Weekend WRap: ARC MLR 6Nats

Weekend Rugby WRap: February 11, 2019

Americas Rugby Championship   -   Major League   -   Six Nations  

ARC:

United States most likely have missed out on its shot at a third Americas Rugby Championship running as missed cues and mishandles led to missed opportunities and a vigorous, unforgiving and relentless Argentina XV dismantled their opponents at Neuquén, 45-14. A tentative and error-prone Eagles XV, down 0-21 in the first forty, got injury on top of insult in receiving a red card fair putting themselves in a position from which they could not return. It was well into the last half before the USA were able to break the Argentine defense to score, but as they say, too little, far...

Only bright spot on an otherwise dreary day was the commentary of former Denver Highlanders and Vail RFC head coach, Steve Lewis. An adept and astute rugby gamesman, his observations and explanations were simple and on the spot, delivered cogently and coherently. A testimony to the man’s exceptional understanding of the algebra of rugby.

Canada were ahead 10-nil behind the efforts of fullback, Ciaran Hearn, before the wheels flattened and half dozen sticksplitters later by Brasil and Utah Warriors flyhalf Josh Reeves, the Tupis claimed the 18-10 result.

Uruguay are now Argentina XV’s only competition for the trophy as Los Teros topped Chile, 20-5, in Montevideo.

MLR - By the Numbers:

5             the midpoint Austin lead that the Elite were unable to hold and Toronto Arrows returned to claim advantage, 15-13, in the 53^rd minute on a grounding by 8man, Frank Kolby, and its conversion by New Zealand-born Sam Malcolm; Austin regained the lead on a sticksplitter by French halfback, Mickael Romero, at 19-18 in the 66^th, but a try by the flying Dan Moor at ’75 sealed the Arrows initial MLR victory, 23-19;

10           points, 13-3, the halftime advantage squandered by Houston SabreCats in Southern California as San Diego Legion scrumhalf, Nate Augspurger, touched down in the 78^th minute for a score converted by flyhalf Joe Pietersen and 17-13 that result;

14           scored in the span of 3 minutes from ’70-‘73 on a pair of dots by Gold Tristan Blewitt and JoJo Tikoisuva each converted by steady-shoed standoff, JP Eloff, and NOLA knocked back reigning champs, Seattle SeaWolves, 41-31, in Narlins; In what’s becoming a regular thing for former Glendale Raptors halfback Taylor Howden, the second center grounded just after the break to fire up the NOLA second stanza offense

Six Nations:

And then there were two: one pair of undefeated nations remaining in the tournament, England and Wales. Last Grand slam for England came three short years ago, while it’s been seven for Wales. Weekend action wrap...

By the Numbers:

14           struck from the boot of Dan Biggar on 4, 1^st-40 penalties and the conversion of a flying Josh Adams 54^th minute try, and Wales topped Italy on the trot at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, 26-15;

2             points the halftime advantage, 12-10, extended to 9 by ’80 minutes and Ireland had righted its wobbling boat after last week's standing 8 count in Dublin, with 22-13 rebound at Murrayfield over a punchless Scotland; trys by: Murray, Stockdale and Earls, pretty much the usual suspects for those happy occasions, against a single grounding by inside center, Sam Johnson, gave the visitors the record;

17           for England 10, Owen Farrell, on 3-2-1: three conversions, two penalties and a grounding, aided by a 1^st-40 hat-trick by the flying Jonny May, and the tournament leaders had dispatched their old foe at Twickers, 44-8; only a Morgan Parra penalty and a try by 14, Damian Penaud, for France in the dismal Les Bleus display