Ma'a Nonu remains undefeated in United States as ex-All Blacks wing scores on MLR debut
One-cap All Blacks wing Frank Halai has kickstarted his new stint in North America with a try on debut for Major League Rugby outfit Austin Gilgronis.
The 31-year-old is one of many high-profile offshore arrivals for the third season of MLR, joining the recently-rebranded Gilgronis from Top 14 club Pau in France.
Halai, who scored in his solitary All Blacks appearance against Japan in 2013, came off the bench to repeat the feat for Austin at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday, finishing off a move in broken play to run in a 51st minute try against the Utah Warriors.
Welcome to Austin, Frank Halai! 💥
Austin leads 17-10! #frankhalai pic.twitter.com/bSkS1yAeWd
— Austin Gilgronis (@Gilgronis) February 23, 2020
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The former Blues and Wasps speedster’s maiden five-pointer wasn’t enough to secure victory for his new side, however, as a converted try to ex-Highlanders prop Kalolo Tuiloma in injury time allowed Utah to steal a 20-all draw away from home.
Halai wasn’t the only former All Black in action in the United States over the weekend, as test centurion Ma’a Nonu maintained an undefeated start to his tenure with the San Diego Legion on Sunday.
After playing a key role in the Legion’s previous two victories over the back-to-back reigning champion Seattle Seawolves and the Colorado Raptors, the two-time World Cup-winner was comparatively quieter in San Diego’s 30-21 win over the New England Free Jacks.
The Legion end today with another victory at Torero Stadium against @nefreejacks.
Final Score 30 – 21, and with more than 4 tries, it gives us a bonus point win!
Next home game is March 8th against @rugbyunitedny pic.twitter.com/6XZotm4t6N— San Diego Legion Rugby (@SDLegion) February 24, 2020
However, that’s more of a credit to the Free Jacks’ defensive scheme rather than Nonu’s attacking abilities, which were on full show in the opening fortnight of the new MLR campaign.
The victory leaves the Legion comfortably at the top of the Western Conference standings with three wins from as many outings, eight points clear of the second-placed Warriors.
In the east, it’s the Toronto Arrows who sit atop the Eastern Conference table – a reward which comes as a result of being the only other team in the league yet to taste defeat.
The Canadian club’s unbeaten status remained intact after they dispatched the Seawolves 39-17 at Starfire Stadium in Seattle, with Manawatu fullback Sam Malcolm slotting three conversions and six penalties for a personal haul of 24 points.
🧊 ICE 🧊 IN 🧊 HIS 🧊 VEINS 🧊
A perfect nine-for-nine from the tee 👉 https://t.co/ealzwE4vuo
Sam Malcolm, take a bow.#ArrowsUp | @usmlr pic.twitter.com/MOnJAtip1Y
— Toronto Arrows RC (@TorontoArrows) February 24, 2020
Elsewhere, a prominent-looking Old Glory DC side, headlined by ex-Springboks prop Tendai Mtawarira, downed the Houston SaberCats 22-13 at Aveva Stadium.
Former Scotland sevens international and Edinburgh loose forward Mungo Mason found himself on the scoresheet, which alleviated the pressure applied on his side when fleet-footed Northland wing Renata Roberts-Tenana was sent to the sin bin for an off-the-ball altercation late in the match.
That win lifted the Washington DC-based franchise, which also featured the likes of Auckland halfback and ex-Samoa sevens star Danny Tusitala, Kiwi journeyman Declan O’Donnell and blockbusting USA midfielder Thretton Palamo, off the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
In the round’s other matches, the NOLA Gold fought off the Colorado Raptors – who were without their key men Rene Ranger and Digby Ioane – 27-20 in Denver, while French star Mathieu Bastareaud started at No. 8 in Rugby United New York’s 22-19 win over Rugby ATL in Atlanta.
MLR Western Conference
San Diego Legion (3-0) – 15pts
Utah Warriors (1-1-1) – 7pts
Houston SaberCats (1-2) – 6pts
Austin Gilgronis (0-1-2) – 3pts
Seattle Seawolves (0-3) – 1pt
Colorado Raptors (0-3) – 1pt
MLR Eastern Conference
Toronto Arrows (3-0) – 13pts
NOLA Gold (2-1) – 10pts
Rugby ATL (2-1) – 10pts
Rugby United New York (2-1) – 9pts
Old Glory DC (2-1) 9pts
New England Free Jacks (1-2) – 7pts
Round Four Fixtures
NOLA Gold vs San Diego Legion at Shrine on Airline, New Orleans
Austin Gilgronis vs Old Glory DC at Toyota Field, San Antonio
Colorado Raptors vs Utah Warriors at Infinity Park, Denver
Seattle Seawolves vs New England Free Jacks at Starfire Stadium, Seattle
Rugby ATL vs Toronto Arrows at Life University, Atlanta
Houston SaberCats vs Rugby United New York at Aveva Stadium, Houston
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments