LA victorious as Dallas discipline falters

A string of penalties late in the game cost Dallas dearly as they watched Jordan Chait kick Los Angeles to a 29-26 road victory on Friday night. The visitors were second best in open play but set piece woes contributed heavily to the result with Jackals scrum and lineout both below par.

It was LA captain Niall Saunders who sparked the first score. His line break was followed up by Andrew Coe, who went to deck but connected with Ben Strang. The hooker toed it ahead and regathered himself to score the opening try. In the background Connor Winchester limped off, with Jason Tidwell coming on for Dallas just three minutes into the game.

A second blow came to the Dallas midfield when star fullback Vaughen Isaacs was carried off with what looked like a badly damaged hamstring. To their credit the Jackals kept their focus and soon after Dewald Kotze waded though a maul to score their first try. A second came soon after when Juan-Dee Oliver went quick at a penalty. The ball was recycled and Sam Tuifua was over to make it 14-7.

Two tries from Jason Damm put the visitors in the lead before halftime. Both were from identical plays. On each occasion the lineout throw went to the back and with little opposition Damm simply slipped off the back to ground the ball. Dan Hollinshead added one conversion and LA held a five-point lead.

Early in the second half Jason Emery found himself in trouble after taking out Mitch Richardson off the ball. The TMO decided it was worthy of a red card, and a minute later Dallas were back in the lead. Interplay between Makeen Alikhan, Tidwell, and finally Tuifua created the try. Meanwhile Hollinshead was helped off, adding injury to insult for the visitors.

Juan Pablo Zeiss had already been penalised at multiple scrums when the referee sent the Dallas prop to the bin for repeat collapses. LA couldn’t take advantage, however, and when the Jackals were back at full strength Martin Elias narrowly missed a drop goal attempt. Dallas would instead grab their four-try bonus when Alikhan went over from close range after sustained pressure on the line.

Tidwell then left the field injured, forcing Dallas to move flanker Ronan Foley to the wing. Zeiss was warned after a further scrum infringement and then yet another was enough for the referee, with a second yellow earning the prop his permanent dismissal. At the subsequent put-in Damm broke from the back and powered in for his hat trick, with Chait’s conversion drawing the scores level.

Dallas held possession at a lineout but Ben Mitchell stole the throw-in, giving LA a chance to press for the win with time nearly up on the clock. A drop goal attempt by Chait was charged down, but he would get another opportunity soon after off the tee. This time the ball sailed through the uprights and the referee blew the game for full-time as the visitors celebrated.

It’s another road game for Los Angeles next Saturday when they take on the winless Anthem Carolina in Charlotte. Dallas return home for a challenging contest against the Seattle Seawolves on Sunday.

 

SCORING

DALLAS 26
Tries (4) – D. Kotze (18′), S. Tuifua 2 (20′, 43′), M. Alikhan (67′)
Cons (3) – M. Elías 3/4 (19′, 21′, 44′)
DG (0) – M. Elías 0/1
YC (1) – J. Zeiss (52′)
RC (1) – J. Zeiss (72′)

LOS ANGELES 29
Tries (4) – B. Strang (3′), J. Damm 3 (30′, 39′, 73′)
Cons (3) – D. Hollinshead 2/3 (4′, 40′), J. Chait 1/1 (74′)
Pens (1) – J. Chait 1/1 (80’+2′)
DG (0) – J. Chait 0/1
RC (1) – J. Emery (42′)

LINEUPS

DALLAS JACKALS
1 Liam Murray (16 Joaquín Horcada HT), 2 Dewald Kotze (17 Connor Grindal 77′), 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Jerónimo Gómez Vara (capt.), 5 Daemon Torres (19 Ronnie McElligott 77′), 6 Ronan Foley, 7 Makeen Alikhan (18 Kyle Steeves 53′-62′), 8 Sam Tuifua, 9 Juan-Dee Oliver, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Nic Benn, 12 Connor Winchester (23 Jason Tidwell 4′ {22 Marques Fuala’au 70′}), 13 Mitch Richardson, 14 Tomás Malanos, 15 Vaughen Isaacs (21 Brock Gallagher 16′ {18 Kyle Steeves 72′})

Not used: 20 Cameron Nelson

RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Dane Zander (18 Conor Young 55′), 2 Ben Strang (16 Bruce Kauika-Petersen 65′), 3 Alex Maughan (17 Wilton Rebolo 47′), 4 Ben Mitchell, 5 Theo Vukasinovic (19 Max Katjijeko 62′), 6 Michael Amiras, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Niall Saunders (capt.), 10 Dan Hollinshead (22 Jordan Chait 49′), 11 Jack Shaw (23 Seth Purdey HT), 12 Jason Emery (21 Tas Smith 62′), 13 James Stokes, 14 Andrew Coe, 15 Austin White

Not used: 20 Bruce Yun

MATCH INFO

Date: Friday, May 10
Venue: Choctaw Stadium, Arlington
Kickoff: 19:30 local
Weather: clear, 82°F (27°C), wind NE 9-14mph (14-22km/h)

OFFICIALS

Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
Assistants: Kahlil Harrison (USA) & Juan Pablo Parra (Colombia)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)