Glendale Raptors Win MLR Home Opener Against Austin Elite Rugby

The Glendale Raptors beat Austin Elite Rugby 41-26 on April 21 in their home opener of Major League Rugby at Infinity Park. The match was broadcast on CBS Sports Network as the game of the week and was streamed internationally on the Major League Rugby Facebook page.

Glendale Raptors vs. Austin Elite Rugby Recap

The Glendale Raptors saw Austin Elite Rugby jump out to an early 7-0 lead before a penalty kick and three tries gave them a 24-7 lead at the break. The Raptors increased their lead in the second half to 38-7 before two red and one yellow card fueled Austin Elite to cut the lead to 38-26. The Raptors then added a penalty kick for a 41-26 win.

First Half

Austin Elite Rugby survived an early yellow card by Ben Mitchell for a no wrap tackle, not giving up any points. They would take a 7-0 lead after they attacked from a scrum with runs by Roland Suniula, Zac Mizell and finally with Reece Czarnecki scoring a try and Timothee Guillimin converting.

The Glendale Raptors cut the lead to 7-3 after a Will Magee penalty kick and took a 10-7 lead in the 32nd minute, as a Magee grub kick bounced off the face of Zac Mizell on the line and Connor Cook gathered and went in for a try with Magee converting.

John Quill and Ben Landry added two more tries before the break with Magee successful on both for a 24-7 lead at the break.

Second Half

The Raptors struck again in the 45th minute as Dylan Fawsitt offloaded to Maximo De Achaval for a try after going through multiple phases. After Magee’s conversion, the lead was 31-7. Sani Taylor was then sent to the bin for throwing the ball away.

The Raptors capitalized on Austin Elite Rugby being down a man with Shaun Davies offloading to Harley Davidson for a try in the wing position vacated by Taylor. Magee again slotted the ball increasing the lead to 38-7.

Discipline issues then plagued the Raptors with Ben Landry receiving a red card for a tip tackle on Hanco Germishuys. A few minutes later, Knute O’Donnell took a quick tap after a Raptors penalty and Hanco Germishuys finished with a try and Guillimin converted cutting the lead to 38-14.

After a Shaun Davies was called for not releasing at the breakdown, Germishuys took a quick tap and Ben Mitchell finished a try from close range. Guillimin slotted another conversion and it was 38-21.

Glendale tried to take advantage of an Austin Elite penalty and went for points, however, the kick by Magee was wide.

In the 71st minute, the Raptors Connor Cook was red-carded with a tip tackle on Todd Clever. The Raptors would be down two men for the rest of the match. Kelepi Fifita then made it three with a yellow card for being offsides as Austin Elite was attacking the in-goal line.

Reece Czarnecki added a try in the 76th minute to cut the lead to 38-26, subsequently, Guillimin’s kick was wide.

The Raptors added a penalty kick by Magee in the final minute to gain a 41-26 win in the home opener of the Major League Rugby season.

The Glendale Raptors named John Quill Man of the Match.

Next week the Glendale Raptors will travel to face the Seattle Seawolves on April 28 in the CBS Sports Network Game of the Week. Austin Elite will host the Houston SaberCats at Round Rock Multipurpose Complex that same day.

Glendale Raptors & Austin Elite Rugby Squads

Glendale Raptors: 1 Luke White 2 Zach Fenoglio 3 Kelepi Fifita 4 Casey Rock 5 Ben Landry 6 Connor Cook 7 John Quill 8 Peter Dahl 9 Shaun Davies 10 Will Magie 11 Seth Halliman 12 Bryce Campbell 13 Mika Kruse 14 Harley Davidson 15 Maximo De Achaval 16 Blake Rogers 17 Nick Kwasniewski 18 Dylan Fawsitt 19 Samuel Figg 20 Brain Wanless 21 Jake Christmann 22 Chad London 23 Ata Malifa + Head Coach David Williams

Austin Elite: 1 Chris Scade 2 Mike Brown 3 Mason Pedersen 4 Ben Mitchell 5 Victor Comptat 6 Kyle Breytenbach 7 Hanco Germishuys 8 Pedrie Wannenburg 9 Michael Reid 10 Timothée Guillimin 11 Sani Taylor 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Roland Suniula 14 Reece Czarnecki 15 Zac Mizell 16 David LeMasters 17 Siaosi Finau 18 Robert Drummond 19 Todd CLever 20 Knute O’Donnell 21 Alex Faison-Donahoe 22 Sione Fangaiuha 23 Ross Deacon + Head Coach Alain Hyardet