East v East

East High Leopards v Denver East High Angels

East Angels traveled from the eastern side of the Rockies to Salt Lake City on the mountain chain’s western edge for a match versus East Leopards on the Friday. Warm and windy with temperatures in the upper 70s under a vagrant and gusty wind blowing from the southern end goal at kickoff of the long anticipated match between Rugby Colorado topdog, Denver East High Angels, and Rugby Utah single school powerhouse East High Leopards on the banks of the Jordan River at 1700 South Park in the Beehive State’s capitol.

In the opening stages the XVs battled aggressively, electing to run out of their own 22s and each launching a brace of forays into the other’s 22, but were turned back by staunch defensive efforts until Leopard flyer, David Bergstedt, collected a loose ball near touch and sped 50 meters to open scoring: Leopards 5, Angels 0 in the 7th minute.

Home side was back again three minutes on as countering fullback Rex Bateman broke though the Denver defense for 45 fast meters to touch down for his own conversion and it was 12-nil just then.

Denver got aboard in the 13th minute, mauling into goal for a grounding by engine room worker, Sam Medve, and the tallies at 12 and 5, yet to Leopards.

Hosts extended their lead to a dozen when backrow lock, Papa Maletau, gathered the pill from a won 5-meter scrum and powered across the paint, touching down the final score in the half and the numbers turned to 17 and 5. Lads for hydration and instruction at the field marshal’s halftime blast. Denver were experiencing success, making the gainline

Denver spreading the Leopards defense, Leopards closing quickly - image: h. Richard

8man Maletau for the line – image: h. Richard

with pick-and-goes in the first channels while the Salt lake City side’s judicious use of foot and wind made for advantageous positioning.

Fierce, the action for the initial 10 minutes of the second stanza until an Angels lineout five meters from Leopards line was mauled to goal and touched down by wing, Jack Dempsey. Conversion attempt away and a scoreline of 17-10, 11 minutes into the last half.

Leopards were able to exploit holes in a scrambling, gapped Denver defensive alignment repeatedly for a trio of groundings thereafter, a pair of those made seven by Bateman: tight five forward, Fatusama Mapa, rambled 40 meters for a try (24-10) midway through the period; Bateman grounded his brace off a weak side dart that had the 15 fending off a would-be tackler and racing 45 meters to touch down in the 22nd minute for an own conversion (31-10); and the final count by Naisa Puletau in remarkable, tight, passing order for a result of 36 – 10 to East High Leopards.

Scoring

Denver East Angels - Try: Medve, J. Dempsey; East High Leopards – Try: Bergstedt, Bateman (2), Maletau, Mapa, Puletau