Seven-try Free Jacks spoil Old Glory’s home opener

The New England Free Jacks outscored their hosts seven tries to three to come away from Segra Field with a 41-25 win over Old Glory on Friday evening. A brief period of success for DC wrapped around halftime saw them close an early deficit to just two points, but too many mistakes prevented them from completing an improbable comeback.

After a brief feeling-out period, the Free Jacks got on the board first from a trick play at a lineout. The ball came off the top back to Pieter Jansen, with the hooker passing back inside to a streaking Holden Yungert. One return pass later and Jansen was into the left corner for the try. Beaudein Waaka’s conversion attempt bounced off the upright.

Old Glory responded with a penalty kick via Rohan Saifoloi, but they botched the restart and handed the ball straight back to New England. Mitch Wilson popped up as an extra attacker in the midfield and split the gap between two forwards to race over for five points, with Waaka adding the extra two.

A yellow card to Api Naikatini for collapsing a maul in a scoring position left DC short-handed for 10 minutes. Without the big second row there was no stopping the Free Jacks on their second attempt at a lineout drive, with Slade McDowall getting the credit for the score.

Saifoloi landed a second penalty when New England conceded a penalty in their own end soon after, but before Naikatini could return the visitors would have their bonus point try. This time it was a simple backline attack on first phase from a lineout that did the damage, with Harry Barlow barreling over William Talataina on the end for the finish.

The home side would get a much-needed try just before halftime. Owen Sheehy sliced through the line on halfway and put the Free Jacks back on their heels deep inside their own 22-meter line. The ball was recycled and then sent right to Peni Lasaqa, whose stepped his way past two defenders to score a try on debut. Saifoloi’s conversion cut the gap to 22-13 at the intermission.

DC carried their confidence into the second half. Poor discipline cost New England field position and then Wilson couldn’t quite corral a kick to the corner. After the Free Jacks were warned for a collapse, Old Glory turned down a chance for three and it paid off with Rob Irimescu falling over the line for the try. The kick from Saifoloi made it a two-point game.

It took a moment of chaos to break up Old Glory’s momentum. Danny Tusitala’s pass to Jack Iscaro was too hot to handle, and Joe Johnston snapped up the loose ball. The flanker punted the ball ahead and it bounced up perfectly for Waaka to run onto and take in for New England’s fifth try.

Another handling error cost the home side dearly and gave Waaka a double in a span of seven minutes. Lasaqa was caught by the defense and his offload attempt was picked off by Barlow, who found Waaka alongside for a clear run to the line from halfway. The conversion now put DC down by 16 points with under 20 minutes to play.

Waaka turned into creator for the next try, stabbing a grubber into the in-goal area. Wilson won the race to touch down before it went across the dead ball line.

There was bad news for the Free Jacks late in the game when McDowall was shown a red card for a head-high challenge on Simi Moala. With the man advantage Old Glory would have the final say. Stan South set the lineout drive and when it stalled, Cory Daniel snuck through the middle for the try on full-time.

It’s another home game for Old Glory next Saturday when they take on the Toronto Arrows. The Free Jacks stay on the road to face the defending champion LA Giltinis at Memorial Stadium on Sunday.

 

SCORING

DC 25
Tries – P. Lasaqa (35′), R. Irimescu (47′), C. Daniel (80′)
Cons – R. Saifoloi 2/3 (36′, 48′)
Pens – R. Saifoloi 2/2 (13′, 21′)
YC – A. Naikatini (18′)

NEW ENGLAND 41
Tries – P. Jansen (8′), M. Wilson 2 (14′, 69′), S. McDowall (19′), H. Barlow (27′), B. Waaka 2 (53′, 60′)
Cons – B. Waaka 3/7 (15′, 54′, 61′)
Pens – B. Waaka 0/1
RC – S. McDowall (76′)

 

TEAMS

OLD GLORY DC
1 Jack Iscaro (18 Jack Carroll 67′), 2 Rob Irimescu (16 Mo Katz 61′), 3 Jake Ilnicki (17 Kyle Stewart HT), 4 Api Naikatini (19 Fintan Coleman 67′), 5 Stan South, 6 Dom Bailey (20 Luke Campbell 58′), 7 Cory Daniel, 8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, 9 Danny Tusitala (capt.) (21 Danny Thomas 76′), 10 Rohan Saifoloi, 11 Doug Fraser, 12 William Talataina, 13 Renata Roberts-Te Nana, 14 Peni Lasaqa (22 Simi Moala 76′), 15 Owen Sheehy (23 LJ Koi-Larbi 76′)

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Foster DeWitt (17 Alex Johnston 61′), 2 Pieter Jansen (20 Cam Davidowicz 68′), 3 Erich de Jager (18 Tevita Sole 48′), 4 Josh Larsen (capt.), 5 Reegan O’Gorman (19 Stan van den Hoven 50′), 6 Joe Johnston, 7 Slade McDowall (20 Cam Davidowicz 50′-61′), 8 Terrell Peita (16 Mills Sanerivi 48′), 9 Holden Yungert (21 Sean Yacoubian 74′), 10 Beaudein Waaka (23 Zach Bastres 74′), 11 Harry Barlow, 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Jack Reeves (22 Wayne van der Bank 58′), 14 Paula Balekana, 15 Mitch Wilson

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Paulo Duarte (Portugal)
Assistants: Gavin McCandless (USA) & Aaron Davis (USA)
TMO: Luke Rogan (USA)