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Old Glory DC are headed to the postseason for the first time in franchise history. A 28-15 bonus point victory over NOLA at The Gold Mine on Saturday sealed their spot, with the results of the final two weeks of the regular season to determine who gets home field advantage in the opening round.
There were late changes for the Gold just minutes before kickoff. Pat O’Toole and Rodney Iona both pulled out, with Eric Howard starting at hooker and Reece Botha handed the No10 shirt. As fate would have it Botha would score the first points of the game.
Jordan Trainor broke free from his own end just a couple minutes after kickoff. He stepped the cover and nearly made it all the way only to be stopped by a desperate tackle from William Talataina just a meter short. The ball was recycled and Ross Depperschmidt sent Botha through a gap for the opening try. Botha’s kick was pulled just left of the uprights.
DC struck back with interest. Penalties conceded by NOLA led to an attacking lineout, which was successfully driven over with Niko Jones getting the credit for the score. Next it was a sweeping attack that left the Gold defense in tatters and Peni Lasaqa sliding over for a second try.
A third try came shortly after for Old Glory. Again NOLA’s discipline failed and again the visitors opted for a driving maul. There was no stopping the momentum and this time it was Nic Souchon who came up with the ball. For a third time Díaz Bonilla’s conversion attempt was wide of its target.
The Gold had a brief purple patch with Botha landing a three-pointer and another assault pushing to within a couple meters of the line, but the DC defense held. Luke Campbell knocked on in contact and Tito Díaz Bonilla smashed the ball downfield to end the threat.
Frustration boiled over towards the end of the half and after a warning from the referee, Sean Paranihi was binned for a dangerous clearout spotted by the sideline official. Díaz Bonilla took the three on offer and shortly after attempted a drop goal from just inside his own half that only narrowly missed to leave it 18-8 to the visitors at halftime.
Both kickers missed kicks within their range in the opening minutes of the second half. Fatigue seemed to be setting in early in the heat, and with it a litany of errors with the Gold guilty of the worst of them. The hydration break offered some respite and then Kyle Baillie, captaining DC against his former team, broke free from a tackle and galloped 40 meters to secure the bonus point.
NOLA caught a break when the TMO intervened after it looked like DC had successfully stuffed a lineout drive. Jones was deemed to have illegally collapsed the maul and a yellow card was brandished, accompanied by a penalty try to put the home side within 8 points.
Heads dropped a minute later as an opportunistic try left NOLA completely deflated. Sebastiano Villani couldn’t handle a high ball and it bounced straight to Gradyn Bowd. He quickly passed to Baillie, who in turn fed a streaking Marcos Young. The winger bamboozled two defenders en route to the finish line for the coup de grâce.
Both teams are on the road next weekend. It’s a short turnaround for DC as they take on the SaberCats in Houston on Friday night. NOLA could be formally eliminated from the playoffs if New York earns a bonus point win over Dallas. It’s the Jackals who the Gold will take on next Saturday.
SCORING
NOLA 15
Tries (2) – R. Botha (3′), Penalty try (70′)
Cons (1) – R. Botha 0/1, No kick (70′)
Pens (1) – R. Botha 1/2 (25′)
YC (1) – S. Paranihi (37′)
DC 28
Tries (5) – N. Jones (6′), P. Lasaqa (12′), N. Souchon (18′), K. Baillie (65′), M. Young (71′)
Cons (0) – J. Díaz Bonilla 0/3, G. Bowd 0/2
Pens (1) – J. Díaz Bonilla 1/2 (38′)
DG (0) – J. Díaz Bonilla 0/1
YC (1) – N. Jones (70′)
TEAMS
NOLA GOLD
1 Jarred Adams (16 Matt Harmon 51′), 2 Eric Howard (17 Kevin Sullivan 59′), 3 Sean Paranihi (18 Dino Waldren 59′), 4 Cam Dolan (capt.), 5 Liam Hallam-Eames (19 Billy Stewart 55′), 6 Malcolm May (22 Maciu Koroi 55′), 7 Moni Tonga’uiha (18 Dino Waldren 45′-47′), 8 Tom Florence (20 Alex Lopeti 36′), 9 Luke Campbell (21 Sebastiano Villani 65′), 10 Reece Botha, 11 Cael Hodgson (23 Dougie Fife 54′), 12 Ross Depperschmidt, 13 JP du Plessis (11 Cael Hodgson 75′), 14 Harley Wheeler, 15 Jordan Trainor
OLD GLORY DC
1 Jack Iscaro, 2 Nic Souchon, 3 Kyle Stewart (17 Quentin Newcomer 54′ {18 Cali Martinez 78′}), 4 Tevita Naqali (20 Collin Grosse 57′), 5 Kyle Baillie (capt.) (19 Langilangi Haupeakui 74′), 6 Lautaro Bavaro, 7 Alejo Daireaux, 8 Niko Jones, 9 Danny Tusitala, 10 Gradyn Bowd, 11 Marcos Young, 12 Doug Fraser (22 Thretton Palamo 59′), 13 William Talataina, 14 Peni Lasaqa (23 John Rizzo 59′), 15 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla
Not used: 16 KoiKoi Nelligan, 21 John LeFevre
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Allen Alongi (USA) & Rob Halcomb (USA)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
