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The SaberCats earned a comfortable victory over the Gold in Houston’s home opener at AVEVA Stadium on Saturday evening. In similar fashion to their opening loss against New England, a clearly frustrated NOLA side again committed several unforced errors leading to a final score of 35-14.
It was the visitors who came out flying. A sweeping backline attack was stopped just short, but Houston couldn’t clear their lines. The pressure stayed on until Tom Florence bashed his way in under the posts to put the Gold up 7-nil with only 6 minutes played.
Things started to go bad after NOLA won a scrum penalty in the shadow of their own posts. Rodney Iona’s kick went straight down the middle of the park to Drew Wild. The Houston fullback ran a switch with Vereniki Tikoisolomone, and the Gold cover could only watch as the Fijian sped free with Davy Coetzer’s conversion bringing it level.
Tikoisolomone nearly had a double after quick hands from Wild put him in space again. This time the cover was there in time, but it was only a temporary holdup. Houston won a penalty and Dom Akina tapped and ran straight through the tackle attempt of Cam Dolan to score.
The Gold captain looked to make up for it with a line break but Damian Stevens dropped Dolan’s pass cold with nothing but grass in front of him. It was back to work for the SaberCats, and another tap penalty yielded a try for Gideon van Wyk on the third phase. Coetzer’s third conversion made it 21-7 to the home side at the intermission.
An entirely new front row came on early in the second half, and set the platform for a second try from Florence. Once again it was the flanker tearing up the middle in phase play and showing his strength to drag defenders over the line for seven points.
Another attack was looking promising for NOLA until a telegraph from Jordan Jackson-Hope landed in the hands of van Wyk, who raced home from halfway to score his double. The conversion from Coetzer restored the 14-point lead for the SaberCats.
The nightmares weren’t finished yet for the Gold. JP du Plessis had a pass intercepted and then just a couple minutes later he lost possession in a tackle. Christian Dyer hacked the ball ahead, regathered, and dove in under the sticks to add to NOLA’s misery.
Replacements streamed onto the pitch and the game lots its shape in the final quarter. A line break from Jarred Adams put the Gold inside Houston territory. One final assault from the visitors ended with a knock-on from Dolan, somehow emblematic of his team’s struggles to start the season.
It’s another southern skirmish for the Gold next Saturday, when they will look to find some form against Rugby ATL at Silverbacks Park. The SaberCats stay at home and put their perfect record on the line against the San Diego Legion on Sunday.
SCORING
HOUSTON 35
Tries (5) – V. Tikoisolomone (17′), D. Akina (21′), G. van Wyk 2 (31′, 48′), C. Dyer (62′)
Cons (5) – D. Coetzer 4/4 (18′, 22′, 32′, 49′), No kick (62′)
NOLA 14
Tries (2) – T. Florence 2 (6′, 45′)
Cons (2) – No kick 2 (6′, 45′)
TEAMS
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Rob Cobb (17 Alec McDonnell 68′), 2 Axel Zapata (16 Andrew Tuala 63′), 3 Morgan Mitchell (18 Pono Davis 62′), 4 Siaosi Mahoni (20 Marno Redelinghuys 49′), 5 Nathan Den Hoedt, 6 Hanco Germishuys, 7 Danny Barrett (capt.) (19 Keni Nasoqeqe 49′), 8 Gideon van Wyk, 9 Carlo de Nysschen (21 Nick Boyer 68′), 10 Davy Coetzer (22 Robbie Povey 72′), 11 Vereniki Tikoisolomone (23 Zach Pangelinan 68′), 12 Dom Akina, 13 Christian Dyer, 14 Gerrie Labuschagne, 15 Drew Wild
NOLA GOLD
1 Kevin Sullivan (17 Matt Harmon 44′), 2 Pat O’Toole (16 Eric Howard 44′), 3 Dino Waldren (18 Jarred Adams 44′), 4 Billy Stewart (19 Malcolm May 56′), 5 Liam Hallam-Eames (20 Maciu Koroi 66′), 6 Moni Tonga’uiha, 7 Tom Florence, 8 Cam Dolan (capt.), 9 Damian Stevens (21 Luke Campbell 56′), 10 Rodney Iona (22 Ross Depperschmidt 62′), 11 Dougie Fife, 12 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13 JP du Plessis, 14 Harley Wheeler, 15 Jordan Trainor (23 Jack Webster HT)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
Assistants: Brian Dusablon (USA) & Blair McClure (USA)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Canada)
