NA Rugby Database

Recap

The Utah Warriors host Old Glory DC at Zion’s Bank Stadium in a cross conference clash, with the Warriors looking to get their season back on track after a sluggish start, and the Flags looking to right the ship after a few poor weeks.

Maybe the altitude affected the guests, but the Warriors came out flying, with a Frank Lochore try opening the scoring, followed by a Dylan Nel score 6 minutes later and a Mike Kruse score just after the 1st half hydration break to give the hosts a 21-0 lead early. The Flags had shown little pushback during this period and were unable to find extended periods of possession until the half hour mark, when a number of advantages eventually led to Jack Iscaro rumbling over to get the guests on the board.

The second half started as a much more even affair, with the score at 21-5. There was no scoring in the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half, but Kieran McClea got on the end of a Nic Souchon offload to secure the try BP for Utah. McClea’s try was the only score until after the hydration break, when the Warriors seemed to either take their foot off, or begin to tire. Jason Robertson converted his own try in the 62nd minute, before DC were awarded a penalty try 8 minutes later to bring the score to 28-19. Joel Hodgson slotted the first penalty kick for points of the game for Utah in the 78th minute, to just keep their lead insurmountable.

The Warriors made a crucial mistake in the final minute, kicking the ball off thinking the game was over, before referee Federico Anselmi declared that there were 30 seconds left, and awarded the lineout to DC right on the Utah line. The DC forwards got to work, and Martin Vaca trundled over on the back of a rolling maul to secure both a try BP and losing BP for the Flags, who will be happy to salvage something from this game given the poor first half.

The Warriors record back-to-back victories at home, and take this one 31-24.