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The New England Free Jacks came away from Texas with a 25-17 win over the Austin Gilgronis at Bold Stadium on Saturday. A strong first half was enough to secure the result, though a controversial moment late in the game left a sour taste in the mouths of AG fans.
It was the visitors who struck first. From broken play Wayne van der Bank skipped out of a tackle and through a gap, finding Dougie Fife in close support to his right for the try. John Poland pulled the conversion attempt wide of the left upright.
Marcel Brache lost a high ball in the setting sun to allow New England to stay parked in Austin’s end. They earned a penalty and this time Poland found his mark to make it a two-score game.
Another mistake from Austin, this time a handling error, saw them fail to get out of their end. Adding injury to insult, Namatahi Waa trudged off with a shoulder complaint. Inaccuracy at the lineout cost the Free Jacks, however, and the scoring chance went begging.
Just ahead of the hydration break the Giltinis finally broke out of their slumber. Mark O’Keeffe hit an inside line at pace and scythed through the New England defense to touch down under the posts and suddenly the gap was just a single point.
The AG’s had conceded too many penalties when the referee reached for the yellow card in his pocket. Hugh Roach was the man instructed to take 10 minutes to himself, and as the hooker shook his head at the decision Poland chipped over a three-pointer.
O’Keeffe was temporary replaced by Mason Koch at a scrum. Two minutes later the AG’s were reduced to 13 men when Christian Ostberg was singled out for cynically playing the ball off his feet in a ruck. Again the lineout faltered for the Free Jacks and allowed Austin to clear their lines.
A turnover from van der Bank at the halfway line finally sparked a try for the Free Jacks just after Roach returned to the pitch. The ball went wide left to Le Roux Malan, and the midfielder burst through a gaping hole with Paula Balekana arriving on his inside to take the scoring pass.
The first scoring opportunity in the second half went to the AG’s. O’Keeffe produced another line break to put the Free Jacks back on their heels, but the attack came to nothing as Poland was first to a Mack Mason grubber that rolled in-goal.
Mason turned down a shot at the posts from straight in front, instead opting to kick for a lineout. The gamble paid off as Locky McCaffrey broke from the back of the ensuing maul and was met with no resistance on the way to a try. There was no trouble for Mason to add the extra two.
The Free Jacks rang the changes with five players entering the contest including flyhalf Beaudein Waaka. He would have to wait to make in impact, however, as a scrum penalty went to the AG’s and allowed Mason to take another three points to make it 10 unanswered points to the home side.
Austin were next to call in the cavalry with five replacements tagging in with 25 minutes to play. Twice in quick succession they would come close to scoring. Joe Johnston won a turnover to deny the first assault from the AG’s, and Roach was held up on the second.
The decisive score came at 73 minutes when quick hands put Zach Bastres in space, the 2021 Collegiate Draft pick racing home to record his first points as a professional. Waaka nailed the kick from a tough angle to make it an 8-point game.
There was still time for controversy. Michael de Waal looked to have scored on a long breakout started by Mason Pedersen. A TMO intervention ruled that Pedersen was offside at a ruck before picking the ball up, though the video evidence appeared tenuous at best. Bryce Campbell’s protests fell on deaf ears and the clock would run out on the home side.
New England face a potentially pivotal clash against Eastern Conference rivals Rugby ATL at Silverbacks Park on Saturday. The AG’s have a week off to discuss their frustrations before returning to action against the SaberCats on April 3.
SCORING
AUSTIN 17
Tries – M. O’Keeffe (20′), L. McCaffrey (48′)
Cons – No kick (20′), M. Mason 1/1 (49′)
Pens – M. Mason 1/1 (54′)
YC – H. Roach (22′), C. Ostberg (28′)
NEW ENGLAND 25
Tries – D. Fife (8′), P. Balekana (33′), Z. Bastres (73′)
Cons – J. Poland 0/1, No kick (33′), B. Waaka 1/1 (74′)
Pens – J. Poland 2/2 (13′, 23′)
TEAMS
AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti (17 LaRome White 55′), 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Namatahi Waa (18 Mason Pedersen 17′), 4 Cam Dodson, 5 Isaac Ross (19 Sebastian de Chaves 55′), 6 Christian Ostberg, 7 Michael de Waal, 8 Locky McCaffrey (20 Maclean Jones 55′), 9 Ryan Louwrens, 10 Mack Mason (22 Will Magie 55′), 11 Zinzan Elan-Puttick, 12 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 13 Mark O’Keeffe (16 Mason Koch 26′-32′) (23 Dom Akina 55′), 14 Conner Mooneyham, 15 Marcel Brache
Not used: 21 Sidney Shoop
NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Kyle Ciquera (17 Quentin Newcomer 50′-58′), 2 Mills Sanerivi (16 Foster DeWitt 50′), 3 Erich de Jager (18 Tevita Sole 50′), 4 Reegan O’Gorman, 5 Stan van den Hoven, 6 Cam Davidowicz (20 Slade McDowall 50′), 7 Joe Johnston (capt.), 8 Terrell Peita (19 Josh Larsen 58′), 9 John Poland (21 Holden Yungert 60′), 10 Harrison Boyle (22 Beaudein Waaka 50′), 11 Paula Balekana (23 Zach Bastres 66′), 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Wayne van der Bank, 14 Mitch Wilson, 15 Dougie Fife
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Joey Swatzell (USA) & Andrew Low (USA)
TMO: Davey Ardrey (USA)
