After they scored just one try in the opening half, the San Diego Legion scored four in the second half with some assistance from Rugby FC Los Angeles penalties to win 36-28 and maintain their perfect record into their first bye week.
“We had to stay in the fight the whole game and I knew it would go deep and we knew that we would ask lots of questions of it,” head coach John Manenti said.
San Diego committed nine penalties with the majority of those in the opening half. Los Angeles conceded 18 penalties with the majority of those in the second half.
The Legion had come off back-to-back road trips to the east coast the previous two weeks and had multiple players out due to injury and many more not fully healthy, including returning center Marcel Brache who's only started one match this season.
“Gritty win,” flanker and captain Brad Wilkin said. “We didn’t play our prettiest football but we played tough football.”
“It’s hard to be critical. The boys are tired, they’re running on empty. We’ve had three or four guys that were struggling to get to the kickoff today, so, you know, I’m going to take that win against a good side,” Manenti said.
Los Angeles led 14-10 at the half to give San Diego their first halftime deficit of the season.
“We just had to stick to our systems and our processes. I felt we weren’t far off but we weren’t quite where we needed to be,” Manenti said.
Hooker Hugh Roach scored the Legion’s first two tries off a lineout in the 24th minute and a scrum in the 43rd minute, both of which came after TMO reviews.
Roach said it was all the “forward pack” for the success of those set pieces. It was the reason the Legion kept up with Los Angeles early on.
Then came a 10-minute stretch late in the second half that had Los Angeles playing down two players due to yellow and red cards.
A penalty try was awarded in the 58th minute, immediately after Los Angeles lost flanker Tim Anstee to a second yellow card, and San Diego prop Shilo Klein scored in the 67th minute after Los Angeles lost lock Semi Kunabuli to a yellow card. Los Angeles didn’t return to full strength until the 77th minute.
Klein’s try clinched the Legion’s fourth bonus point for scoring four tries in as many matches. They’re the only team left unbeaten in MLR and have earned every point so far this season.
Left wing Ryan James emphatically added the nail in the coffin with San Diego’s fifth try in the 77th minute that gave the Legion a two-possession lead.
Up next: The Legion have a bye week next week before they host the Miami Sharks on Saturday, March 22 at Torero Stadium.
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Featured image: San Diego Legion hooker Hugh Roach runs at Seattle's defense during the Legion's 46-. (Photo credit: Steven Richardson)