Dominant second half gives Austin win over San Diego

Austin secured a vital bonus-point win over San Diego on Saturday evening to stay within reach of a playoff spot. A 19-point haul in the second half led to a final score of 33-14 in favor of the Gilgronis at Torero Stadium.

The home side raced away to an early lead as a handling miscue saw Thomas Morani sprinting free from deep inside San Diego territory. Connor Mooneyham somehaw caught the Argentine center just before the line but Bjorn Basson was there in close support to get the finish. Joe Pietersen chipped over the extras to make it a full seven.

It would take until just before the hydration break for the AG’s to finally break through. Dominic Akina was the target at an attacking lineout and the maul drove in from 10 meters out with Hugh Roach touching down for the score. Kurt Morath drew the scores level with the conversion.

A Morath penalty attempt rang off the uprights but Austin would go on better soon after. Bryce Campbell took the ball at first receiver on the short side of a scrum and was too strong for Cameron Clark, the Eagles center stepping through the tackle and blasting in for another converted try.

Another score looked to be on the cards for the Gilgronis but Morath’s looping miss-pass was picked off by Basson, who sprinted home from just beyond halfway. Another routine kick from Pietersen made it 14-all at the intermission.

The second half was all AG. A bad mistake just two minutes after the restart conceded the first try. The ball was fed back at a ruck on the goal line but San Diego were too slow to clear and Jamie Mackintosh astutely leaped over the ruck to ground it as the Legion looked on in disbelief.

Ruben de Haas started and finished the next try. The USA international charged down Nate Augspurger’s box kick attempt to win a turnover, then took a return offload from Locky McCaffrey to the line. de Haas was dropped just short but bounced up off the turf for the score in his final act of the game.

McCaffrey had the final say himself, bowling over Santiago González Iglesias on his way to a seven-pointer under the sticks. It wrapped up a Man of the Match performance from the Australian eightman in just his second appearance since arriving from Japan.

San Diego will stay at home to play the Seattle Seawolves next Saturday afternoon. It’s a bye week for the Gilgronis who will use the extra time to prepare for their road game against the LA Giltinis on July 10.

 

SCORING

SAN DIEGO 14
Tries – B. Basson 2 (4’, 36’)
Cons – J. Pietersen 2/2 (5’, 37’)
Pens – J. Pietersen 0/1
Yellow cards – D. Muir (69’), C. Baumann (76’)

AUSTIN 33
Tries – H. Roach (19’), B. Campbell (28’), J. Mackintosh (42’), R. de Haas (61’), L. McCaffrey (72’)
Cons – K. Morath 2/2 (20’, 29’), M. Mason 0/1, W. Magie 1/1 (62’), No kick (72’)
Pens – K. Morath 0/1, M. Mason 0/1

 

TEAMS

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti (17 Cronan Gleeson 50’), 2 Peter Malcolm (16 Dean Muir 60’), 3 Paddy Ryan (18 Chris Baumann 50’), 4 Tom Franklin, 5 Siaosi Mahoni (20 Psalm Wooching 60’), 6 Keni Nasoqeqe, 7 Jasa Veremalua, 8 Tevita Tameilau (2 Peter Malcolm 70’-79’), 9 Ethan McVeigh (21 Nate Augspurger 56’), 10 Joe Pietersen (23 Save Totovosau 68’), 11 Bjorn Basson, 12 Santiago González Iglesias, 13 Thomas Morani (22 Ryan Matyas 56’), 14 Cameron Clark (capt.), 15 Cecil Afrika

Not used: 19 Chris Turori

AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Jamie Mackintosh (17 Jake Turnbull 68’), 2 Hugh Roach (16 Robbie Coetzee 68’), 3 Mason Pedersen (18 LaRome White 68’), 4 Cam Dodson, 5 Kyle Breytenbach (19 Christian Ostberg 74’), 6 Dominic Akina (20 Dom Bailey 68’), 7 Michael de Waal, 8 Locky McCaffrey, 9 Ruben de Haas (21 Pele Cowley 62’), 10 Kurt Morath (22 Will Magie HT), 11 Conner Mooneyham (23 David Still 65’), 12 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 13 Frank Halai, 14 Nick Johnson, 15 Mack Mason

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistants: Austin Reed (USA) & Jacob Gonzalez (USA)