NEWS

Geico XV | Week 17

Loosehead Prop,  JP Smith – Los Angeles Giltinis

Smith’s performance at scrum time against Austin helped propel the Giltinis attacking platform forward throughout the match. On attack he made two carries for 18 meters and two tackle breaks.  On defense he completed four tackles and had 10 ruck arrivals in the breakdown. 

Hooker, Sam Malcolm – Seattle Seawolves

Malcolm’s performance helped set the stage for a home win against the NOLA Gold with his work in the lineout and scrum time. On attack he scored two tries from six carries for 30 meters.  On defense he completed eight tackles and had 16 ruck arrivals in the breakdown. 

Tighthead Prop, Samu Tawake – Rugby United New York

Tawake had a dominant performance in the scrum against Houston, his work in the loose with the ball in hand led to punishing carries against the SaberCats defense. On attack he scored a try from 10 carries for 48 meters and an offload.  On defense he completed seven tackles and had 9 ruck arrivals in the breakdown. 

Left Lock, Api Naikatini – Old Glory DC

Naikatini was a weapon in the air for the Old Glory set piece coming down with seven lineout takes which gave them a deadly option whenever they kicked to touch.  On attack he scored a try from 13 carries, a line break,  and an offload.   On defense he completed seven tackles and had 10 ruck arrivals in the breakdown. 

Right Lock, Johan Momsen – Rugby ATL

Momsen put down an outstanding performance for Atlanta providing their attacking platform the stability and their set-piece the presence in the air it needed with five lineout takes. On attack he scored two tries from seven carries for 47 meters and three tackle breaks.  On defense he made 11 tackles and had 21 ruck arrivals in the breakdown. 

Blindside Flanker, Vili Helu – Rugby ATL

Helu was a physical presence for Atlanta against the Warriors when he would hit rucks or track down a ball carrier.  On attack he scored a try from six carries for 53 meters and two tackle breaks. On defense he completed 9 tackles and had 20 ruck arrivals in the breakdown. 

Openside Flanker, Mungo Mason – Old Glory DC

Mason put on a show for Old Glory against San Diego when he had the ball and also when he did not. He scored a try from 12 carries for 116 meters, a line break, two tackle breaks, and two offloads.  On defense he completed 12 tackles and had 24 ruck arrivals in the breakdown.  

No 8., Lachlan McCaffrey – Austin Gilgronis

McCaffrey led Austin like a bulldog attacking the LA line ferociously in the breakdown coming up with two breakdown steals and 28 ruck arrivals.  On attack he scored a try from 14 carries for 50 meters, a tackle break, and four offloads. On defense he completed seven tackles. 

Scrum-half, Daniel Christensen – Utah Warriors

Christensen’s performance was more of an announcement, in his first start for the Warriors he drove the attack forward and kept the home side in the game.  By scoring two tries he helped seal the deal for Utah to return to the playoffs.  On attack he made 10 carries for 54 meters, a line break, and two tackle breaks.  On defense he completed four tackles and had seven ruck arrivals in the breakdown.   

Fly-half, AJ Alatimu – Seattle Seawolves

Alatimu pushed the Seawolves attack forward carefully playing the territory game and making it hard for NOLA to compete with five kicks for 194 meters.  He scored 10 points from two conversions and two penalties. On attack he made five carries for 28 meters.

Left Wing,  DTH van der Merwe – Los Angeles Giltinis

Van der Merwe continues to show how much left he has in the tank when he’s fit as he slices through the Gilgronis defense on 10 carries for 115 meters, two tackle breaks, and an offload.  On defense he made six tackles, in the breakdown he completed a breakdown steal and had 12 ruck arrivals. 

Inside Center, Bill Meakes – Los Angeles Giltinis

Meakes continues to play in the mid-field with a high work rate and the eye to poach the ball.  On attack he scored a try from seven carries for 53 meters and a line break. On defense he made 15 tackles, in the breakdown completed a breakdown steal and had 13 ruck arrivals.

Outside Center, Poasa Waqanibau – New England Free Jacks

Waqanibau was posted in the right part of the pitch to make the right decisions on defense that helped set the tone for the Free Jacks.  In the breakdown he had 15 ruck arrivals and a breakdown steal which almost immediately led to a try for the free Jacks.  On attack he made 12 carries for 80 meters, five tackle breaks, and five offloads.  On defense he completed 7 tackles.

Right Wing, Joel Miranda – Rugby United New York

Every time Miranda had the ball you could feel the electricity in the air.  He scored a try by collecting his own chip kick through the SaberCats defense.  On attack he made four carries for 92 meters, a line break, and a tackle break.  In the breakdown he had nine ruck arrivals.

Fullback, Austin White – Rugby ATL

White’s hard exit runs stymied the Utah kicking throughout the game, with every touch a dangerous question for the Warriors to answer.  On attack he scored a try from seven carries for 122 meters, a line break, and two tackle breaks.  In the breakdown he had six ruck arrivals. 

Written by Aaron Castro