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The New England Free Jacks cruised to a 33-17 win over the San Diego Legion in the first half of a double-header at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday. Three tries in the opening 15 minutes for the visitors were enough to get the win with the Legion scoring all of their points in the second half.
A bone-crunching tackle from Wian Conradie on Santiago González Iglesias left the Argentine flyhalf in a heap just five minutes in. The Free Jacks grabbed a turnover on the play and Jackson Thiebes broke clear, connecting with Vili Toluta’u who in turn put Dougie Fife through a gap and in for seven points.
González Iglesias was helped from the field with Ryan Matyas summoned. San Diego opted to move Cecil Afrika to flyhalf despite the presence of capped Eagles utility back Tai Enosa on the bench. The decision did not pay off, with the makeshift combination of Afrika and Patrick Madden struggling to get free San Diego’s backs in the face of New England’s rush defense.
Afrika’s first clearance attempt was misjudged and handed an attacking lineout to the Free Jacks. They soon won a penalty and opted for the scrum, driving the Legion backwards and opening the space for John Poland to exploit for another seven.
Just two minutes later Poland was in for a double. This time it was Poasa Waqanibau who was the creator. The big Fijian winger ripped the ball free in a tackle and then burst away, offloading to his scrumhalf in close support when the cover arrived. Beaudein Waaka landed the conversion to make it 21-nil.
New England seemed to take their foot off the gas and then Toluta’u was binned for a breakdown indiscretion, one of many given away by the visitors. San Diego could not take advantage of the extra attacker with the score unchanged at halftime.
The first try of the second half came from the Legion. Psalm Wooching, San Diego’s best player on the day, delivered two line breaks, the second resulting in a penalty. Matyas went quick but was too high to score. Instead Jasa Veremalua picked from the ruck and reached out with the referee awarding the try. It was perhaps fortunate with the video replay suggesting a knock-on in the move.
Travis Larsen was shown yellow after breaking up a lineout drive and with one less defender Poland attacked the short side. Fife was at first receiver, shipping to a rampaging Conradie on his left before taking a return pass in for his second try.
A quick reply came from the Legion just before Larsen returned with Afrika’s late pass sending Matyas clear and into the corner. Equally quick was the response from New England, Kensuke Hatakeyama crossing with help from his friends on the end of a lineout drive.
Bjorn Basson would score a consolation effort to close out the game. The former Springbok winger exploded onto a short pass from Madden to break the line, then had no difficulty swerving around Joe Johnston to finish, the flanker forced to finish the game out of position on the wing with the Free Jacks out of backs replacements.
The Free Jacks will head back east for a home game against the Austin Gilgronis at Union Point Stadium next Saturday. San Diego have an extra day off to prepare for Sunday’s West Conference clash against the Seawolves in Seattle.
SCORING
SAN DIEGO 17
Tries – J. Veremalua (52’), R. Matyas (65’), B. Basson (80’)
Cons – C. Afrika 1/1 (53’), P. Madden 0/1, T. Enosa 0/1
Yellow cards – T. Larsen (56’)
NEW ENGLAND 33
Tries – D. Fife 2 (6’, 63’), J. Poland 2 (13’, 15’), K. Hatakeyama (69’)
Cons – No kick 2 (6’, 13’), B. Waaka 2/3 (16’, 64’)
Yellow cards – V. Toluta’u (33’)
TEAMS
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Cronan Gleeson (17 Faka’osi Pifeleti 61′), 2 Dean Muir (16 Peter Malcolm 61′), 3 Aaron Mitchell (18 Chris Baumann HT), 4 Ben Mitchell, 5 Victor Comptat (19 Travis Larsen 42′), 6 Jasa Veremalua, 7 Psalm Wooching, 8 Tevita Tameilau (capt.) (20 Michael Smith 77’), 9 Patrick Madden, 10 Santiago González Iglesias (23 Ryan Matyas 7’), 11 Bjorn Basson, 12 Tiaan Loots, 13 Cameron Clark, 14 Cole Zarcone, 15 Cecil Afrika (22 Tai Enosa 73’)
Not used: 21 Chris Turori
NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Sef Fa’agase (17 Kensuke Hatakeyama 50’), 2 Vili Toluta’u (16 Pieter Jansen 48’), 3 Erich de Jager (18 Quentin Newcomer 73’), 4 Josh Larsen (capt.), 5 Jackson Thiebes (19 Matt Wirken 73’), 6 Justin Johnson (16 Pieter Jansen 34’-43’) (20 Tera Mtembu 58’), 7 Joe Johnston, 8 Wian Conradie, 9 John Poland, 10 Harrison Boyle (23 Peceli Rinakama 30’ {22 Evan Geist 70′}), 11 Harry Barlow, 12 Aleki Morris-Lome, 13 Dougie Fife, 14 Poasa Waqanibau (21 Sean Yacoubian 42’), 15 Beaudein Waaka
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Moe Chaudhry (Canada)
Assistants: Austin Reed (USA) & Jacob Gonzalez (USA)
