ATL deal opening round defeat to Arrows

Rugby ATL reminded the Toronto Arrows that ‘The Snake Pit’ is still their home turf as they defeated last season’s East Conference leaders 21-14 at Lupo Family Field on Saturday. It was a match defined in large part by committed defense with neither side able to score any points at all in the second half.

Toronto were quickest to out of the blocks as Jack McRogers took took a flat ball from Tayler Adams in for his first professional try. His slide took him in just inside the posts meaning no conversion was required for the extra two.

The hosts responded quickly via Chance Wenglewski, converted by Bautista Ezcurra, but the Arrows were soon in again. This time it was Tomas de la Vega who drove in under the defense after hard work from the forwards. Andrew Ferguson made good on the kick to give his side a 14-7 lead.

ATL’s pack rolled up their sleeves and were rewarded with a try to Johan Momsen, again converted by Ezcurra to draw the scores level. The Argentine had a chance to give his team the lead but a penalty attempt attempt rang off the uprights and the flags stayed down.

After a long delay for an injury suffered by Harley Davidson, Ferguson in turn was off target on his own shot at goal. Instead it was the Ratlers who took control just before halftime with Neethling Gericke on the end of the rolling maul, Ezcurra this time accurate to make it 21-14.

The Arrows laid siege to ATL’s line at either end of the second half but both attacks proved fruitless. After being denied an opportunity to continue scrumming under the new trial laws, a subsequent scrum penalty went against them despite ATL being the side under pressure and the Ratlers cleared their lines.

Ezcurra missed another shot at goal but the Gastón Cortes found himself in hot water. The Argentine prop was sent from the field for a knee to the back of a prone Rowan Gouws at a ruck, and the Arrows would play the final 12 minutes of the match with only 14 men.

A nifty backline move saw Gastón Mieres free his countryman Leandro Leivas down the right side to within five meters of the ATL line. Support was too slow to Andrew Quattrin, however, and Ross Deacon pounced to secure a vital turnover that saved the win for the Ratlers.

Both teams will be on the road next Saturday. ATL head north to Virginia to face Old Glory DC. Toronto now settle into their temporary homes before traveling west to Utah for a clash against the Warriors.

 

SCORING

ATL 21
Tries – C. Wenglewski (6′), J. Momsen (22′), N. Gericke (38′)
Cons – B. Ezcurra 3/3 (7′, 23′, 39′)
Pens – B. Ezcurra 0/2

TORONTO 14
Tries – J. McRogers (2′), T. de la Vega (11′)
Cons – No kick (2′), A. Ferguson 1/1 (12′)
Pens – A. Ferguson 0/1
Red cards – G. Cortes (68′)

 

TEAMS

RUGBY ATL
1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Neethling Gericke (16 Jonas Petrakopoulos 68′), 3 Alex Maughan, 4 Marno Redelinghuys, 5 Johan Momsen, 6 Connor Cook, 7 Matt Heaton (capt.), 8 Jason Damm (20 Ross Deacon 77′), 9 Rowan Gouws, 10 Duncan van Schalkwyk, 11 Rory van Vugt, 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 13 Jeremy Misailegalu (23 Austin White 71′), 14 Harley Davidson (22 Zander van Schalkwyk 28′), 15 Martini Talapusi

Not used: 17 Will Burke, 18 Luke Schlotman, 19 Vili Helu, 21 Robbie Petzer

TORONTO ARROWS
1 Cole Keith, 2 Jack McRogers (17 Andrew Quattrin HT), 3 Gastón Cortes, 4 Adrian Wadden, 5 Paul Ciulini (19 Mike Sheppard 57′), 6 Tomás de la Vega, 7 Lucas Rumball (co-capt.), 8 Manuel Diana (18 Tyler Rowland 70′), 9 Andrew Ferguson (21 Jason Higgins 51′), 10 Tayler Adams, 11 Mitch Richardson, 12 Guiseppe du Toit, 13 Ben LeSage (co-capt.) (23 Gastón Mieres 9′-19′, HT), 14 Leandro Leivas, 15 Patrick Parfrey

Not used: 16 Pat Lynott, 20 Marcello Wainwright, 22 Will Kelly

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Mike Lash (New Zealand)
Assistants: Cisco Lopez (USA) & Dave Edwards (USA)