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.
Denver spreading the Leopards defense, Leopards closing quickly
- image: h. Richard
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.
8man Maletau for the line
– image: h. Richard
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