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RFC Los Angeles continued their run of good form with an impressive 24-22 upset over the SaberCats in Houston on Saturday night. A still breeze made for challenging kicking conditions and while LA still managed to show off their undeniable attacking prowess, it was their defense that proved the difference with two tacklers awaiting every Houston ball carrier on the gainline.
The SaberCats suffered an early blow as star playmaker Davy Coetzer was forced off with a lower body injury. LA added insult with a turnover in their own half. Andrew Coe kicked downfield and nobody was home to stop Gonzalo Bertranou from touching down and giving the visitors the early lead. André Warner joined his opposite on the score sheet before long when he snuck over on the edge of a ruck.
Emmanuel Albert was forced to pay for his teammate’s indiscretion when the TMO singled the Houston flanker out for a yellow card, despite the video evidence clearly showing that Sam Tuifua was the man guilty of the high tackle. LA took full advantage when Rory van Vugt crossed out wide on the end of an overlap. Before the halftime whistle came a try from a hard-charging Johan Momsen brought the scores level for a second time, the board reading 10-all after 40 minutes.
The pendulum continued to swing after the break. This time Houston took the lead when Tautalatasi Tasi sliced back across the grain to crash in beside the post. LA responded with a superb end-to-end try, with Ed Timpson and Reece MacDonald sparking the breakout and Will Leonard doing the finishing, the makeshift wing breaking a tackle and sauntering in towards the posts.
A Billy Meakes line break led to a yellow card for Tuifua, this time correctly called out for tackling Tas Smith off the ball. Meakes was at it again soon after, and this time he went in over the line on an inside angle from a scrum. MacDonald had a chance to stretch the lead after a Matias Jensen break, but the kick was off-target. With time up on the clock Houston got the try they needed through Pita Anae-Ah Sue on the back of a driving maul, but AJ Alatimu’s conversion attempt drifted wide and the visitors celebrated a memorable victory.
Both teams return to the pitch next Saturday. For Houston it’s a road trip to Miami to face the slumping Sharks. LA head home to defend their winning streak against another Western Conference challenger in the Utah Warriors.
| SCORING |
HOUSTON 22
Tries (4) – A. Warner (21′), J. Momsen (37′), T. Tasi (52′), P. Anae-Ah Sue (80′)
Cons (1) – A. Alatimu 1/4 (53′)
YC (2) – E. Albert (25′), S. Tuifua (68′)
LOS ANGELES 24
Tries (4) – G. Bertranou (17′), R. van Vugt (30′), W. Leonard (57′), B. Meakes (71′)
Cons (2) – S. Nolan 0/2, R. MacDonald 2/2 (58′, 72′)
Pens (0) – R. MacDonald 0/1
| LINEUPS |
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth (17 LaRome White 63′), 2 Seth Smith (16 Pita Anae-Ah Sue 53′), 3 Pono Davis (18 Michael Scott 53′), 4 Johan Momsen, 5 Nathan Den Hoedt (capt.) (19 Justin Basson 61′), 6 Emmanuel Albert (20 Keni Nasoqeqe 61′), 7 Marno Redelinghuys, 8 Sam Tuifua, 9 André Warner (21 Jay Renton 58′), 10 Davy Coetzer (22 AJ Alatimu 11′), 11 Max Schumacher, 12 Dom Akina (23 Jeremy Misailegalu 65′), 13 Tautalatasi Tasi, 14 Rufus McLean, 15 Drew Wild
RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Declan Leaney (17 Alessandro Heaney 68′), 2 Ben Sugars (16 Ben Strang 61′), 3 Maliu Niuafe (18 Franco van den Berg 63′), 4 Lucas Bur, 5 Jurie van Vuuren (20 Ed Timpson 48′), 6 Jason Damm (capt.), 7 Matt Heaton (19 Tim Anstee 58′), 8 Ben Houston, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou (21 Tas Smith 38′-HT, 67′), 10 Sean Nolan (23 Reece MacDonald 47′), 11 Andrew Coe, 12 Billy Meakes, 13 Matias Jensen, 14 Will Leonard, 15 Rory van Vugt
Not used: 22 Robert Mapa
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, April 5
Venue: SaberCats Stadium, Houston
Kickoff: 19:00 local
Weather: cloudy, 62°F (17°C), wind W 15-27mph (24-43km/h)
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: George Myers (Australia)
Assistants: Marquise Goodwin (USA) & Jono Cooper (USA)
TMO: Chris O’Malley (USA)
| HIGHLIGHTS |
