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Standards seemed to dip a little in the third week of the Major League Rugby season. Perhaps it was fatigue, or the return to cooler temperatures after the sun of Las Vegas. It was a good week for kickers as discipline faltered, and players on both ends of the throw-in had no shortage of practice.
1 – James Rochford (Rugby United New York) Straight back into the action after the birth of his daughter. Rochford put in 80 minutes of graft. He held up in the scrum, propelled teammates ahead in contact, and even fit in the odd pass before contact.
2 – Alex Maughan (Rugby ATL) Accuracy was good in a busy day at the lineout. He defended strongly including stopping Mathieu Bastareaud, though the Frenchman slipped through Maughan’s grasp once. Another like Rochford who managed a full 80 minutes on the pitch. RUNY’s Dylan Fawsitt deserves a mention for his audacious chip kick alone.
3 – Dino Waldren (NOLA Gold) Went well in the scrum and was prominent on both sides of the ball in the loose. A presence at the breakdown, strong with ball in hand. An energetic performance that will have pleased the Eagles selectors. San Diego’s Paul Mullen also had a strong game.
4 – John Cullen (Utah Warriors) The two Clydesdales in Utah’s engine room were dominant figures in Austin. Cullen gets the nod over Matt Jensen for longevity and overall impression. He had close to double digits in lineout takes and pinched one from the Gilgronis. Made hard yards in every time of asking.
5 – Nate Brakeley (Rugby United New York) Lumbered about the pitch looking for another ruck to smash into. Not as busy in the lineout with the arrival of Charlie Hewitt, but he made his presence felt. Snaffled one of Maughan’s throw-ins later in the game. Johan Momsen made a difference for ATL when he came on in the second half.
6 – Psalm Wooching (San Diego Legion) One of his most impressive performances to date. Showed his athleticism with a lineout steal at the front. Put in some shuddering hits and won every collision. Quick hands freed Tira Patterson on the left, and his second half line break sent Devereaux Ferris in for one of the tries of the season.
7 – Lucas Rumball (Toronto Arrows) The main man in Toronto’s outstanding loose forward trio who dominated the second half of the game in Seattle. A menace in the tight-loose, he willed himself over the line for the decisive score in a comprehensive team performance. Austin’s Moe Abdelmonem enjoyed his first start of the season.
8 – Cam Dolan (NOLA Gold) Known more for his offensive output, Dolan’s defense earns him the spot this week. Two key turnovers at the breakdown and a couple heavy hits. Nicked one opposition lineout throw and gave the scoring pass to Julián Domínguez. Toronto’s Manuel Diana was immense, the yellow card contributing to his honorable mention spot.
9 – Nick Boyer (Colorado Raptors) Brought a confidence and presence to the Raptors attack. Challenged the NOLA back row and broke clean through once for a try. Also contributed a couple key cover tackles. Frankly it’s a mystery why he was replaced so early in the second half.
10 – Jason Robertson (Old Glory DC) A rare spark in a largely pedestrian affair. Shown the impressive width of his passing game off both hands, aided by his speed of foot. Scored 17 of his team’s 22 points including five penalty goals. San Diego’s Luke Burton was very good, while both No10s in Austin – Hagen Schulte and Zinzan Elan-Puttick – had inspired moments.
11 – Tira Patterson (San Diego Legion) Had two huge breaks down the left side, one for a try and the second stopped just short by Mitch Wilson’s desperation tackle. Came into the midfield looking for work. His defense was passable though chaotic. Both Julián Domínguez and John Ryberg in New Orleans were just about on par.
12 – Tiaan Loots (Houston SaberCats) The only Houston player able to threaten DC’s line with regularity. Left Thretton Palamo for dead with an outside break early in the game, though he flubbed offload. Ran straight through two defenders to score under the posts for his team’s only try.
13 – Frank Halai (Austin Gilgronis) Made an instant impression when he came on at halftime, in the unusual position of outside center no less. Broke 50 meters clean up the field with his first touch, and followed up Corey Jones on another break for a try on debut.
14 – Dan Moor (Toronto Arrows) Finished two tries well though he didn’t have far to run for either, and now the league-leader with four in three games. Came inside looking for work, and most importantly brought a burst of energy with every touch or tackle.
15 – Sam Malcolm (Toronto Arrows) A mesmeric display with the boot, 9-for-9 from the tee for 24 points. His all-around effort was close to perfect with a few textbook tackles to prevent line breaks. It was tempting to pick NOLA’s Carl Meyer in another position as his 17-point haul also merited selection.
