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The Utah Warriors got their first Major League Rugby win and then some as they produced a thunderous performance in wet weather to beat Austin Elite 41-22 at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday evening. It was an impressive display of power and tactical awareness from the home team who dictated the pace and field position for most of the match.
Star midfielder and captain Paul Lasike was in a rambunctious mood for Utah. His power running put Austin defenders on their backsides and opened space out wide for the Warriors to exploit. After Timothée Guillimin missed his first penalty attempt, Kurt Morath was on target for the first point and then Lasike impact paved the way for two tries. Jared Whippy was the first with Lasike himself finished another attack to make it 15-0.
Austin finally got on the board through Marcus Walsh. The little scrumhalf slipped through the post defense after the Elite had won possession from the restart. Guillimin’s conversion was accurate but the gap was still two scores, and it would get worse before the break.
A yellow card to Mike Brown for a head-high tackle on Tonata Lauti left the Elite short a man. With Siaosi Finau coming on to fill the front row they opted to take off Ned Hodson. The Warriors exploited the space where the fullback might have been as Josh Anderson sped clear around the right corner.
Hanco Germishuys had been shackled in the first half but finally made an impact to start the second. Andrew Suniula burst through the midfield and found his flanker on the inside to take the offload and barrel in under the posts. Utah responded immediately with a cheeky lineout move that ended with Lote Tu’ipulotu sneaking in untouched in the corner.
The Warriors suffered a major blow in the 66th minute when Jared Whippy’s boot caught awkwardly in the turf and his shin buckled under the pressure. It was an eerily similar injury to the one suffered by his twin brother Josh in the preseason.
As the rain picked up in the final minutes three more tries were scored. Walsh got his second for Austin but it was erased by a big run from Maika Hafoka. The last say went to Utah with Morath sliding a lovely grubber through and Joseph Nicholls winning the race for the touchdown.
Utah will pack their bags for Seattle next weekend to face the Seawolves at Starfire Stadium. Austin have a week off to regroup and prepare for their home match against the San Diego Legion on May 25.
SCORING
UTAH 41
Tries – J. Whippy (18’), P. Lasike (23’), J. Anderson (39’), L. Tu’ipulotu (45’), M. Hafoka (73’), J. Nicholls (77’)
Cons – K. Morath 4/6 (19’, 40’, 74’, 78’)
Pens – K. Morath 1/1 (14’)
AUSTIN 22
Tries – M. Walsh 2 (30’, 71’), H. Germishuys (41’)
Cons – T. Guillimin 2/3 (31’, 72’)
Pens – T. Guillimin 1/2 (61’)
Yellow cards – M. Brown (35’)
TEAMS
UTAH WARRIORS
1 Alex Tucci (18 Maika Hafoka 65’), 2 Lote Tu’ipulotu (16 Ray Forrester 65’), 3 Angus MacLellan, 4 Matt Jensen, 5 Kory Olsen (20 John Cullen 56’), 6 Lance Williams, 7 Ara Elkington, 8 David Tameilau (19 Saia Uhila 56’), 9 Joseph Nicholls, 10 Kurt Morath, 11 Tonata Lauti, 12 Paul Lasike (capt.) (22 Paki Afu 59’), 13 Mike Palefau (21 Fetu’u Vainikolo 45’), 14 Josh Anderson, 15 Jared Whippy (23 Ben Nicholls 66’)
Not used: 17 Peni Pahulu
AUSTIN ELITE
1 Chris Schade (18 Robert Drummond 79’), 2 Mike Brown (17 Siaosi Finau 48’), 3 Mason Pedersen (16 David LeMasters 80’), 4 Ben Mitchell, 5 Victor Comptat (19 Todd Clever 61’), 6 Ross Deacon, 7 Hanco Germishuys, 8 Kyle Breytenbach, 9 Marcus Walsh (21 Knute O’Donnell 79’), 10 Timothée Guillimin, 11 Sani Taylor, 12 Andrew Suniula (capt.), 13 Zinzan Elan-Puttick (20 Alex Faison-Donahoe 60’), 14 Sione Fangaiuiha, 15 Ned Hodson (17 Siaosi Finau 35’-45’)
Not used: 22 Joedee Reyes, 23 Junior Naruma
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Scott Green (USAR)
Assistants: Adam Leal (RFU) & Kage Green (USAR)
TMO: Dave Ardrey (USAR)
