SaberCats stun Gold in New Orleans

photo credit: Jeremy Fletcher / Bigshots Snapshots / Houston SaberCats

Recap

The Houston SaberCats scored a major upset over the NOLA Gold on Saturday, taking 27-20 win over one of the top teams in Major League Rugby on their home turf. It was the first victory for the SaberCats since the recent coaching shake-up that saw Paul Emerick take over from Justin Fitzpatrick as Head Coach.

A Josua Vici break down the left sideline set up an early penalty goal for Sam Windsor. NOLA responded quickly thanks to a Zack Stryffeler turnover. Houston were caught offside on the ensuing attack and JP Eloff collected the easy three points.

The SaberCats scrum was in control early and when it wasn’t winning penalties, it set the platform for their dangerous backline to attack. Osea Kolinisau created a half-break to put the Gold on their heels. Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz earned hard yards and then Windsor was left unmarked for a simple try on the short side.

Stryffeler broke clean through the line to put NOLA back into scoring position. A penalty gave them an attacking lineout and they pushed Houston to the shadow of their posts. The ball popped free but Eric Howard was on hand to scoop it up and use his low body position and a little help from Alex Maughan to drive through to the line.

New Orleans took the lead before halftime on a catastrophic error by Deion Mikesell. Houston turned the ball over on attack and Scott Gale hacked it along the ground. With Eloff hard in pursuit, Mikesell ran away from his support and proceeded to spill the ball in the tackle of Tristan Blewett. The outside center accepted the gift graciously and took it on for a seven pointer.

Before the two sides could head into the sheds, the SaberCats would even things up. This time the NOLA backline coughed up the ball and Luke Beauchamp was freed down the right side, selling a dummy to skip past Gale. The ball was recycled with Diego Magno taking it on three times before Santiago Arata found an unguarded post to sneak in for the try.

Points would be much more difficult to come by in the second half. Windsor knocked over a penalty earned at a scrum to push Houston ahead and then came the killer blow. Gale kicked out on the full to give the Cats an attacking lineout. Just a couple phases later Alejandro Nieto went through a giant gap in the middle of the NOLA defense to slide in under the posts.

The Gold were completely shut out until the dying minutes. Houston’s defense held strong until a high tackle gave NOLA a decision to make. With only a minute to play and a 10 point deficit, Howard pointed to the sticks and Eloff knocked over the kick to secure the losing bonus point. That would be the last say as the SaberCats forced the Gold into touch with time expired.

 

SCORING

NOLA 20
Tries – E. Howard (24’), T. Blewett (34’)
Cons – J. Eloff 2/2 (25’, 35’)
Pens – J. Eloff 2/2 (6’, 79’)
Yellow cards – C. Dolan (68’)

HOUSTON 27
Tries – S. Windsor (18’), S. Arata (39’), A. Nieto (62’)
Cons – S. Windsor 3/3 (19’, 40’, 63’)
Pens – S. Windsor 2/3 (3’, 52’)

 

TEAMS

NOLA GOLD
1 Hubert Buydens (16 Matt Harmon 50’), 2 Eric Howard (capt.), 3 Alex Maughan (17 Cam Falcon 55’), 4 Kane Thompson (19 Billy Stewart 69’), 5 Nikola Bursic, 6 Ignacio Dotti, 7 Zack Stryffeler (20 Moni Tonga’uiha 56’), 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Holden Yungert (21 Michael Baska 63’), 10 Scott Gale, 11 Nick Feakes, 12 Con Foley, 13 Tristan Blewett (22 Taylor Howden 69’), 14 Tim Maupin (23 Joeli Tikoisuva 52’), 15 JP Eloff

Not used: 18 Ross Davies

HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Jake Turnbull (17 Jamie Dever 45’), 2 Pat O’Toole (16 Amro Gouda 78’), 3 Charlie Connolly (18 Paul Mullen 45’), 4 Diego Magno, 5 Victor Comptat (20 Cecil Garber 69’), 6 Matt Trouville (capt.) (22 Alejandro Nieto 37’), 7 Luke Beauchamp, 8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Sam Windsor, 11 Malacchi Esdale (23 Zach Pangelinan HT), 12 Thretton Palamo, 13 Josua Vici, 14 Deion Mikesell, 15 Osea Kolinisau (21 Kieran Farmer 76’)

Not used: 19 Robert Meeson

 

Result

TeamTCPDBPPoints
NOLA Gold2220120
Houston SaberCats332027

NOLA Gold

1Hubert Buydens 16 Loosehead Prop
2Eric Howard Hooker
3Alex Maughan 17 Tighthead Prop
4Kane Thompson 19 Left Lock
5Nikola Bursic Right Lock
6Ignacio Dotti Blindside Flanker
7Zack Stryffeler 20 Openside Flanker
8Cam Dolan Number Eight
9Holden Yungert 21 Scrumhalf
10Scott Gale Flyhalf
11Nick Feakes Left Wing
12Con Foley Inside Center
13Tristan Blewett 22 Outside Center
14Tim Maupin 23 Right Wing
15JP Eloff Fullback
16Matt Harmon 1 Loosehead Prop
17Cam Falcon 3 Tighthead Prop
18Ross Davies Tighthead Prop
19Billy Stewart 4 Right Lock
20Moni Tonga’uiha 7 Openside Flanker
21Michael Baska 9 Scrumhalf
22Taylor Howden 13 Outside Center
23Joeli Tikoisuva 14 Right Wing

Houston SaberCats

1Jake Turnbull 17 Loosehead Prop
2Pat O’Toole 16 Hooker
3Charlie Connolly 18 Tighthead Prop
4Diego Magno Left Lock
5Victor Comptat 20 Right Lock
6Matt Trouville 22 Blindside Flanker
7Luke Beauchamp Openside Flanker
8Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz Number Eight
9Santiago Arata Scrumhalf
10Sam Windsor Flyhalf
11Malacchi Esdale 23 Left Wing
12Thretton Palamo Inside Center
13Josua Vici Outside Center
14Deion Mikesell Right Wing
15Osea Kolinisau 21 Fullback
16Amro Gouda 2 Hooker
17Jamie Dever 1 Loosehead Prop
18Paul Mullen 3 Tighthead Prop
19Robert Meeson Lock
20Cecil Garber 5 Openside Flanker
21Kieran Farmer 15 Right Wing
22Alejandro Nieto 6 Blindside Flanker
23Zach Pangelinan 11 Fullback

Officials

Referee
Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
Assistant Referee 1
Derek Summers (USA)
Assistant Referee 2
Butch Neuenschwander (USA)

Details

Date Time League Season
May 18, 2019 5:00 pm Major League Rugby 2019

Venue

Archbishop Shaw Stadium
Walkertown, Marrero, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, 70073, United States of America

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