Second half explosion fires Utah past New England

Recap

The Utah Warriors scored 26 unanswered points in the second half to secure a 39-33 come-from-behind win over the New England Free Jacks in Las Vegas on Saturday. In doing so they reversed their fortunes of their opening round loss to ATL just a week ago.

It was all Utah in the opening ten minutes. To their credit New England’s line bent but did not break, and after multiple attempts at a try the Warriors settled for three points from the boot of Hagen Schulte.

A mistake on the restart gave the Free Jacks an immediate chance to respond but instead of points they opted for the corner. The gamble paid off. Utah stopped the lineout drive but the ball was spun left with Mitch Wilson’s offload putting Deion Mikesell into the corner. Mikesell was a late addition to New England’s lineup after Beaudein Waaka pulled out.

Schulte slotted a long-range penalty goal before Fetu’u Vainikolo produced a bit of magic. The lineout move didn’t go as planned but the Tongan winger looped around the blindside and turned on the jets. He sold a dummy and eluded the outstretched arms of the Free Jacks cover for a sensational individual try.

New England got one back just before halftime. After sustained pressure from the forwards it was the captain Josh Larsen who dove over top of a ruck to touch down. Timothée Guillimin’s conversion kick was spot on and it was a one point game at the intermission.

The Free Jacks took the lead early in the second half. John Poland broke free from a lineout near halfway and brought the attack inside Utah’s 22 meter line. The ball went wide left then back across to the right where Poasa Waqanibau was waiting, handing off the challenge of countryman Veremalua Vukakoto to touch down in the corner. Guillimin split the uprights with the extras and the Free Jacks were up by six.

It was Poland again who created a next score just moments later. In near identical fashion he picked out a gap at the end of the lineout and sped free, this time connecting with Mikesell in close support for an easy two-on-one finish.

The momentum was firmly in New England’s favor but the pendulum swung back towards Utah just a couple minutes later. Brad Hemopo was binned for cynical play in scoring position and Chris Latham sent on fresh forwards in Kalolo Tuiloma and Saia Uhila. The Free Jacks scrum wilted under pressure and Dwayne Polataivao broke for the simplest of touchdowns.

Just as Hemopo was set to return the Free Jacks were hit with a second yellow. Waqanibau was judged to have played a knock-on from an offside position. The Warriors poured it on and Josh Whippy’s backhanded offload put Gannon Moore just a foot short. Schulte was on hand to pick and dive into the corner for the try, converting his own with a brilliant touchline kick to make it a one point game.

A frantic finale began with Utah retaking the lead. New England’s discipline cost them again and the forwards powered ahead until Uhila had the strength to squeeze over the line for a seven pointer.

Where the Warriors faded late against ATL just a week ago, this time they looked the stronger side in the closing moments. Moore stepped clean through a hole in New England’s kick-chase and connected with Whippy. He switched it back to Moore and Michael Baska was there for the offload and another cracking try from Utah.

There was time enough on the clock for the Free Jacks to score once more. Wilson went over in the corner to secure the try bonus point, and then Guillimin’s inch-perfect conversion earned a second bonus point before time expired.

SCORING

UTAH 39
Tries – F. Vainikolo (29’), D. Polataivao (53’), H. Schulte (61’), S. Uhila (69’), M. Baska (76’)
Cons – H. Schulte 4/5 (30’, 62’, 70’, 77’)
Pens – H. Schulte 2/2 (10’, 26’)

NEW ENGLAND 33
Tries – D. Mikesell 2 (15’, 46’), J. Larsen (36’), P. Waqanibau (42’), M. Wilson (79’)
Cons – T. Guillimin 4/5 (37’, 43’, 47’, 80’)
Yellow cards – B. Hemopo (49’), P. Waqanibau (59’)

TEAMS

UTAH WARRIORS
1 Franco van den Berg (17 Huluholo Mo’ungaloa 62’), 2 Veremalua Vugakoto (16 Ricky Tu’ihalangingie 73’), 3 Angus MacLellan (18 Kalolo Tuiloma 51’), 4 John Cullen, 5 Matt Jensen (20 Saia Uhila 49’), 6 Bailey Wilson, 7 Thomas Tu’avao (19 Puna Vuli 71’), 8 Jurie van Vuuren, 9 Dwayne Polataivao (capt.) (21 Michael Baska 62’), 10 Hagen Schulte (22 Robbie Povey 78’), 11 Fetu’u Vainikolo, 12 Blake Hohaia, 13 Calvin Whiting (23 Tyler Fisher 67’), 14 Gannon Moore, 15 Josh Whippy

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Simon Courcoul (17 Kyle Ciquera 78’), 2 Sean McNulty, 3 Donald Brighouse (18 Quentin Newcomer 70’), 4 Josh Larsen (capt.), 5 Jackson Thiebes, 6 Naulia Dawai (19 Conor Kindregan 28’), 7 Zack Stryffeler (20 Owen Hundt 62’), 8 Brad Hemopo, 9 John Poland, 10 Timothée Guillimin, 11 Deion Mikesell, 12 Sam Beard, 13 Liam Steel (23 Danny Collins 55’), 14 Poasa Waqanibau, 15 Mitch Wilson

Not used: 16 Steven Hinshaw, 21 Erik Thompson, 22 Peceli Rinakama