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San Diego are now the top team in Major League Rugby after putting a stop to Seattle’s perfect run on Saturday. At the end of a bruising 80 minutes in damp conditions the scoreboard read 23-20 in favor of the Legion, who leap over the Seawolves in the standings on bonus points.
An early opportunity to kick for the posts was turned down by San Diego in favor of an attacking lineout. The throw-in was untidy and when a second penalty was conceded Will Hooley settled for three points to open the scoring.
Ma’a Nonu put in a thunderous hit on Duncan Matthews that left the Seawolves fullback in a heap. The TMO decided he didn’t use enough arms and instructed the referee to send Nonu to the sin bin. Jordan Chait accepted the invitation to kick at goal and found his range from just over 40 meters on the angle. Seattle were caught offside straight away, giving the lead straight back to the visitors as Hooley’s effort from 45 meters snuck over the crossbar.
After several minutes of fierce back-and-forth, another Hooley attempt at the sticks bounds off the upright. The Legion regathered and Sama Malolo punched through to score, but a TMO review spotted a knock-on just moments before. Seattle couldn’t clear the ball from the scrum, however and there would be no denying Tevita Tameilau from five meters out. Hooley shanked the conversion attempt but the visitors were up by two scores.
Just before halftime a penalty at the lineout put Seattle into scoring position. The forwards threw everything at the line but the Legion would not break. Another penalty set up a tap play on the 5-meter line. AJ Alatimu was driven over but the ball was held up and the whistle sounded.
The Seawolves came out breathing fire in the second half. San Diego conceded a penalty to set up an attacking lineout. The drive put the Legion’s defense on the back foot, and then Riekert Hattingh came tearing around the corner, offloading out of the tackle to Charles Elton for a try under the posts.
After turning away a San Diego attack, the home side manufactured a second try. Chait’s grubber kick in-goal defense was well covered by the defense. From the dropout, however, the pressure stayed on and JP Smith hit Nakai Penny with a flat ball that put him in the clear. Richard Judd was there for the desperation tackle but so was Chait to take the offload in for five, the flyhalf converting his own for the full seven.
Malolo was then caught offside giving Chait a chance at three points, and he made to mistake to give the Seawolves a 20-11 lead. Sensing they needed a quick response, the Legion delivered just that. It was redemption for Malolo who broke free up the middle on a short pass from Tom Franklin. The hooker passed to Nonu to keep the move alive, and then Hooley sent Nate Augspurger clear into the corner for the finish. The kick from Hooley was spot-on to ratchet up the tension at the hour mark.
On the other side of the hydration break Marcel Brache crossed the gainline on first phase. The ball was recycled quickly to Blair Cowan, with the flanker bobbling it backwards to Hooley. Quick hands to Brache on the outside was followed by a chip ahead into space and Augspurger was there first for a double. Hooley’s kick was ruled to have sailed over the upright and the flags stayed down, the gap remaining just three points.
Chances for the Seawolves were absorbed by San Diego in the final minutes. Augspurger forced a turnover with a textbook hit on Hattingh. Seattle regained possession with Andrew Durutalo charging down the pitch, but again the Legion turned it over and cleared their lines. One last desperate attack ended with a spilled ball that allowed San Diego to grind out the last seconds.
Next Saturday will see the Seawolves on the road against the in-form Utah Warriors. It’s an extra day’s rest for the Legion, who head back home to play the Chicago Hounds on Sunday.
SCORING
SEATTLE 20
Tries (2) – C. Elton (46′), J. Chait (55′)
Cons (2) – No kick (46′), J. Chait 1/1 (56′)
Pens (2) – J. Chait 2/2 (17′, 59′)
SAN DIEGO 23
Tries (3) – T. Tameilau (37′), N. Augspurger 2 (60′, 64′)
Cons (1) – W. Hooley 1/3 (61′)
Pens (2) – W. Hooley 2/3 (7′, 21′)
YC (1) – M. Nonu (16′)
TEAMS
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Mzamo Majola (17 Jake Turnbull 61′), 2 Peter Malcolm (16 James Malcolm 50′), 3 Sam Matenga (18 Mason Pedersen 61′), 4 Ben Landry, 5 Ben Mitchell (19 Samu Manoa 65′), 6 Charles Elton, 7 Nakai Penny (20 Andrew Durutalo 65′), 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 Jordan Chait, 11 Lauina Futi, 12 AJ Alatimu (23 Mat Turner HT), 13 Dan Kriel, 14 Conner Mooneyham (22 Martin Iosefo HT), 15 Duncan Matthews
Not used: 21 Karl Keane
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti (17 Djustice Sears-Duru 56′), 2 Sama Malolo (16 Shilo Klein 61′), 3 Luke Green (18 Nathan Sylvia 61′), 4 Ben Grant, 5 Isaac Ross (19 Tom Franklin 50′ {21 Malakai Latu 78′}), 6 Christian Poidevin, 7 Blair Cowan (capt.), 8 Tevita Tameilau (20 Chris Turori 59′), 9 Richard Judd, 10 Will Hooley, 11 Nate Augspurger, 12 Ma’a Nonu (23 Matías Freyre 65′), 13 Marcel Brache, 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Mikey Te’o
Not used: 22 Alex Horan
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Brad Schwalger (Canada) & Saro Turner (Canada)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
