Legion smother Gold’s playoff ambitions

photo credit: Craig Boudreaux / New Orleans Gold

Recap

The San Diego Legion dealt a potentially fatal blow to the NOLA Gold‘s playoff ambitions on Saturday, outscoring their hosts by six tries to three en route to a dominant 39-22 victory at Archbishop Shaw Field. Despite missing numerous first choice players the makeshift Legion were surprisingly cohesive and only rarely looked threatened.

NOLA struck first with Holden Yungert making the initial break and Tim Maupin finishing it off. The celebrations would be quickly cooled, however, as San Diego struck back immediately through their forwards with Pat Blair the man to get the touchdown.

Next it was the backs who got in on the action. Tadgh Leader landed a penalty and just moments later Ryan Matyas – keen to impress after being left out of the Eagles side – ripped through to score. JP Eloff countered with a penalty but another San Diego try scored by Anthony Salaber on the stroke of halftime put NOLA in a hole they could not dig themselves out of.

Nick Evans touched down just moments into the second half to seemingly kill of the Gold but there was some life in them yet. Cameron Troxler got one back but it was quickly erased by a Taku Ngwenya try. Eloff broke through to score, alas the Legion again had the answer through their forwards with Nathan Sylvia grabbing his first professional try.

 

SCORING

NOLA 22
Tries – T. Maupin (5’), C. Troxler (49’), J. Eloff (61’)
Cons – J. Eloff 2/3 (6’, 50’)
Pens – J. Eloff 1/1 (33’)
Yellow cards – A. Parry (73’)

SAN DIEGO 39
Tries – P. Blair (9’), R. Matyas (23’), A. Salaber (40’), N. Evans (42’), T. Ngwenya (54’), N. Sylvia (67’)
Cons – T. Leader 3/6 (24’, 40’, 55’)
Pens – T. Leader 1/1 (21’)

 

TEAMS

NOLA GOLD
1 Hubert Buydens (17 Derrek van Klein 48’ {16 Amro Gouda 58’}), 2 Cam Falcon, 3 Ben Tarr (18 Anthony Parry 55’), 4 Nikola Bursic, 5 John Sullivan, 6 Brennan Falcon, 7 Matt Hughston, 8 Chad Joseph (20 Todd Dupre 62’), 9 Holden Yungert (21 Vita Makasini 55’), 10 JP Eloff (19 Myles McQuone 73’), 11 Joeli Tikoisuva, 12 Taylor Howden (capt.) (22 Peceli Rinakama 69’), 13 Moni Tonga’uiha, 14 Tim Maupin, 15 Cameron Troxler (23 Bobby Johns 59’)

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti (17 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 55’), 2 Pat Blair (16 Pat O’Toole 62’), 3 Nathan Sylvia (18 Aaron Mitchell 69’), 4 Nick Grass (20 Sam Peri 16’-21’, 31’), 5 Chris Turori, 6 Devin Short (21 Alec Barton 47’), 7 Derrick Broussard (19 Gil Covey 71’), 8 Drew Gaffney, 9 Nick Boyer (23 Kyle Rogers 78’), 10 Tadhg Leader (capt.), 11 Nick Evans (22 Nick Lupian 71’), 12 Anthony Salaber, 13 Ryan Matyas, 14 Taku Ngwenya, 15 Conor Kearns

 

Result

TeamTCPDBPPoints
NOLA Gold321022
San Diego Legion6310139

NOLA Gold

1Hubert Buydens 17 Loosehead Prop
2Cam Falcon Hooker
3Ben Tarr 18 Tighthead Prop
4Nikola Bursic Right Lock
5John Sullivan Left Lock
6Brennan Falcon Blindside Flanker
7Matt Hughston Openside Flanker
8Chad Joseph 20 Number Eight
9Holden Yungert 21 Scrumhalf
10JP Eloff 19 Flyhalf
11Joeli Tikoisuva Left Wing
12Taylor Howden 22 Inside Center
13Moni Tonga’uiha Outside Center
14Tim Maupin Right Wing
15Cameron Troxler 23 Fullback
16Amro Gouda 17 Hooker
17Derrek van Klein 16 Loosehead Prop
18Anthony Parry 3 Loosehead Prop
19Myles McQuone 10 Left Lock
20Todd Dupre 8 Blindside Flanker
21Tevita Makasini 9 Scrumhalf
22Peceli Rinakama 12 Flyhalf
23Bobby Johns 15 Right Wing

San Diego Legion

1Faka’osi Pifeleti 17 Loosehead Prop
2Pat Blair 16 Hooker
3Nathan Sylvia 18 Tighthead Prop
4Nick Grass 20 Right Lock
5Chris Turori Left Lock
6Devin Short 21 Blindside Flanker
7Derrick Broussard 19 Openside Flanker
8Drew Gaffney Number Eight
9Nick Boyer 23 Scrumhalf
10Tadhg Leader Flyhalf
11Nick Evans 22 Left Wing
12Anthony Salaber Inside Center
13Ryan Matyas Outside Center
14Takudzwa Ngwenya Right Wing
15Conor Kearns Fullback
16Pat O’Toole 2 Hooker
17Sione Tu’ihalamaka 1 Loosehead Prop
18Aaron Mitchell 3 Tighthead Prop
19Gil Covey 7 Blindside Flanker
20Sam Peri 4 Right Lock
21Alec Barton 6 Openside Flanker
22Nick Lupian 11 Left Wing
23Kyle Rogers 9 Flyhalf

Officials

Referee
Paul-Henri Courbier (USA)
Assistant Referee 1
Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistant Referee 2
Haylee Slaughter (USA)

Details

Date Time League Season
June 9, 2018 5:00 pm Major League Rugby 2018

Venue

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

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