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Ontario Arrows defeat the Glendale Raptors in exhibition rugby play

Sep 16, 2018 | 1:15 PM

TORONTO — The Ontario Arrows scored 19 unanswered points in the second half to defeat the Glendale Raptors 40-18 in exhibition rugby union play Sunday afternoon.

The Arrows, a beefed-up version of the Ontario Blues side from the Canadian Rugby Championship, are hoping to join the Denver-based Raptors in the pro Major League Rugby circuit in 2019.

Glendale (8-2-0) topped the seven-team table in the MLR’s first season, but lost the championship game 23-19 to the Seattle Seawolves in San Diego in July.

The game was played on a hot day before a small crowd at York Lions Stadium. 

Andrew Quattrin, Kolby Francis, Lucas Hammond, Marcello Wainwright and Kainoa Lloyd scored tries for the Arrows, who led 21-18 at the half. Andrew Ferguson kicked three conversions with Mitch Richardson adding a conversion.

The Arrows were awarded a penalty try in the dying seconds with Lloyd touching down soon after.

Nic Johnson and Kelepi Fifita scored tries for Glendale. U.S. international fly half Will Magie added a conversion and two penalties.

Arrows head coach Chris Silverthorn’s all-Canadian starting 15 at Toronto’s York Lions Stadium included seven full Canadian internationals (Rob Brouwer, Cole Keith, Paul Cuilini, Pat Parfey, Andrew Coe, Lloyd and Ferguson) and three sevens internationals (Matt Mullins, Hammond and Coe).

Captain Mike Sheppard played for Canada “A” while fly half Will Kelly represented Canada at the under-20 level.

Prop Djustice Sears-Duru, who has 42 caps for Canada, came in off the bench.

Down 7-0, Glendale reeled off 12 unanswered points on back-to-back tries helped by a Toronto penalty at the restart. Francis’ try from short-range and a Hammond run put the Arrows back into a 21-12 lead.

Two Magie penalties cut the Ontario lead to 21-18 at the half. Wainright increased the lead to 26-18 with a fine run down the left flank in the 53rd minute of a sloppy second half.

Sheppard was yellow-carded in the 60th minute for a counter-ruck violation.

Arrows co-founder Bill Webb and a group of fellow rugby enthusiasts decided to fund a team for an exhibition season to see if the project is viable. The Arrows debuted in September 2017 in a 41-7 loss in Colorado to Gendale,

Like Major League Soccer, MLR owners buy an equal stake in the league with regular capital calls. The investment will be in the millions over a five-year period, according to Webb.

Chief investment officer at Waypoint Investment Partners, Webb played for the Brantford Harlequins and Wilfrid Laurier University and is a member of Rugby Canada’s board.

The Arrows are expected to join Rugby United New York and a potential Washington, D.C. franchise as eastern-based franchises in MLR.

The Arrows came into the game with a 3-1-1 record this year that includes a victory over MLR side Utah Warriors, two wins against the Boston Mystics and a draw against MLR’s Houston SaberCats. There were also two losses to Canada Selects sides that included some Arrows players.

 

Ontario Arrows

Rob Brouwer, Andrew Quattrin, Cole Keith, Mike Sheppard (capt.), Paul Ciulini, Marcello Wainwright, Peter Milazzo, Matt Mullins, Andrew Ferguson, Pat Parfrey, Lucas Hammond, Jamie Leveridge, Andrew Coe, Kainoa Lloyd, Shawn Windsor.

Replacements

Steven Ng, Djustice Sears-Duru, Mike Smith, Tom Van Horne, Kolby Francis, John Sheridan, Mitch Richardson, Riley Di Nardo.

 

Glendale Raptors

Blake Rogers, James Delbozque, Kelepi Fifita, Dakota (Kody) O’Neil, Luke White, Johnny Layne, Matt (Sione) Masoe, Connor Cook, Shaun Davies (capt.), Will Magie, Harley Davidson, Ata Malifa, Mika Kruse, Nic Johnson, Colin Gregory.

Replacements

Max Lumm, Monte Gaddis, Ray Henley, Thomas Kacor, Carlo DeNysschen, Campbell Johnstone, Siale Maka, Jason Damm.

 

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

 

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press