NEWS

Week 15 Awards: Raptors’ ruthless Robbie Petzer puts Warriors to the sword, as RUNY cement playoff credentials with SaberCats shutout

MLR announces Player, Team and First XV of Week 15

Salt Lake City, UT; May 6, 2019: A scintillating performance from Robbie Petzer extended Glendale Raptors’ immaculate home record to 6-0, the inside center racking up 34 of his side’s 64 points in a commanding win over the Utah Warriors and earning Week 15 Player of the Week. MLR’s meanest defense secured Week 15 Team of the Week honors for RUNY, as the New Yorkers shut out the visiting Houston SaberCats 21-0.

Robbie Petzer scored a hat-trick of tries and went nine for ten off the kicking tee en route to setting a new MLR single-game points record on Saturday. Wing John Ryberg has taken the plaudits for the free-scoring Raptors so far this season, topping the charts for tries and assists, but it was Petzer who put in the complete performance this weekend. As well as leading the offensive charge with six carries for 102 meters and three line-breaks, Petzer also made 13 tackles at the heart of the Glendale midfield. The win puts the Raptors fourth in the MLR standings with three to play.

It was a day for the forwards at a rainy MCU Park on Coney Island, and RUNY’s engine room duly stepped up. Two tries from hooker Dylan Fawsitt and another from tighthead Paddy Ryan secured a crucial win in tough conditions that keeps the New Yorkers firmly in the playoffs picture. RUNY now sit third with nine wins and a game in hand over San Diego in second and Glendale in fourth. Houston’s two first-half sin bins combined with the weather and an uncompromising RUNY rearguard to leave the SaberCats scoreless for the first time this season.

MLR’s First XV of Week 15:

Loosehead Prop (No. 1), Rob Brouwer, Toronto Arrows

Hooker (No. 2), Dylan Fawsitt, Rugby United New York

Tighthead Prop (No. 3), Paddy Ryan, Rugby United New York

Lock (No. 4), Mike Sheppard, Toronto Arrows

Lock (No. 5), Luke White, Glendale Raptors

Blindside Flanker (No. 6), Ignacio Dotti, New Orleans Gold

Openside Flanker (No. 7), Dominique Bailey, Austin Elite

No. 8, Murphy Taramai, Glendale Raptors

Scrum-half (No. 9), Jamie Mackenzie, Toronto Arrows

Fly-half (No. 10), Sam Malcolm, Toronto Arrows

Wing (No. 11), John Ryberg, Glendale Raptors

Inside Center (No. 12), Robbie Petzer, Glendale Raptors

Outside Center (No. 13), Gannon Moore, Utah Warriors

Wing (No. 14), Gaston Mieres, Toronto Arrows

Fullback (No. 15), Dylan Taikato-Simpson, Glendale Raptors