
Hounds Fall to Warriors in Week 2
SALT LAKE CITY, UT- The Chicago Hounds fell to 1-1 on Saturday afternoon at Zions Bank Stadium, losing to the Utah Warriors, 29-15. Despite what appears like a lopsided scoreline, the Warriors scored eight points in the final two minutes of the game, and the game was within the Hounds’ grasp up until the dying moments.
Julian Dominguez got things started early on for the Hounds. After receiving the opening kick, Chicago mauled it down field until scrumhalf Nick McCarthy sent a box kick up in the air. Poor handling from Utah resulted in wing Nate Augspurger falling on the ball deep in the Warriors’ half. The Hounds worked the ball across the field and a few phases later, hooker Dylan Fawsitt sent a perfectly-timed pass to Dominguez on the left wing. He bullied a Warriors’ defender and touched it down for five, his first score of the new season. Fullback Adriaan Carelse nailed the tough conversion and it was 7-0 within two minutes.
The Warriors responded in the 16th minute with a long-range try, finished off by Utah scrumhalf Zion Going. When Going was touching the ball down to score, Augspurger tried to make a play defensively and potentially cause a knock-on. The ref didn’t love it and sent the wing to the sin bin for 10 minutes with a yellow card. Conversion was good by Joel Hodgson and it was tied 7-7 with the first water break on the horizon.
In the 22nd minute, a Warriors’ forward was dinged for a penalty and Carelse lined the ball up for a shot at goal. It was successful, his fourth penalty kick of the year, and the Hounds took the lead, 10-7. Utah responded right before halftime, however. Lock Saia Uhila powered his way over for a try in the 36th minute. Hodgson hit the kick again, giving the Warriors a 14-10 advantage heading into the sheds.
The teams traded penalties back and forth to open the second half. Ignacio Peculo and Guillermo Pujadas made their appearances off the bench in the 46th minute, replacing tighthead prop Patrick Ryan and hooker Dylan Fawsitt respectively. A few moments later, Jason Higgins relieved scrumhalf Nick Higgins and lock Brad Tucker came on for George Merrick, earning his first Hounds’ cap.
HALFTIME
Chicago: 10
Julian Dominguez try; Adriaan Carelse conversion, Adriaan Carelse penalty
Utah: 14
Zion Going try, Saia Uhila try, Joel Hodgson conversion (2)
The changes seemingly injected life in Chicago. In the 54th minute, loosehead prop Zurabi Zhvania found himself at the bottom of the pile in the try zone, dotting down his first score of the season. Carelse missed the conversion kick, his first miss of the season, but the Hounds still held a narrow, one-point lead, 15-14. Luke Carty came in for Mark O’Keeffe in the 57th minute, making his first appearance of the year. Flanker Maclean Jones got the call for Lucas Rumball a few minutes later.
The Hounds were called for a maul penalty in the 61st minute and Utah responded with a try of their own as a result via backup hooker Phillip Bradford. Hodgson was successful once again, making the scoreline 21-15. Conall Boomer made his Hounds debut in the 63rd minute, replacing vice-captain Luke White.
The teams traded blows, and penalties, back-and-forth for the next 15 minutes. The Hounds felt consistent pressure by the Warriors, close to the Chicago line and playing phase after phase. Utah got the penalty call they were looking for, right in front of the sticks, and Hodgson nailed the conversion to increase the gap to two-scores, 24-15. In the dying moments, Utah scored another try that went unconverted.
The Hounds will look to rebound next week against Old Glory DC, also sitting at 1-1. The game is Saturday at 3 PM CT and fans can watch on Marquee Plus or the Rugby Network.
FINAL
Chicago: 15
Julian Dominguez try, Zurabia Zhvania try; Adriaan Carelse conversion, Adriaan Carelse penalty
Utah: 29
Zion Going try, Saia Uhila try, Phillip Bradford try, Jesse Hamilton try, Joel Hodgson conversion (3), Joel Hodgson penalty
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