Denver squeaks by San Diego

Denver’s unbeaten run in PRO Rugby is now at six games after they defeated San Diego by the closest of margins in a 24-23 nail-biter at Torero Stadium on Sunday. The score was back-and-forth all game, with the lead changing hands seven times before Will Magie’s match-winning conversion of Martin Knoetze’s try finally sealed the result.

Kurt Morath’s first of six penalty goals on the five-minute mark was the only scoring for nearly the entire penalty-ridden opening stanza. Though kickable opportunities were on offer, neither Morath nor Magie could find their range with each missing two shots at goal. A brilliant counter-attack from Mike Te’o looked to have put San Diego on the board, but Hubert Buydens was spotted running a pick on Casey Rock to open the gap and instead earned a penalty for the obstruction.

Morath finally made good on a second shot at the 35th minute mark, but he had only jogged back for the kickoff when Max de Achaval crossed on a jinky run from close range that found the San Diego backline defense wanting. Magie’s conversion gave Denver the lead, but it too was short-lived.

Though the referee had ample opportunities to hand out cards had he wished with discipline short on either side, his first and only was dished out to Ata Malifa for a massive shoulder tackle on Taku Ngwenya. On another day Malifa might have gotten away with it, but Morath accepted the invitation and smashed the ball through the uprights to take a slender 9-7 lead into the intermission.

Magie and Morath exchanged kicks shortly into the second half, with Morath adding his fifth goal just as Malifa returned from his temporary suspension. The reckless brilliance of Te’o struck moments later, with an overly casual pass instead finding the mitts of Christian Wiessing, and the lanky second row ambled 40 metres untouched to score under the posts.

Once again it was Morath who struck to bring up 18 points on his personal tally, regaining the lead for San Diego. Te’o, keen to redeem himself, followed that up with a now trademark counter-attack after a poorly-placed clearance from Malifa. After stepping through two waves of defenders he found Kalei Konrad on the outside to score a superb try, and one that swung the match definitively in the home team’s favor.

It was Te’o again who featured on the final try, and this time for the wrong reasons. The fullback misjudged an inch-perfect kick aimed at the corner, with the ball instead bouncing up for Knoetze to run onto. He brushed past the off-balance Te’o and reached out of the despairing cover tackle of Pono Haitsuka for a memorable score. Magie nailed the kick from just inside the right-hand touchline and Denver were party-spoilers once again.

San Diego will have to rebound on the road as they travel to Obetz to play Ohio next week. Denver will celebrate and enjoy a week off before hosting Ohio in their new home at CIBER Field on June 19.

SAN DIEGO 23
Tries – K. Konrad (61)
Pens – K. Morath 6 (5, 35, 40, 46, 50, 58)

DENVER 24
Tries – M. de Achaval (36), C. Wiessing (51), M. Knoetze (73)
Cons – W. Magie 3 (37, 52, 74)
Pens – W. Magie (44)
Yellow cards – A. Malifa (39)

SAN DIEGO
1 Hubert Buydens 2 Joe Taufete’e 3 Jake Ilnicki 4 David Dolinar 5 Tai Tuisamoa 6 Nikola Bursic 7 Bruce Thomas 8 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 9 Charlie Purdon 10 Kurt Morath 11 Phil Mackenzie (capt.) 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Ben Leatigaga 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya 15 Mike Te’o

16 Mike Sosene-Feagai 17 Brice Schilling 18 Mason Pedersen 19 Ian Carpenter 20 Jean-Baptiste Gobelet 21 Kalei Konrad 22 Zach Pangelinan 23 Pono Haitsuka

DENVER
1 Ben Tarr 2 Nick Wallace 3 Chris Baumann 4 Christian Wiessing 5 Casey Rock 6 Hanco Germishuys 7 Peter Dahl 8 Pedrie Wannenburg (capt.) 9 Mose Timoteo 10 Will Magie 11 Timana Tahu 12 Ata Malifa 13 Chad London 14 Mike Garrity 15 Maximo de Achaval

16 Zach Fenoglio 17 Luke White 18 Jake Turnbull 19 Brodie Orth 20 Logan Collins 21 Bobby Impson 22 Martin Knoetze 23 Dustin Croy

Referee: Derek Summers
Assistants: Scott Green & Nick Ricono