A Schnuggle of Schnauzers clinched the Golden Eagles Showdown with another impressive display in the second leg of the intra-squad series at Chula Vista this weekend. The men in red defeated the Rampaging Ridgebacks 2 games to 1 to take a 5-2 overall victory. As a result the 8th and final game was not played.
Where the young guns took center stage in the first leg, it was the veterans who did much of the damage in the second leg. Madison Hughes, Danny Barrett, and Martin Iosefo were in dominant form throughout. Iosefo secured his place as Player of the Series with another impressive display of pace and power.
The Ridgebacks made this interesting by winning the second match of Day Three, with Stephen Tomasin and Perry Baker shining. It was two tries from Baker, including a scintillating individual effort, that nearly brought them back from a 26-0 deficit on Day Four but it wasn’t to be in the end.
Both the Men’s and Women’s Eagles are now on a break until the new year. It’s unclear when the two teams will be back in action but preparations will now begin in earnest for the Tokyo Olympics.
DAY 3
GAME 5
SCHNAUZERS 19
Tries – M. Iosefo, M. Hughes, M. Esdale
Cons – M. Hughes 2/3
RIDGEBACKS 5
Tries – K. Williams
Cons – C. Melphy 0/1
GAME 6
SCHNAUZERS 17
Tries – D. Barrett, M. Hughes, M. Iosefo
Cons – M. Hughes 1/3
Yellow cards – M. Iosefo
RIDGEBACKS 19
Tries – C. Melphy, S. Tomasin, P. Baker
Cons – C. Melphy 1/1, S. Tomasin 1/2
DAY 4
GAME 7
SCHNAUZERS 26
Tries – M. Leuta, D. Barrett, M. Brown, M. Esdale
Cons – M. Hughes 3/4
RIDGEBACKS 19
Tries – P. Baker 2, M. Tupuola
Cons – S. Tomasin 2/3