NOLA stun Glendale in statement win

Recap

The New Orleans Gold sent a message to the rest of Major League Rugby as they stunned the 2018 finalist Glendale Raptors 40-31 at Gold Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Despite fielding a young forward pack absent four internationals on Americas Rugby Championship detail they held their own up front and the Gold’s electric backline did the rest.

JP Eloff opened the scoring with a penalty goal at five minutes. The first came soon after as Taylor Howden turned back the clock with a superb individual score, rampaging clean over Harley Davidson on the way to the try line. Davidson was forced to leave the field with a head knock as Eloff’s conversion sailed through the uprights.

Down by two scores after just 10 minutes the Raptors needed something to stay in the game and Australian flanker Will Munro answered the call with a well-worked try. Robbie Petzer was on target to close the gap to just three points.

It was NOLA’s turn to fire back as their forwards went to work at the maul with Zack Stryffeler the man to fall over the line with the ball. Eloff landed a penalty to make it an ominous 18-7 lead but the Raptors would get one back through powerhouse winger John Ryberg. The final say of the half went to Eloff with his third penalty leaving Glendale nine points adrift at the intermission.

Howden got a second score almost immediately after the restart, scything through a gap and stepping inside the cover for another cracking individual effort. Eloff’s extras stretched the lead to 16 but it would be closed in the blink of an eye as Glendale hit their stride.

The first of two tries in four minutes went to stand-in captain Luke White, striding through the line to score a seven-pointer. Munro got the second – his second of the game – down the left side doing just enough to fight off a desperate tackle attempt.

Taking a page from the Raptors, the Gold got two of their own in rapid fire fashion. Scott Gale ripped through to score his second try in as many games and Tristan Blewett matched the achievement, tearing over with Eloff’s kick making it an even 40 points.

With time against them there was no way back for Glendale now but they salvaged some pride through a converted try from Brendan Daly. One last attack came close to securing a second bonus point but the defense held and Eloff smashed the ball into touch to end the game.

SCORING

NOLA 40
Tries – T. Howden 2 (9’, 43’), Z. Stryffeler (22’), S. Gale (65’), T. Blewett (68’)
Cons – J. Eloff 3/5 (10’, 44’, 69’)
Pens – J. Eloff 3/3 (5’, 28’, 40’)

GLENDALE 31
Tries – W. Munro 2 (15’, 58’), J. Ryberg (33’), L. White (54’), B. Daly (73’)
Cons – R. Petzer 2/4 (16’, 55’), D. Taikato-Simpson 1/1 (74’)

TEAMS

NOLA GOLD
1 Hubert Buydens (18 Kevin Sullivan 49′), 2 Matt Harmon, 3 Ben Tarr (16 Cam Falcon 56’), 4 William Waguespack (19 Malcolm May 49′), 5 Billy Stewart, 6 John Sullivan, 7 Zack Stryffeler (20 Caleb Meyer 62’), 8 Kane Thompson, 9 Holden Yungert, 10 Scott Gale (21 Cameron Troxler 74′), 11 Joeli Tikoisuva, 12 Con Foley, 13 Taylor Howden (23 Nick Feakes 54′), 14 Tristan Blewett (22 Michael Baska 78′), 15 JP Eloff (capt.)

Not used: 17 Mason Briant

GLENDALE RAPTORS
1 Blake Rogers (17 Max Lum 64’), 2 Chad Gough (16 Zach Fenoglio 45’), 3 Marco Fepulea’i (18 Kelepi Fifita 69′), 4 Luke White (capt.) (19 Casey Rock 72’), 5 Brendan Daly, 6 Will Munro, 7 Peter Dahl (20 Jason Damm 60’), 8 Connor Cook, 9 Carlo de Nysschen (21 Mickey Bateman 72’), 10 Robbie Petzer (22 Ata Malifa 69’), 11 Harley Davidson (23 Nick Johnson 10’), 12 Chad London, 13 Mika Kruse, 14 John Ryberg, 15 Dylan Taikato-Simpson