Westlake Drops a Close Match to Rugby Powerhouse St. Thomas
March 27, 2009
The Westlake rugby team hosted the St. Thomas Eagles in Chaps stadium on Friday night. Although the home team lost to the Houston club in a close match, Austin rugby fans were treated to a lively and entertaining match that highlighted some of the best rugby of the season. It also helped that the announcer for the game, Mark Brewerton, the coach of the Austin Blacks men’s rugby team, delighted the fans with both colorful and knowledgeable commentary, as well as his Australian accent.
St. Thomas has a long and storied rugby tradition. The team is currently undefeated and features fly half Connor Mill, one of two members of the U.S.A. national schoolboy rugby team to play for the Eagles. Mills and company got off to a quick start when they scored just six minutes into the contest, and then added another 2 tries in quick succession.
Down 19-0 with most of the half gone, Westlake finally found it’s footing. It’s scrum stiffened behind the fierce rucking of Chris Van Datta, David Babin, and Kelvin Arrindell. Chaps scrum half Connor McNally kept constant pressure on the opposing scrum half and kept the ball moving among the other backs. After methodically marching down the field late in the period, flanker Ari Shita scored after a short run up the left side. Ellis Glaw added another try before the half, leaving a string of broken tackles in his wake. But St. Thomas also scored once more in the period and led at the half 26-10.
In the second half, fans on both sides watched two talented teams play inspired rugby and battle into the evening. Although neither side backed down, the Chaps outscored the Eagles 19-10 in the period and fans wondered if the end result might not have been different had the game lasted a little longer. James Savard and Chase Corona distinguished themselves on defensive with bone rattling tackles. The Westlake scrum continued its hard rucking behind eight man Rogan Giles, Ari Shita, and prop Chris Van Datta which opened up the field for the backs.
Fullback James Robison came alive and seemed to be everywhere on the filed at once. And the combination of fly half Markham Sayers and scrum half Connor McNally kept the ball moving and the Chaps advancing. Ellis Glaw notched his second try of the match, and Paul Brown and James Robison each scored after long breakaways. Evan von zur Muehlen added two conversion kicks to bring the Westlake tally to 29.
In the end, the lead St. Thomas had built up in the first half proved too much for the Chaps to overcome in the time allotted. Westlake lost by a try and conversion kick – 36-29. But both players and fans agreed, while sharing pizza and bar-b-que and mingling after the match, that the game had been special. Westlake coach Al Niece was impressed that his scrappy first year team could play toe-to-toe with some of the best players in the nation and come so close to an upset.
Charles Vermont