Tasi Scores Brace as Arrows Fall in New England

News May-29-2023

Tasi Scores Brace as Arrows Fall in New England

Tautalatasi Tasi scored two hard-running tries in the Arrows’ road match at the Free Jacks on Saturday afternoon, though it wasn’t enough to overcome the hosts, who finished as 57-20 victors at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Canadian internationals Peter Nelson and Shane O’Leary added points from the tee in Toronto’s final away game of the 2023 season, with the former kicking two first-half penalty goals and the latter adding a pair of conversions.

The Arrows jumped out to an early lead through Nelson’s close-range penalty slotted shortly after kickoff.

The Free Jacks responded with a pair of tries ahead of the hydration break, with Slade McDowall and Kieran McClea crossing over to put the hosts ahead 12-3.

New England tacked on two more first-half tries via Mills Sanerivi and Tevita Sole before Toronto responded on the stroke of halftime. Following several phases within touching distance of the hosts’ goalline, Will Grant fired a dart to a streaking Tasi; with the centre already in full flight in receipt, he dove to the right of the posts to score his first try in Major League Rugby. O’Leary’s conversion reduced the deficit to 26-13 heading into the interval.

An early second-half try from the Free Jacks’ Sanerivi pushed the hosts’ advantage to 18, though the Arrows answered back minutes later through the in-form Tasi. Once again it was a barging, close-range run into contact from the centre, who barrelled through three would-be tacklers to secure his brace.

Tasi’s second tally was as close as Toronto would come to staging a comeback, as New England tightened up its defensive ranks and held the visitors off the scoresheet for the final half-hour.

The Free Jacks added four more tries — two on each side of the final hydration break — en route to the win, which saw the division leaders clinch home-field advantage in the Eastern Conference Final.

Young Canadians Liam Bowman and Connor Grindal made their first starts for the Arrows in the defeat. Nineteen Canadians were included in the matchday 23.

Toronto enters Week 16 of the 2023 season with a home clash against Houston on Saturday, June 3 — the first match of a three-game homestand to close out the current campaign.

The Arrows hold a 4-1 all-time record against the SaberCats, though the Texans were victorious in the two sides’ most recent match in 2022.

The cross-conference tilt at York Lions Stadium will begin at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase via AXS, with single game seats starting as low as $20.

Toronto Arrows Stat Leaders:

Ball Carries: Tautalatasi Tasi – 11
Carry Metres: Tautalatasi Tasi – 89
Defenders Beaten: D’Shawn Bowen – 3
Tackles Made: Owain Ruttan – 14
Offloads: Tautalatasi Tasi – 2
Attacking Breakdown Arrivals: Travis Larsen – 22
Defending Breakdown Arrivals: Travis Larsen, Lucas Rumball – 8

New England Free Jacks Stat Leaders:

Ball Carries: Mitch Jacobson – 11
Carry Metres: Mitch Jacobson – 111
Defenders Beaten: Beaudein Waaka, Mitch Wilson – 3
Tackles Made: Wian Conradie, Mitch Jacobson – 13
Offloads: Mitch Wilson – 2
Attacking Breakdown Arrivals: Reegan O’Gorman – 20
Defending Breakdown Arrivals: Mitch Jacobson – 8

Toronto Arrows Score Report:

Tries: Tautalatasi Tasi (40′, 51′)
Conversions: Shane O’Leary 2 (40’+1′, 52′)
Penalty Goals: Peter Nelson (3′, 26′)

New England Free Jacks Score Report:

Tries: Slade McDowall 2 (6′, 54′), Kieran McClea (17′), Mills Sanerivi 2 (23′, 41′), Tevita Sole (33′), Mitch Wilson (56′), Taniela Filimone (63′), Andrew Quattrin (75′)
Conversions: Jayson Potroz (7′, 24′, 34′, 55′, 57′), Beaudein Waaka (76′)