Arrows Topple Defending Champions Seattle to Remain Undefeated

23 February 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEATTLE, WA – Toronto’s winning start to 2020 continued on Saturday evening, with the Arrows earning a statement 39-17 win over the two-time reigning champions Seattle Seawolves at Starfire Stadium.

The Arrows were paced by a man-of-the-match performance from fullback Sam Malcolm, who racked up 24 points through a perfect day of kicking at goal: the Kiwi slotted six penalty goals and three conversions to go nine-for-nine from the kicking tee.

Malcolm’s first kick came just four minutes into the match, and while the early three-pointer was a portent for things to come later in the game, it was the hosts that first crossed the whitewash for the match’s initial try. With team infringements leading to a yellow card for Arrows No. 8 Manuel Diana, Seattle capitalized on its numerical advantage through a Mat Turner try, and with the added conversion, the Seawolves held a four-point lead.

Three points from Malcolm reduced the Arrows’ deficit to one shortly before the visitors went ahead via a try from Dan Moor. Set up through a pinpoint long-range pass from centre Ben LeSage, Moor’s try marked the third consecutive game Toronto’s captain has crossed over. Malcolm’s difficult conversion from the touchline sent the Arrows ahead 13-7 entering the interval.

Seawolves wing Brock Staller brought Seattle to within three points of Toronto’s lead with an early penalty goal coming out of halftime, but three rapidfire penalties from Malcolm over a span of six minutes put the Arrows in the driver’s seat entering the final quarter of the match.

Flanker Lucas Rumball muscled across at the hour-mark for Toronto’s second try of the match, and it was followed up by Malcolm’s sixth penalty goal shortly thereafter, moving the Arrows’ lead to 22 points.

Seawolves No. 8 Riekert Hattingh added a late consolation try for the hosts, but the last scoring play of the match fell to Moor, who put up his league-leading fourth try on the final play of the game. Malcolm’s conversion was the exclamation mark for the fullback, who finished with an unblemished night with the boot.

“Our guys have a lot to be proud of following that performance,” said Arrows Director of Rugby Chris Silverthorn. “We came into Seattle with a plan, and our players stuck to our systems and executed. They did well to control the pace of the game, make the most of opportunities when they came to them, and put in a workrate that demonstrated a raw willingness to win. We’ll savour this victory, but we won’t rest on it, as the MLR’s Eastern Conference is proving to be division with little margin for error.”

The road win moves Toronto’s record to 3-0-0, and sees the club sitting first in the Eastern Conference with 13 points.

Sunday’s game was the third of seven consecutive away matches for Canada’s first professional rugby union team. The club will then play seven of its final nine matches at home between April 4 and May 31 to close out its sophomore MLR regular season.

The Arrows enter round four of the season with a road match against the 2-1-0 expansion side Rugby ATL on Sunday, Mar. 1.

Toronto Arrows Score Report

Tries: – D. Moor 2 (33, 80), L. Rumball (60)
Conversions: S. Malcolm 3 (34, 60, 80)
Penalty Goals: S. Malcolm 6 (4, 29, 50, 54, 57, 67)

Seattle Seawolves Score Report

Tries: M. Turner (25), R. Hattingh (78)
Conversions: B. Staller (26), S. Dean (79)
Penalty Goals: B. Staller (43)

Toronto Arrows Lineup vs. Seattle Seawolves

1. Richie Asiata
2. Andrew Quattrin
3. Cole Keith
4. Kolby Francis
5. Paul Ciulini
6. Tomy de la Vega
7. Lucas Rumball
8. Manuel Diana
9. Jamie Mackenzie
10. Tayler Adams
11. Leandro Leivas
12. Guiseppe du Toit
13. Ben LeSage
14. Dan Moor (C)
15. Sam Malcolm

16. Steven Ng
17. Pat Lynott
18. Tyler Rowland
19. Tom Van Horne
20. Peter Milazzo
21. Riley Di Nardo
22. Will Kelly
23. John Sheridan

STAFF
Vice President & General Manager: Mark Winokur
Director of Rugby:Chris Silverthorn
Coaches: Aaron Carpenter, Cory Hector, Peter Smith
Performance Analyst: Rodin Lozada
Team Physicians: Dr. Anthony Dixon, Dr. Chris Gallimore, Dr. John Gillis
Athletic Therapist: Perry Fan
Physiotherapist: Rohit Rajput

About Toronto Arrows Rugby Football Club:

The Toronto Arrows Rugby Football Club is Canada’s first professional rugby union team.

Competing in Major League Rugby, the team is equipped to compete against top-tier North American club teams, providing emerging Canadian talent with enhanced and more frequent opportunities to hone their skills at an elite level.

For more information, visit https://torontoarrows.com/  

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For more information, please contact: 

Brock Smith
Communications Manager
Toronto Arrows
[email protected] 

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Header Photo Credit: Quinn Width