Five Must-Watch Plays from Arrows v. Old Glory

The Toronto Arrows produced a dominant second half of rugby to come from behind against Old Glory DC on July 4. On the back of an imposing Man of the Match display from fly-half Tayler Adams, Toronto scored 24 unanswered points to win 34-28.

Despite an impressive final score, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the Arrows. A slow start allowed Old Glory to take a 14-10 lead into halftime. In many ways the Arrows had yet to enter the game, and Old Glory took advantage. Then at the start of the second half, a third Old Glory try stretched their lead further.

It took until the 49th minute for Toronto to start asking questions of Old Glory. Then it all proved too easy. A 20-minute offensive onslaught wrestled the game out of Old Glory’s clutches.

Adams wasn’t the only Arrow to shine on Sunday. Scrum-half Andrew Ferguson was constantly a thorn in Old Glory’s side, and he features prominently on this week’s Five Must-Watch Plays.

Ferguson Sneaks Over

Two parts of the game stayed consistent throughout: the Arrows were dominant in the forwards, and penalties were flying all over the place.

There is a healthy dose of both in this first clip.

With good set piece ball, Toronto was able to launch attack after attack and above you can see how powerful the Arrows driving maul was. It pushed Old Glory back, won them an advantage, and allowed Ferguson to sneak in at the post.

Excellent Last-Ditch Defence Saves Arrows

This clip comes at a crucial time in the match. Toronto is down just 14-10, but Old Glory has control of the game. They are pulling the Arrows left and right, breaking the gain line repeatedly.

There are line breaks, and then there are line breaks. Old Glory likely haven’t had one this clean all season. Only for it to come to a thundering halt.

Check it out.

World Class Individual Try

Little needs to be said about this one other than this: Andrew Ferguson, take a bow.

Arrows Pile on the Pressure

Just before this clip starts, the Arrows once again control possession at a set piece. Their dominance over Old Glory in that aspect laid the foundations for this try.

Another crucial component of this one is the flat pass from Tayler Adams. The fly-half pulled the strings masterfully throughout, and he took a big hit to make this play. Sometimes that’s what it takes, and without that sacrifice, the Arrows don’t score.

Explosive Speed Catches out Old Glory Defence

A high-class attack once again from the Arrows means a third try in just seven minutes of rugby. This score ONCE AGAIN comes from the Arrows dominating at the set piece.

This time it’s a scrum in the middle of the park and another fantastic Adams pass that catches the Old Glory defence napping. One more quick pass and Sam Malcolm is off to the races.

Looking Ahead

This win was much-needed for an Arrows squad that had suffered so many near misses in recent games. Next up is the final game of the season against the New England Free Jacks. The Free Jacks were narrow victors last time out, but buoyed by this victory, the Arrows come into this one on a high. New England is on a run of good form, winning four of their last five. The Arrows will look to close out the season with a win on Sunday, July 11 at 12 p.m. ET.

About the Author:

Oliver Smith is writer, podcast host and sports fanatic. Growing up in London, England, he moved to Toronto, Canada in 2010 before graduating with Honours at Queen’s University. He has been a sports writer since 2019.  Reach him on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Header Photo Credit: Ben Weitz