Utah sets MLR scoring record in blowout win over Dallas

The Utah Warriors set a new Major League Rugby record for most points scored in a single game with a 69-22 win over the Dallas Jackals at Zions Bank Stadium on Saturday. At they same time the 47-point margin of victory equals the mark set by the LA Giltinis in their victory against the Houston SaberCats in June of last year.

An early foray into Dallas territory was stopped by the Jackals but eventually a try would come via Saia Uhila, who pounded over from short range. Cliven Loubser tacked on the conversion and added a penalty goal soon after.

The second try was scored by Tomasi Tonga, on a simple switch move in the backline. Dallas couldn’t stop the hard-running midfielder but would get on the board themselves soon after. Eric Naposki’s line break ended with a penalty that Adriaan Carelse sent through the sticks.

Niall Saunders connected with Mika Kruse for two more Utah tries before halftime. The first was a kick into space from the scrumhalf with Kruse winning the race to the ball. A wide miss-out pass created the second, with Loubser nailing the sideline conversion to make it 29-3 at the intermission.

Mike Te’o scored twice in a span of seven minutes to start the scoring in the second half, both on the end of multi-phase attacks. Eric Naposki did his best Te’o impression for Dallas, slicing through at the other end thanks to some nifty footwork.

Replacements soon began to stream into the match and a loose pass was snapped up by Loubser, who fed Saunders on his inside for a breakaway try. Tuvere Vugakoto was next to touch down, taking a more conventional route through a lineout drive with little opposition.

The Warriors seemed to switch off temporarily when Ned Hodson scored a double in just two minutes, the second under the posts. There would be no further celebrating for Dallas as Kruse grabbed a hat trick soon after with debutante Coleson Warner racing in for Utah’s 10th and final try of the day.

Celebrations will have to be cut short as the Warriors are back on the road next Sunday against the LA Giltinis. The Jackals limp home to Choctaw Stadium where they host the NOLA Gold on Saturday.

 

SCORING

UTAH 69
Tries – S. Uhila (14′), T. Tonga (25′), M. Kruse 3 (33′, 40′, 74′), M. Te’o 2 (45′, 52′), N. Saunders (59′), T. Vugakoto (61′), C. Warner (77′)
Cons – C. Loubser 6/8 (15′, 34′, 40′, 53′, 60′, 62′), C. Makene 2/2 (75′, 78′)
Pens – C. Loubser 1/1 (20′)

DALLAS 22
Tries – E. Naposki (56′), N. Hodson 2 (69′, 71′)
Cons – A. Carelse 1/2 (57′), No kick (71′)
Pens – A. Carelse 1/1 (29′)

 

TEAMS

UTAH WARRIORS
1 Franco van den Berg (17 Olive Kilifi 60′), 2 Chad Gough (16 Tuvere Vugakoto 34′), 3 Paul Mullen (18 Angus MacLellan 50′), 4 Saia Uhila (19 Thomas Tu’avao 50′), 5 Jamie Lane, 6 Lance Williams (20 Mike Gieselman 62′), 7 Bailey Wilson (capt.), 8 Jurie van Vuuren, 9 Niall Saunders (21 Danny Christensen 60′), 10 Caleb Makene, 11 Mika Kruse, 12 Tomasi Tonga (22 Calvin Whiting 50′), 13 Tyler Fisher, 14 Mike Te’o, 15 Cliven Loubser (23 Coleson Warner 66′)

DALLAS JACKALS
1 Ryan Bower (17 Timmy Ohlwein 54′), 2 Matt Frings (16 Brendan Rams 66′), 3 Alex Tucci (18 Tommy Madaras 62′), 4 Bronson Teles, 5 Jérémy Lenaerts, 6 Mike Matarazzo, 7 Conrado Roura (20 Romain Gadeaux 66′), 8 Adriaan Booysen (19 Calvin Gentry 62′), 9 Dylan James (21 Tom Brusati 60′), 10 Adriaan Carelse, 11 Alejandro Torres, 12 Ned Hodson, 13 Henry Trinder (22 Chad London 18′ {23 Aaron Gray 54′}), 14 Eric Naposki, 15 Chris Pennell (capt.)

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistants: Kahlil Harrison (USA) & Kage Green (USA)
TMO: Mike Lash (New Zealand)

Attendance: 3,608