Airtight LA defense stymies Austin attack

A near-perfect defensive performance from LA saw them pick up a 17-3 win over Austin at Bold Stadium on Wednesday night. Despite limiting the Giltinis to under 20 points for just the second time this season, the Gilgronis had middling success on offense with no line breaks and only a single kick at goal registered over the entire 80 minutes.

It was Austin who were parked deep in LA territory for much of the opening quarter, but time and again they were met by a wall of black jerseys. A driving maul was repelled and then Angus Cottrell ripped the ball free in a tackle and the Giltinis kicked downfield.

As Michael de Waal lay in a heap behind play, Matt Giteau’s grubber caught the AG defense at sixes and sevens and Harrison Goddard combined with Adam Ashley-Cooper to break well into Austin’s half. John Ryberg was stopped just short and when the ball squirted out of the ruck Lindsey Stevens spun away from Hugh Roach to score the opening try.

Giteau’s conversion landed as de Waal was helped off the field with a shoulder injury, to be replaced by Moe Abdelmonem. When play resumed DTH van der Merwe broke free and LA were nearly in again, but Dave Dennis spilled the ball in a tackle and Will Magie’s superb clearance from in-goal made touch on the LA side of halfway.

With time running out in the half Austin came close to a try of their own. The maul went over the line but it was held up, to come back for a penalty. After a brief discussion the AG’s opted for three points rather than the corner and Mack Mason obliged to leave the score 7-3 at the break.

An enormous kick from Ryberg early in the second half pinned Austin back on their own goal line. Mason’s clearance under pressure didn’t make much ground, and a half-break from Cottrell got in behind the defense with Ryberg on hand to take the offload in for the try. The kick from Giteau was on target to make it a two-score game.

The AG’s attempted to move forwards but there was no deception or change of pace on offer. Abdelmonem went down in the 70th minute with a knee injury and with all eight replacements used already, the home side were forced to play the final 10 minutes with only 14 men on the pitch. Giteau’s 79th minute extinguished hopes of a losing bonus point.

Both teams will enjoy an extended rest before returning on May 29. LA head from coast to coast to play East Conference leaders Rugby ATL, while Austin have a shorter trip to Salt Lake City for a pivotal match against the Utah Warriors.

 

SCORING

AUSTIN 3
Pens – M. Mason 1/1 (37’)

LA 17
Tries – L. Stevens (16’), J. Ryberg (48’)
Cons – M. Giteau 2/2 (17’, 49’)
Pens – M. Giteau 1/1 (79’)

 

TEAMS

AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Jamie Mackintosh (18 LaRome White 66’), 2 Hugh Roach (16 Mason Koch 53’), 3 Paddy Ryan (17 Mason Pedersen 29’), 4 Isaac Ross, 5 Sebastian de Chaves (19 Cam Dodson 63’), 6 Dom Bailey (22 Kyle Breytenbach 68’), 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Michael de Waal (20 Moe Abdelmonem 17’ *), 9 Ruben de Haas (21 Pele Cowley 68’), 10 Mack Mason, 11 Ned Hodson, 12 Kurt Morath, 13 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 14 Cole Davis, 15 Will Magie (23 Nick Johnson 66’)

*20 Moe Abdelmonem left the field at 70 minutes with injury and was not replaced.

LA GILTINIS
1 Jean-Pierre Smith (17 Luke White 63’), 2 Lindsey Stevens (16 Sean McNulty 57’), 3 Charlie Abel (18 Frikkie de Beer 79’), 4 Dave Dennis (capt.) (19 Corey Thomas 63’), 5 Nathan Den Hoedt, 6 Angus Cottrell (20 Harry McNulty 66’), 7 Christian Poidevin, 8 Adam Ashe, 9 Harrison Goddard, 10 Matt Giteau (22 Luke Carty 79’), 11 DTH van der Merwe (21 Cristian Rodriguez 79’), 12 Bill Meakes, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 John Ryberg (23 Ryan James 63’), 15 Luke Burton

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistants: Kat Roche (USA) & Butch Neuenschwander (USA)