Coming off their comprehensive win over St Mary’s, GW Men’s Rugby traveled to UMBC on a sunny Saturday for their second league match of 2019. UMBC fielded a large but inexperienced side in this their first match of the campaign, as their week one fixture was cancelled. 

The match opened with both teams settling into the competition and letting some errors out early. Each team gave away two penalties in the first fifteen minutes, each got a chance to throw into a lineout, and each had a feed at scrum time. The vast majority of this opening period was played in GW’s attacking half, and both the defensive and attacking pressure took its toll on UMBC. 

Receiving the ball 10 meters out from the try line, flyhalf Matt Heisler took the ball to the line and passed to inside center Max Ward who carried over for the opening points of the match. Sophomore loose forward JP Aro lined up the kick for points and was successful. 18 minutes in. GW 7 – 0 UMBC.

GW failed to recover the restart kick, but quickly managed a turnover and began marching down the field again. Just three minutes after the first score, Ward had another big carry covering 25 meters before offloading to his center partner Alex “Frenchie,” who finished the 15 meter sprint to the line for a second try. Aro converts from the left of the posts. GW 14 – 0 UMBC.

The next 14 minutes saw UMBC manage a heavier series of possession, and GW’s defensive structure was tested. However, the home team could not crack the line. A number of set pieces punctuated another march down the field by the colonials, leading to a quick take and try off the back of a ruck by scrumhalf Aiden Lee. Aro converts. GW 21 – 0 UMBC.

Despite giving up two more penalties in the last five minutes of the first half, GW held off the ‘retrievers’ and went into the break up 21 – 0.

UMBC came out in the second half determined to hold the ball for longer periods and build pressure. A number of knock-ons and penalties against GW allowed UMBC to hold the ball in our half and bang on the door multiple times. A few tactical kicks that did not come off prevented UMBC from turning their pressure into points and allowed GW to clear their lines. Following a penalty for leaving their feet, UMBC failed to retreat ten and was penalized a second time with the mark at center field in the shadow of the posts. 

Seeking a bonus-point try, the quick tap was shuffled to the forward pods who drove closer still to the try line. The next phase ball went out to Heisler, who once again fed Max Ward for a try. Aro converts again: GW 28 – 0 UMBC.

As both teams began giving minutes to their replacements, sustained phases were tougher to string together. Both teams put heavy pressure on one another between the 22s, but struggled to finish out the job. Four conceded penalties did not help GW’s continuity, nor did two conceded by UMBC. Following a lineout steal, GW kicked the ball to touch and the final whistle was blown.