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The Dallas Jackals rebounded from a horror start to make things interesting, but the Utah Warriors ultimately came away with the bonus-point 36-26 victory at Choctaw Stadium on Saturday. Three tries from Connor McLeod led the way for the visitors with Joe Mano scoring the other two.
From the opening kickoff the Jackals were under pressure. A long sequence ended with McLeod knocking-on just before the line. Dallas couldn’t exit their end but they managed to shove Logan Tago into touch to stop another attack. The third time was the charm for Utah as a gap opened in the midfield with Joel Hodgson and Emerson Prior combining to put McLeod in under the sticks.
McLeod was in for a double just two minutes later. Tago crashed over the gainline from a lineout on halfway, and then the ball was flung wide to Caleb Makene. The outside defense was all at sea and it was a simple pass to a trailing McLeod for a run-in and another seven points.
Dallas seemed to be incapable of stopping the Warriors attack as they probed right, then left where Bailey Wilson broke free. This time it was Mano in support, with Joel Hodgson converting.
The bonus point, and McLeod’s hat trick, was secured before the hydration break. Marcos Moroni’s clearance attempt was charged down by Tyler Fisher. Quick hands down the line found Makene again in space on the left side, and he popped off the deck to his scrumhalf for a one-meter slide in. Hodgson was on target from wide out to make it 28-nil to the visitors.
Thomas Tu’avao was sent to the bin for cynically knocking the ball out of Pedro Imhoff’s hands with the Jackals pressing deep in Utah territory. The first chance for Dallas to take advantage was snuffed out by a Mika Kruse turnover at the breakdown. They kept the pressure on and Nicolás Revol crashed over after taking a short offload from fellow prop Juan Pablo Zeiss. Martín Elías converted to make it a full seven.
A second try soon after via Marcos Moroni. Repeat penalties pinned Utah on their own goal line. When a lineout drive was stalled, Imhoff pulled the attack back to the short side and Alejandro Torres sent Moroni through a gap for the try. Elías was again on target to make it a two-score game heading into halftime.
Hodgson landed three points off the tee after an offside penalty early in the second half. The Jackals fired straight back with interest. A penalty against Utah set up an attacking lineout. On came the drive and with a little help from the backs, the maul went over the line and it was Zeiss who came up with the ball. The kick from Elías was pushed across the face of the uprights.
Utah summoned fresh legs with five substitutions all at once. Makene drilled a 50-22 into the corner, and then Torres was binned for a no-arms chop tackle on Franco van den Berg. The Warriors won advantage at a scrum but it wasn’t needed as slick hands from Makene sent Mano into the corner untouched.
Zeiss got his second after a soft penalty was given away by Utah in their own end. Dallas opted for the corner but instead of sticking to the maul they went on the attack. Jerónimo Gómez Vara got inside the 5-meter line in heavy traffic and then Zeiss shook off three defenders to punch over for the bonus point try.
Hopes of closing the gap further evaporated when Gómez Vara was shown yellow for the same offense as Tu’avao. Another penalty gave Hodgson a shot at the posts well within his range but he pulled it badly to the left of the posts.
The Warriors would hold possession for the final moments and when Lance Williams kicked to touch, Saia Uhila and Lucas Bur appeared to exchange blows. With the final whistle already blown there were no sanctions though one wonders if the citing officer may have something to say.
Both teams return to action next Saturday. Dallas head to the East Coast to take on Rugby ATL, while the Warriors have a pivotal Western Conference clash at home against the Houston SaberCats.
SCORING
DALLAS 26
Tries (4) – N. Revol (27′), M. Moroni (33′), J. Zeiss 2 (44′, 68′)
Cons (3) – M. Elías 3/4 (28′, 34′, 69′)
YC (2) – A. Torres (53′), J. Gómez Vara (72′)
UTAH 36
Tries (5) – C. McLeod 3 (6′, 8′, 19′), J. Mano 2 (10′, 55′)
Cons (4) – No kick 2 (6′, 8′), J. Hodgson 2/3 (11′, 20′)
Pens (1) – J. Hodgson 1/2 (42′)
YC (1) – T. Tu’avao (22′)
TEAMS
DALLAS JACKALS
1 Nicolás Revol (16 Liam Murray 54′), 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss (18 Kyle Steeves 71′), 4 Sam Golla, 5 Lucas Bur, 6 Jerónimo Gómez Vara (capt.), 7 Conrado Roura, 8 Adriaan Booysen (20 Cameron Nelson 63′), 9 Pedro Imhoff, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Campbell Johnstone, 12 Alejandro Torres, 13 Tomás Malanos, 14 Aaron Gray (23 Lui Sitama HT), 15 Marcos Moroni (22 Juan Pablo Aguirre 63′)
Not used: 17 Connor Robinson, 19 Carson Shoemaker, 21 Danny Christensen
UTAH WARRIORS
1 Emerson Prior (17 Franco van den Berg 51′), 2 Henry Bell, 3 Paul Mullen (18 Angus MacLellan 51′), 4 Jamie Lane, 5 Jurie van Vuuren (19 Saia Uhila 51′), 6 Bailey Wilson (capt.), 7 Onehunga Havili (21 John DuPree 60′), 8 Thomas Tu’avao (20 Lance Williams 51′), 9 Connor McLeod, 10 Joel Hodgson, 11 Joe Mano, 12 Tyler Fisher (23 Tomasi Tonga 51′), 13 Mika Kruse, 14 Logan Tago, 15 Caleb Makene
Not used: 16 Joey Backe, 22 Zion Going
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Robin Kaluzniak (Canada)
Assistants: Andrew Low (USA) & Justin Hale (USA)
TMO: Greg Gilliam (USA)
