Photo- Cool Rugby Photos
For the second straight week, Old Glory DC was involved in setting a new Major League Rugby combined points scoring record (108) in their 49-59 loss to Rugby New York in their final home match of the regular season at Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia. The teams also set a combined try-scoring record with 16 tries.
It was Military Appreciation Day and teams wore specialty jerseys bid on for auction. The match was broadcast on NBC Sports Washington and streamed internationally on The Rugby Network.
The match festivities include a meet and greet with former Old Glory and Springbok legend Tendai ‘Beast’Mtawarira, promotion with Service dogs for Veterans, as well as a promotion for the July 16 stop-in DC by Premier Rugby Sevens which will be held at Audi Field.
Preceding the match, Young Old Glory Under-23s played the New York Foundry with D.Fernandez scoring in the last three minutes for a 22-19 Foundry win. NOVA Women’s D1 Team was honored for their second consecutive National Championship at halftime of the MLR match.
In the first meeting between New York and DC, Rugby New York defeated Old Glory 35-31 in Hoboken, New Jersey on April 3. Since then, Interim head coach Nate Osborne has changed the belief system positively for DC, and Old Glory has played an exciting brand of attacking rugby and has thrilled the enthusiastic DC fans. More than 3000 fans bought tickets for the home final against New York.
Match Recap
Old Glory struck first after Doug Fraser gathered a loose ball following a tap down by Nate Brakeley. Fraser evaded a tackler and raced from midfield for the try with Rohan Saifoloi adding the extras, 7-0.
Rugby New York answered back as they mauled near the left corner with Stan South being sent to the bin for collapsing the maul, resulting in a penalty try, 7-7.
Waisake Naholo scored his first try of the season after New York moved the ball wide left with Sam Windsor’s conversion bouncing off the posts, 7-12.
Following a New York penalty, William Talataina found a gap in defense to score at close range, with Saifoloi converting to reclaim the lead, 14-12.
New York answered with two tries, the first after a lineout with Kaleb Geiger scoring near the right corner from a maul with Sam Windsor slotting the kick, 14-19. The second came after Jason Emry kicked ahead with Ed Fidow chasing, gathering, and scoring and Windsor adding the extras, 14-26.
Old Glory would add a try before the break from William Talataina after a quick tap from a penalty with Saifoloi adding the extras, 21-26
Second Half
Rugby New York struck quickly to open the half with Fasi Fuatai chipping ahead with Sam Windsor offloading to Conor McManus, who raced in for a try with DC’s Danny Tuistala in close pursuit. Windsor then slotted the conversion, 21-33.
Rugby New York continues their potent attack with an offload by Windsor to Ed Fidow for his second try, with Windsor converting again, 21-40.
Antonio Kiri Kiri created a turnover and Conor McManus offloaded to Waisake Naholo, who finished with a 60-meter try and a conversion by Windsor, 21-47.
Old Glory appeared to answer back with an apparent try by Junio Sa’u in the left corner, however, an obstruction penalty voided the score.
Rugby New York quickly added another try following a Nehe Milner-Skudder grub kick which Ed Fidow finished with a hat-trick try and a Windsor conversion, 21-54.
Old Glory did not disappoint in the last 25 minutes as a grub kick in-goal was contested by both teams with Rohan Saifoloi awarded the try for grounding the ball ahead of a New York defender. Saifoloi then added the conversion, 28-54.
New York answered back with a Dylan Fawsitt offload to Connor Buckley, who broke ahead and near in-goal, offloaded to Andy Ellis for a try, with Ellis missing the extras, 28-59.
The final 20 minutes saw Old Glory staging a comeback after Chance Wenglewski was sent to the bin while DC was attacking from close range. Soon after, Josh Brown scored and Saifoloi converted, 35-59.
Then Junio Sa’u leg drive powered his way over in-goal in the left corner for a try, with Saifoloi converting, 42-59.
Following a penalty by New York in the 78th minute, Renata Roberts-TeNana added a last try to the left of the posts with Saifoloi perfect on the day, 49-59.
New York appeared to be on the verge of adding another try in the 81st minute as Andrew Coe crossed in-goal, but DC’s John Rizzo knocked the ball out of Coe’s hands before grounding.
Two MLR records were set on the day. The teams combined by scoring 108 points, as well as 16 tries (9 New York, 7 DC).
Rugby New York’s Ed Fidow scored three tries to take over as the MLR try-scoring leader with 12 tries and was this writer’s MAN of the Match.
Prior to the match with Rugby ATL’s win over the Toronto Arrows, Rugby New York already knew they were playoff bound. The team concludes their regular season on the road on June 3 against the Free Jacks, who also claimed home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with their bonus-point win over NOLA Gold. New York will need a bonus-point win with help from NOLA Gold in denying ATL a winning bonus point if New York is to host a playoff against ATL on June 12.
Old Glory DC concludes their regular season in Toronto against the Arrows on June 5.
Prior to the match, interviews were conducted with the Beast, Tendai Mtawarira, and one of the team’s owners, Paul Sheehy. There was also a post-match interview with Interim Head Coach Nate Osborne. Please excuse the lack of microphones for the latter interview. View the interviews below!
Squads with Player Article Links
Old Glory DC: 1 Jack Iscaro 2 Mo Katz 3 Kyle Stewart 4 Tevita Naqali 5 Stan South 6 Felix Kalapu 7 Cory Daniel 8 Luke Campbell 9 Danny Tusitala (C.) 10 Rohan Saifoloi 11 Junior Sa’u 12 William Talataina 13 Doug Fraser 14 Peni Lasaqa 15 Renata Roberts-Te Nana 16 Rob Irimescu 17 Jake Ilnicki 19 Will Vakalahi 18 Dom Bailey 20 Josh Brown 21 Dacoda Worth 22 John Rizzo 23 John LeFevre
Rugby New York: 1 Nic Mayhew 2 Kaleb Geiger 3 Kalolo Tuiloma 4 Nate Brakeley 5 Nick Civetta 6 Ben Bonasso (C) 7 Brendon O’Connor 8 Antonio Kiri Kiri 9 Conor McManus10 Sam Windsor 11 Ed Fidow 12 Jason Emery 13 Faasiu Fuatai 14 Waisake Naholo 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder 16 Dylan Fawsitt 17 Chance Wenglewski 18 Wilton Rebolo 19 Charlie Hewitt 20 Joe Basser 21 Connor Buckley 22 Andy Ellis 23 Andrew Coe
2022 Records
Old Glory DC: Record 2-13, 18 points, 6th place
- Rugby ATL 55-22 Old Glory DC
- Austin Gilgroni 57-12 Old Glory DC
- Old Glory DC 25-41 New England Free Jacks
- Old Glory DC 5-29 Toronto Arrows
- San Diego Legion 24-12 Old Glory DC
- Old Glory DC 13-27 Rugby ATL
- Old Glory DC 22-31 NOLA Gold
- Rugby New York 35-31 Old Glory DC
- Old Glory DC 27-32 Toronto Arrows
- Old Glory DC 22-21 Utah Warriors
- Old Glory DC 50-10 Dallas jackals
- New England Free Jacks 26-20 Old Glory DC
- NOLA Gold 50-21 Old Glory DC
- Old Glory DC 42-59 Houston SaberCats
- Old Glory DC 49-59 Rugby New York
- Toronto Arrows vs Old Glory DC on June 5
Rugby New York: Record 10-5, 52 points, 3rd place
- Houston SaberCats 7-10 Rugby New York, Match Preview
- Rugby ATL 31-36 Rugby New York, Match Preview
- Dallas Jackals 5-41 Rugby New York, Match Preview
- Rugby New York 29-38 New England Free Jacks, Match Preview
- Rugby New York 26-23 San Diego Legion, Match Preview
- NOLA Gold 19-30 Rugby New York Match Preview
- Rugby New York 10-14 Toronto Arrows Match Preview
- Rugby New York 35-31 Old Glory DC Match Preview
- LA Giltinis 43-0 Rugby New York Match Preview
- Rugby New York 26-29 New England Free Jacks Match Preview
- Rugby New York 36-28 NOLA Gold Match Preview
- Toronto Arrows 17-41 Rugby New York Match Preview
- Rugby New York 30-22 Seattle Seawolves Match Preview
- Rugby New York 3-38 Rugby ATL Match Preview
- Old Glory 49-59 Rugby New York
- New England Free Jacks vs Rugby New York (June 3)
DJCoil Rugby Interviews by Doug Coil
The Beast, Tendai Mtawarira, is a legendary South African tighthead prop, who played for Old Glory DC in 2020. Will he be back in 2023?
One of Old Glory DC owners, Paul Sheehy, discusses the state of the team, the Academy, the search for a head coach, and more.
Old Glory Interim Head Coach Nate Osborne discusses his joining the team mid-season, team progress, and what may happen if he continues this journey.
Other Articles
DJCoil Rugby articles by Doug Coil are also available on Facebook. Other Social Media sites to follow or subscribe to include Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for interviews.