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An impressive defensive performance saw the Houston SaberCats taking a 28-12 bonus point win over the Utah Warriors on Saturday. It was a bright, sunny day at a packed Zions Bank Stadium but the home side were second-best at the breakdown and left frustrated by the resilient visitors.
The SaberCats had possession early but it was ripped away by Bailey Wilson after Tomasi Tonga nailed Christian Dyer with a thunderous tackle, carrying the SaberCats vice-captain some 10 meters backwards. Niall Saunders found the corner his left foot and soon after Jamie Lane crashed over the line, but he was held up and Houston had somehow dodged a bullet.
Cliven Loubser missed a shot at goal and then the Warriors lost Lane to injury, replaced by Lance Williams. Houston added insult to injury as Gerrie Labuschagne stepped around Loubser and broke to within 5 meters of Utah’s line. Labuschagne would get a second crack seconds later and this time he made it through, squeezing in between two defenders for the try. Davey Coetzer had no problem adding the extras to make it a full seven.
Houston’s forwards were getting the edge and when the Warriors conceded a penalty Coetzer opted for the corner. The lineout drive was defended well but Dean Muir broke from the back and barged straight through Saunders to score. Coetzer was again on song with the conversion.
The Warriors pushed their way back into Houston territory. Repeat infringements saw the referee lose patience and when Nicolás Solveyra was caught offside he was sent to the bin. Utah opted for a scrum and Williams rocketed off the back. He made it over the line but was somehow pushed back before he could ground the ball, and when Williams hit the deck Dillon Smit pounced to win a turnover.
Utah regained possession when the SaberCats cleared their lines but it was Matai Leuta who got over the ball to win another breakdown penalty. Labuschagne pointed at the posts from 58 meters away. He had the distance but the ball drifted just left of the uprights, and the score stood to halftime.
After a frantic start to the second half, Tonga went on a rampaging run from inside his own half. He bumped off Coetzer and stepped Labuschagne, making it to Houston’s 22-meter line. The ball went wide to Connor Burns who made more progress down the left side, but a loose pass forced Angus MacLellan to clean up and Juan Pablo Zeiss was there to win yet another turnover for the SaberCats.
Caleb Makene chipped over the line when Utah regained possession, with Mike Te’o there to regather. He fired a quick pass to Paul Lasike in support, but Smit was there to punch the ball from his hands. Houston won a free kick and Coetzer caught the Warriors by surprise with a massive up-and-under. Kisi Unufe put pressure on Loubser and Willie Britz was there to snatch the ricochet and score a third SaberCats try. Coetzer’s conversion made it 21-nil at the hydration break.
When play restarted Loubser rocketed out of his own half and into Houston territory. A tip-tackle on from Unufe on Franco van den Berg earned a yellow card for the winger. At last the Warriors found their way onto the scoreboard as Tuvere Vugakoto broke from the back of the maul to touch down. Makene’s conversion attempt rang off the left upright.
Lasike’s miss pass in his own end found Burns again in space. This time he put boot to ball and the bounce was perfect to win an attacking lineout just 5 meter out. The forwards piled over the line but it was held up and Houston breathed a sigh of relief. From the restart Te’o attempted a drop kick that fell wide of the posts.
The SaberCats conceded a penalty and after the referee issued a warning, Te’o kicked to the corner. van Vuuren set the drive but Williams flew off the back, and instead popped to a flying Lasike who was unstoppable from five meters out for Utah’s second try. Calvin Whiting stepped up to take the conversion and duly found his mark.
With Utah pressing for a potential losing bonus point, Makene’s flat pass was picked off by Gideon van Wyk. The flanker sprinted clear from halfway to instead score a bonus point try for the SaberCats. Coetzer rounded out his perfect day from the tee with the conversion to put a stamp on the victory.
It’s a short turnaround for the Warriors as they host the San Diego Legion on Friday evening. The SaberCats have an extra day off as they take on Texas Cup rivals Austin at Bold Stadium.
SCORING
UTAH 12
Tries – T. Vugakoto (63′), P. Lasike (72′)
Cons – C. Makene 0/1, C. Whiting 1/1 (73′)
Pens – C. Loubser 0/1
DG – M. Te’o 0/1
HOUSTON 28
Tries – G. Labuschagne (16′), D. Muir (25′), W. Britz (59′), G. van Wyk (79′)
Cons – D. Coetzer 4/4 (17′, 26′, 60′, 80′)
Pens – G. Labuschagne 0/1
YC – N. Solveyra (34′), K. Unufe (63′)
TEAMS
UTAH WARRIORS
1 Olive Kilifi (17 Franco van den Berg 46′), 2 Tuvere Vugakoto, 3 Angus MacLellan (18 Paul Mullen 52′), 4 Puna Vuli (20 Mike Gieselman 50′), 5 Jamie Lane (19 Lance Williams 11′), 6 Thomas Tu’avao (16 Joey Backe 76′), 7 Bailey Wilson (capt.), 8 Jurie van Vuuren, 9 Niall Saunders (21 Danny Christensen 52′), 10 Caleb Makene, 11 Mika Kruse (23 Connor Burns HT), 12 Tomasi Tonga (22 Paul Lasike 53′), 13 Calvin Whiting, 14 Mike Te’o, 15 Cliven Loubser
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Nicolás Solveyra (17 Frikkie de Beer 64′), 2 Dean Muir (capt.) (16 Diego Fortuny 50′), 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss (18 Pono Davis 56′), 4 Keni Nasoqeqe (23 Emmanuel Albert 61′), 5 Siaosi Mahoni (20 Willie Britz 50′), 6 Danny Barrett, 7 Malon Al-Jiboori (19 Gideon van Wyk 53′), 8 Jaco Bezuidenhout (17 Frikkie de Beer 34′-44′), 9 Dillon Smit, 10 David Coetzer, 11 Kisi Unufe (21 Zach Pangelinan 74′), 12 Matai Leuta, 13 Christian Dyer, 14 Gerrie Labuschagne, 15 Robbie Povey
Not used: 22 Nick Boyer
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Marcus Playle (New Zealand)
Assistants: Brett Johnson (USA) & Kage Green (USA)
TMO: Kahlil Harrison (USA)
