making his presence felt soon after. The left winger popped up on the right side and it took three defenders to stop him. Drew Wild was waiting in the middle of the pitch and when he wasn’t held in the tackle, he regained his feet and slipped through to score a third Houston try.

The Hounds lost Lindsey Stevens to a shoulder injury early in the second half, replaced by Mason Koch. He would find his target at the first throw-in, and Mark O’Keeffe broke through the middle. The attack looked to have been spoiled by a Christian Dyer intercept, but Chicago won the ball back straight away. Chris Mattina came within an inch of reaching the line, and Koch was there to take it the rest of the way to get the home side on the board.

Just five minutes later Houston had their bonus point. A penalty gave them an attacking lineout, and the forwards rolled up their sleeves. The first drive was slowed but the second shove came on and Muir broke from the back, squeezing in under the defense to score.

The Houston scrum was in complete control and it was the set piece that created the next try. Carlo de Nysschen’s effort from 5 meters out was stopped but Malon Al-Jiboori wasn’t far behind, picking and driving home with a little help from Wynand Grassmann.

Just seconds later the Hounds would find a response. A wide ball from a scrum went to Mark O’Keeffe, who went on a winding run to score an impressive solo effort. Chicago’s determination to run out of their own end cost them, however, when a loose pass gave Coetzer the simplest of finishes.

A consolation try would go to Chicago. Asa Carter earned a yellow card for repeat infringements. Moments later Sean Yacoubian did his best forward impression and crashed over with Bryce Campbell proving a little extra ballast in behind. Mattina’s conversion brought on the final whistle.

Both teams are back in action next Saturday. The Hounds will tangle with the New England Free Jacks in Boston, and the SaberCats head home to host the Utah Warriors.

SCORING

CHICAGO 21
Tries (3) – M. Koch (48′), M. O’Keeffe (65′), S. Yacoubian (80′)
Cons (3) – C. Mattina 3/3 (49′, 66′, 80’+1′)

HOUSTON 38
Tries (6) – S. Mahoni (15′), D. Akina (30′), D. Wild (35′), D. Muir (54′), M. Al-Jiboori (63′), D. Coetzer (73′)
Cons (4) – D. Coetzer 4/6 (31′, 36′, 64′, 74′)
YC (2) – D. Muir (28′), A. Carter (79′)

TEAMS

CHICAGO HOUNDS
1 George Thornton (18 LaRome White 58′), 2 Lindsey Stevens (16 Mason Koch 45′), 3 Paddy Ryan (17 Charlie Abel 10′), 4 John Cullen (19 Duke Krishnan 64′), 5 Luke White, 6 Mike Matarazzo, 7 Luke Beauchamp, 8 Michael de Waal (21 Dacoda Worth 64′), 9 Michael Baska (22 Sean Yacoubian 49′), 10 Chris Mattina, 11 Julián Domínguez (20 Caleb Strum 64′), 12 Billy Meakes, 13 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 14 Mark O’Keeffe, 15 JP Eloff (23 Luke Carty 64′)

HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Rob Cobb (17 Alec McDonnell 64′), 2 Dean Muir (capt.) (19 Axel Zapata 64′), 3 Morgan Mitchell (18 Pono Davis 64′), 4 Siaosi Mahoni (23 Emmanuel Albert 55′), 5 Nathan Den Hoedt, 6 Marno Redelinghuys (16 Asa Carter 74′), 7 Danny Barrett (20 Malon Al-Jiboori 49′), 8 Wynand Grassmann (19 Axel Zapata 29′-38′), 9 Carlo de Nysschen (21 Nick Boyer 71′), 10 Davy Coetzer, 11 Gerrie Labuschagne, 12 Louritz van der Schyff, 13 Dom Akina (22 Zach Pangelinan 74′), 14 Christian Dyer, 15 Drew Wild

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Shawn Bastic (USA) & David Zaccaria (USA)
TMO: Luke Rogan (USA)