Hounds End Week 3 in a Draw

News Mar-19-2024

Hounds End Week 3 in a Draw

WASHINGTON D.C.- For the first time in the history of the franchise, the Chicago Hounds finished a Major League Rugby contest in a draw, tying Old Glory DC 22-22 on Saturday afternoon outside of the nation’s capital. Flanker Conall Boomer scored a brace in his starting debut while prop Zurabi Zhvania added his second try of the season. Fullback Adriaan Carelse finished the day with one penalty kick and one conversion kick.

Carelse got the scoring started for Chicago early on. DC lock Rob Harley committed a breakdown penalty in the 11th minute and Carelse converted the miscue into points, giving the dawgs a narrow 3-0 lead early on in the game.

A few moments later, Hounds center Cassh Maluia was called for a breakdown penalty. DC applied pressure and in the 16th minute, hooker Guillermo Pujadas was dinged for a penalty in general play. DC scored the first try of the game via hooker Martin Vaca after a well executed tap play as a result. Flyhalf Jason Robertson hit the conversion kick to give DC a 10-13 lead on the brink of the first hydration break.

The Hounds scored a nifty try of their own in the 25th minute, the first bucket of the day for Boomer. DC’s Robertson kicked a shallow high-ball intended to test the Hounds aerial skills. The ball got tapped back by DC and the ball bounced right into the hands of Chicago flanker Maclean Jones. After a bit of manipulation against one lone defender, Jones put Boomer through for a long-range, seven-point try.

It didn’t take long for the home side to respond, however. DC broke free down the Hounds’ right sideline through fullback Damien Hoyland. He got tripped up by Carelse before scrumhalf Nick McCarthy got him down to ground. DC’s right wing, Axel Muller, hit a perfectly timed line and received a pass from the base of the ruck before racing in seemingly untouched for a seven-pointer of his own.

Prior to halftime, DC flanker Jameson Fa’anana-Schultz was shown a red-card for hitting captain Billy Meakes in mid-air. Chicago would play the next 20 minutes with a man advantage, but wasn’t able to capitalize as well as they would’ve liked. This is in part due to a called-back try for forward Mason Flesch, who was charged with an extra movement, even after the conversion attempt was kicked. DC tried to hit a drop goal before halftime but it was wide right and the scoreline stayed 14-10 heading into the sheds.

Halftime

Chicago: 10

Conall Boomer try (7 points), Adriaan Carelse penalty

D.C.: 14

Martin Vaca try, Jason Robertson conversion, Axel Muller try (7 points)

It was a perfect start to the second half for the Hounds. The Hounds were moving on attack before another Rob Harley penalty in the breakdown. Carelse kicked for touch and the Dawgs hit the lineout. After operating the maul for a few moments, and working phases to the right side of the field, Boomer powered over the line for his second score of the day. Carelse nailed the afters-attempt and gave the Hounds a three-point lead, 17-14.

The home-side got the better of the Hounds over the next ten minutes. Robertson evened the score in the 49th minute with a successful penalty kick. They worked their way down into the Chicago end immediately after and Robertson hit Muller with a cross-field kick. The wing collected the kick for his second try of the game. DC’s flyhalf hit the post on the conversion attempt, giving them a five-point lead.

Inching closer to the final twenty minutes of the game, Chicago responded through loosehead prop Zhvania. The Georgian international dotted down his second score of the season after identifying an overlap for the Hounds’ attack just meters away from the DC try line. Wing Nate Augspurger hit the prop with a long pass and Zhvania walked in un-touched, tying the score 22-22.

The final moments of the Week 3 contest were excruciating. Hooker Dylan Fawsitt cleaned up an Old Glory handling error and raced down the sideline for what looked like the go-ahead score. He got caught up just meters before the line. DC missed a drop goal attempt and a penalty kick attempt in the dying moments as well. And that’s how the game ended- both teams looking visibly confused and frustrated. No one likes a draw.

The Hounds move to 1-1-1 and now prepare for the return of Dawg Town and the 2024 home opener this Sunday against the New England Free Jacks. Fans can buy tickets for the home opener here.