New York beats DC in Jersey City scrap

Rugby United New York came away from their Jersey City debut with a 38-34 win over Old Glory DC at Cochrane Stadium on Sunday. It was an exciting back and forth contest that featured ten tries in all and no shortage of physical confrontation.

The first try came from an uncharacteristic mistake from Callum Gibbins. Old Glory’s blindside flanker looked away at the wrong moment and Kara Pryor tore off the back of a scrum, swerving past Sam Cusano who was also caught out of position. Pryor was eventually stopped but a show-and-go from Andy Ellis put the scrumhalf in for the try.

Cusano redeemed himself to finish DC’s first try. Thretton Palamo set a target with a powerful burst up the middle. Jason Robertson miss-out pass off a bad thumb was wobbly but nonetheless found its target.

A frantic period on either side of the hydration break saw each team scoring. Gibbins followed Cusano’s lead to find redemption as he powered through Ellis who was left alone to guard the post. At the other end Quinn Ngawati kept the ball alive in a tackle, opening space for Troy Lockyear to step back across the grain and glide in for the score.

The physicality turned into a scuffle as a crunching hit from Fa’asiu Fuatai flattened Robertson and gathered extra attention. No cards were brandished but both sides were admonished by the referee for the afters. Tensions remained high through to halftime.

Old Glory took the lead with a try sparked by New Jersey native Mike Dabulas. His offload found Robertson, who in turned linked with Mack Mason. The flanker’s scoring pass was to flying winger D’Montae Noble who slide over in the corner.

It was a short-lived celebration as New York were out of the red before halftime. New York’s maul was collapsed and with advantage Dylan Fawsitt spotted a hole and charged straight ahead to ground the ball. A Dan Hollinshead penalty made it 24-17 to the home side at the intermission.

Robertson landed a three-pointer of his own early in the second half but Hollinshead soon grabbed the momentum back for New York. The flyhalf read DC’s set move to perfection, stepping between Danny Tusitala and Palamo and sprinting home from halfway.

A short pass from Tusitala soon pulled Old Glory back into the game. New York repelled multiple attempts to break through. It was Renata Roberts-Te Nana who made it count with a searing burst up the middle, his momentum carrying him in under the posts.

Inaccuracy at the set piece cost DC at the hour mark. Noble cleaned up a loose ball spilled at the lineout, but he in turn lost possession as he went to deck and Ngawati snapped up the pill for the easiest of finishes in the corner. Hollinshead landed the sideline kick to make it a two-score game.

Team infringements were eventually cost New York a yellow card with Benjamín Bonasso dispatched to serve the time. Within seconds Josh Brown scored through a driving maul, but Old Glory could not find another try to make up the difference before time expired.

Both teams are back in action next Sunday. New York stay in New Jersey for a match against the Atlanta-based Toronto Arrows. It’s another all-East Conference clash in Leesburg where Old Glory welcome the New England Free Jacks to Segra Field.

 

SCORING

NEW YORK 38
Tries – A. Ellis (5’), T. Lockyear (20’), D. Fawsitt (34’), D. Hollinshead (48’), Q. Ngawati (61’)
Cons – D. Hollinshead 4/4 (6’, 21’, 35’, 62’), No kick (48’)
Pens – D. Hollinshead 1/1 (40’)
Yellow cards – B. Bonasso (67’)

DC 34
Tries – S. Cusano (14’), C. Gibbins (18’), D. Noble (30’), R. Roberts-Te Nana (50’), J. Brown (67’)
Cons – J. Robertson 2/4 (19’, 68’), No kick (50’)
Pens – J. Robertson 1/1 (44’)

 

TEAMS

RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK
1 James Rochford (16 Wilton Rebolo 45’), 2 Dylan Fawsitt (capt.) (17 Anthony Parry 60’), 3 Zak Taulafo (18 Samu Tawake 45’), 4 Charlie Hewitt (19 Evan Mintern 52’), 5 Nick Civetta, 6 Nate Brakeley (20 Kyle Sumsion 52’), 7 Benjamín Bonasso, 8 Kara Pryor, 9 Andy Ellis, 10 Dan Hollinshead, 11 Joel Miranda (23 Chris Mattina 68’), 12 Will Leonard (22 Harry Bennett 63’), 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 14 Quinn Ngawati, 15 Troy Lockyear

Not used: 21 Conor McManus

OLD GLORY DC
1 Jamie Dever (17 Max Lum 66’), 2 Mike Sosene-Feagai, 3 Steven Longwell (18 Jack Carroll 58’), 4 Tevita Naqali (19 Api Naikatini 60’), 5 Stan South, 6 Callum Gibbins, 7 Mungo Mason (co-capt.), 8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (20 Josh Brown 60’), 9 Danny Tusitala, 10 Jason Robertson, 11 D’Montae Noble, 12 Thretton Palamo (co-capt.), 13 Renata Roberts-Te Nana, 14 Sam Cusano, 15 Mike Dabulas

Not used: 16 James King, 21 Danny Thomas, 22 Simi Moala, 23 Cory Daniel

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Mike Lash (New Zealand)
Assistants: Lex Weiner (USA) & Miles McIvor (USA)