Forward power gives ATL win over Chicago

Rugby ATL earned a 27-12 win over the Chicago Hounds at Silverbacks Park on Saturday. While the home side couldn’t quite secure a bonus point, the strength of their forward pack in the scrum and maul set the platform for the much-needed victory.

It was a scrum penalty that provided an early opportunity for ATL but the subsequent throw-in was lost and Chicago cleared to safety, albeit temporarily. Soon after another dominant scrum led to a shot at the posts for Kurt Coleman that was meat and drink for the flyhalf.

Some marvelous footwork from Rewita Biddle inspired the first try. The fullback stepped past two players in a phone booth and had simply to complete a routine two-on-one to send Jack Shaw into the corner. Coleman converted to make it 10-nil to the home side.

That would be Coleman’s last contribution of the day. An awkward tackle left him shaken up and he was sent for a head injury assessment from which he would not return. Meanwhile Chicago woke up and Cam Dodson broke through but the would-be scoring pass was forward. They would get the try anyway from a lineout drive with Mason Koch getting the credit and Luke Carty landing the extras.

Biddle set off on another counter-attack, again connecting with Shaw but this time a wide pass found Te Rangatira Waitokia loitering on the left side. The right winger slashed back across the cover defense to score, with Duncan van Schalkwyk taking over the kicking duties from the departed Coleman.

The Hounds got back in the game with a desperate surge just before halftime. They came off the top from a lineout and went wide right, then came back to the left. Repeated attempts to bust over from the forwards were repelled until John Cullen had just enough strength to ground the ball on the line. Carty’s kick bounced off the upright but it was a 17-12 game after 40 minutes.

After a slow start to the second half, a Waitokia break from his own end led to a three-pointer for van Schalkwyk. The Hounds nearly fired back from a scrum when Julian Dominguez broke on the short side, passing to a looping Billy Meakes who in turn set Chris Mattina free. Michael de Waal was next up but Biddle’s tackle was enough to misdirect his return pass to Mattina and the chance was lost.

Discipline would cost Chicago as Charlie Abel was binned for a swinging arm tackle on Will Leonard. ATL would use the advantage to move into scoring position and when a driving maul was collapsed the referee awarded a penalty try, sending de Waal to sit beside Abel. The home side pressed for the fourth try in the final moments but couldn’t make it over the line.

It’s a short turnaround for ATL who head north of the border to face the Arrows in Toronto on Friday night. Chicago get an extra day’s rest before they take welcome the New York Ironworkers to SeatGeek Stadium on Sunday.

 

SCORING

ATL 27
Tries (3) – J. Shaw (20′), T. Waitokia (36′), Penalty try (73′)
Cons (3) – K. Coleman 1/1 (21′), D. van Schalkwyk 1/1 (37′), No kick (73′)
Pens (2) – K. Coleman 1/1 (7′), D. van Schalkwyk 1/1 (53′)

CHICAGO 12
Tries (2) – M. Koch (26′), J. Cullen (40’+1′)
Cons (1) – L. Carty 1/2 (27′)
YC (2) – C. Abel (71′), M. de Waal (73′)

 

TEAMS

RUGBY ATL
1 Will Burke (17 Lincoln Si’i 71′), 2 Alex Maughan (16 Phil Thiel 71′), 3 John-Roy Jenkinson (18 Wikus Groenewald 60′), 4 Nahuel Milán (19 Justin Basson 60′), 5 Johan Momsen, 6 Vili Helu (20 Connor Cook 60′), 7 Matt Heaton (capt.), 8 Ross Deacon (20 Connor Cook 18′-28′), 9 Ryan Rees (21 Niall Saunders 50′), 10 Kurt Coleman (22 Duncan van Schalkwyk 25′), 11 Jack Shaw, 12 Martini Talapusi, 13 Will Leonard, 14 Te Rangatira Waitokia, 15 Rewita Biddle (23 Harley Davidson 68′)

CHICAGO HOUNDS
1 LaRome White (17 George Thornton 68′), 2 Mason Koch, 3 Paddy Ryan (18 Charlie Abel 58′), 4 Cam Dodson, 5 John Cullen (20 Michael de Waal 55′), 6 Justice Nkombua (19 Dacoda Worth 67′), 7 Maclean Jones (16 Fred Apulu 71′), 8 Luke White, 9 Sidney Shoop (21 Michael Baska 60′), 10 Luke Carty (23 JP Eloff 63′), 11 Julián Domínguez, 12 Billy Meakes (capt.), 13 Mark O’Keeffe, 14 Matai Leuta (22 Bryce Campbell 61′), 15 Chris Mattina

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Cisco Lopez (USA) & Dave Edwards (USA)
TMO: Nick Hannon (USA)