Tuculet’s Try Streak Grows to 3 Games in Austin Defeat

The Toronto Arrows fell 47-21 to the Austin Gilgronis at Bold Stadium on Saturday night, succumbing to the effects of scorching Texas temperatures and an injury-depleted roster. The defeat not only marked the first time the Austin franchise earned a victory over their Canadian counterparts, but also the first time Toronto has endured three consecutive losses.

The Arrows were first off the mark through the boot of Spencer Jones – the first penalty goal attempt the centre has teed up in his three years with the club – but the visitors’ lead would be short-lived. Minutes later, Gilgronis wing Zinzan Elan-Puttick found enough space to rumble across in the left corner, giving the hosts a lead that wouldn’t relinquished for the remainder of the match.

Austin doubled their output just three minutes later, with Robbie Coetzee finishing a driving maul off a short-range lineout.

With the high heat leading to injury slowdowns and handling errors abound, Toronto eventually found its first try five minutes prior to the interval. On the heels of an Arrows scrum deep in Austin territory, Gaston Mieres swooped inside from his wing to create an extra attacker, and a pinpoint pass from Will Kelly found Joaquin Tuculet in space for his third try in as many matches.

The final say of the first half went to Austin, whose No. 8 Dom Akina strolled in unimpeded to send Toronto to the sheds down 19-8.

Just like the opening frame, the second-half scoring began via a Jones kick, but the eight-point deficit would be as close as Toronto would come to staging a comeback.

Flanker Kyle Breytenbach scored the first of four second-half Gilgronis tries, finding the gap after being sprung by a Kurt Morath pass. Akina had his brace 10 minutes later, and prop LaRome White followed it up three minutes after that.

Entering the final 10 minutes of he match, Ben LeSage barreled over from short range following a slick offload from Jones, but substitute hooker Hugh Roach responded five minutes later. A late consolation tally from Mitch Richardson – the first of his professional career – marked the final points on the day.

Toronto enters Week 14 of the 2021 season with a ‘home’ clash with New Orleans (6-4-1; 34 points) on Saturday, June 19 in Atlanta. The Arrows have yet to defeat the Louisiana outfit, falling twice to the Gold in 2019 and once earlier this year.

Toronto Arrows Stat Leaders

Ball Carries: Four Players – 9
Carry Metres: S. Jones – 84
Tackles Made: M. Flesch – 11
Offloads: M. Diana – 4

Austin Gilgronis Stat Leaders

Ball Carries: F. Halai – 10
Carry Metres: D. Akina – 106
Tackles Made: B. Campbell – 9
Offloads: H. Roach – 2

Toronto Arrows Score Report

Tries: J. Tuculet (35), B. LeSage (70), M. Richardson (78)
Penalty Goals: S. Jones 2 (8, 47)

Austin Gilgronis Score Report

Tries: Z. Elan-Puttick (13), R. Coetzee (17), D. Akina 2 (40, 61*), K. Breytenbach (50), L. White (64*), H. Roach (75)
Conversions: K. Morath 4 (18, 40, 51, 76)
* = seven-point try

Toronto Arrows Lineup vs. Austin Gilgronis

1. Pat Lynott
2. Jack McRogers
3. Gaston Cortes
4. Mason Flesch
5. Mike Sheppard
6. Tomas de la Vega
7. Lucas Rumball (C)
8. Siaki Vikilani
9. Ross Braude
10. Will Kelly
11. Gaston Mieres
12. Spencer Jones
13. Ben LeSage (C)
14. John Sheridan
15. Joaquin Tuculet
16. Andrew Quattrin
17. Luke Schlotman
18. Marc-Antoine Ouellet
19. Adrian Wadden
20. Manuel Diana
21. Jason Higgins
22. Mitch Richardson
23. Pat Parfrey

Header Photo Credit: Hayden Sticksel