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Major League Rugby Update: Week 12

Bryan Ray
Rugby 15s Senior Men

Updates on the 2019 Major League Rugby (MLR) season and the Canadian athletes throughout the league. 

This past weekend of Major League Rugby action was a lot quieter than expected for Canadian fans. A severe hail storm in Texas on Saturday saw the cancellation of numerous flights, including the one meant to deliver Austin Elite to Toronto. As a result Sunday afternoon’s game at York Alumni Field was postponed, with a mid-week fixture in May now being discussed to make up for it.

Elsewhere there were Canadian players involved in two of the three matches that did take place. Kyle Baillie had the day off but Hubert Buydens and Eric Howard were both in the NOLA Gold front row that lined up against the Utah Warriors on Saturday. Buydens would have a short day after earning a yellow card at the end of the first half and being subbed before returning. Howard put in a full 80-minute shift with the captain busy as ever in the loose.

Despite missing some key players, the Warriors gave their hosts some problems with their dangerous outside backs finding room to move. Mistakes cost them dearly, however, with New Orleans doing just enough to earn a 28-19 win with a four-try bonus point tacked on. It keeps the Gold in first place overall on the standings where they are certain to stay for at least another week after building a six-point lead on their closest competitor.

That team would be the defending champion Seattle Seawolves, who put on a clinic of running rugby in the second half of their away match against the Houston SaberCats. It was an historic occasion as the new AVEVA Stadium opened its doors for the first time. Weeks of heavy rain had delayed construction and this was declared a ‘soft opening’, notably evident on the playing surface which was not at all settled and required the referee to declare scrums uncontested part-way through the first half.

Four Canadians started the match for Seattle. George Barton was a physical presence in the midfield before being subbed at halftime. Phil Mack’s kick into space just before the break led to a try for Nakai Penny, giving the Seawolves a 13-5 lead. The second half was all Seattle as Djustice Sears-Duru came on to play his part. It was Brock Staller who stole the show again for the Seawolves with one try and 22 points all told with the final score reading 52-10 in favor of the visitors.

With no game in Toronto, all eyes were on New York and their high-stakes match against San Diego in Brooklyn on Sunday. The RUNY scrum had received much praise ahead of the match but it was the Legion who instead had the edge up front. A try from former Eagles captain Mike Petri on the stroke of halftime gave New York a 19-12 lead but the second half was all San Diego, who scored 17 unanswered points to to seal a 29-19 road victory.

In doing so the Legion leap-frogged over both New York and Glendale to move into third place overall. The Arrows remain eight points behind behind New York and nine short of the final playoff spot but have seven home games remaining to close the gap.

Four games are on tap this weekend. San Diego will host Glendale on Saturday afternoon with an evening match in New York featuring the Utah Warriors. It’s Houston’s turn to travel to Toronto on

Sunday with the Arrows hoping to finally get their first home win out of the way, and the top two teams go head-to-head in Seattle as the Seawolves host the Gold.

All matches will be available to Canadian viewers on the MLR Facebook page. Toronto’s game against Houston will also be broadcast nationwide on GameTV. Fans can purchase tickets for the game at Alumni Field on the Arrows website.

 

WEEK 13 SCHEDULE

Glendale Raptors at San Diego Legion

Saturday, April 20

2pm PT, 5pm ET

 

Utah Warriors at Rugby United New York

Saturday, April 20

4:30pm PT, 7:30pm ET

 

Houston SaberCats at Toronto Arrows

Sunday, April 21

11am PT, 2pm ET

 

NOLA Gold at Seattle Seawolves

Sunday, April 21

7pm PT, 10pm ET