Post by deludedpom on Aug 22, 2009 20:04:02 GMT 10
www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/rugby_league/Knights_into_Grand_Final.shtml
Knights into Grand Final
Posted in: Rugby League
By Brian Lowe
Aug 21, 2009 - 9:26:25 PM
New York is the first team to qualify for the 2009 American National Rugby League championship game following a last gasp 20-16 win against New Haven in the first semifinal Friday night in New York City.
The Knights will play the winner of Saturday’s second semi between Jacksonville and Boston.
In a tight affair at ‘The Castle’ on Pier 40, the game was evenly poised inside the dying minutes until a moment of magic by Knights’ halfback Luke Hume finally swung things in New York’s favor.
The Warriors were first on the board with two quick tries by Keiki Misipeka and Brian Lee within the opening 12 minutes for an early 10-0 lead and that’s how the scores remained through the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter the Warriors looked to be in again, but the ball was knocked on in the in-goal nullifying the effort. After that the Knights started to find their rhythm and Hume found some open space to score on a 40-meter sprint to the line.
Adam Nable converted to close the gap to 10-6 and then New York tied things up just before halftime with their second four-pointer by Xavier Loguenez.
The third quarter began with some uncompromising, no-nonsense football that saw New Haven skipper Siose Muliumu binned by referee Rob Irwin, forcing the defending champs to play a man down for the next 10 minutes. However, despite being reduced to 12 men, the Warriors regained the lead when veteran Derek Roma pounced on a nifty kick-through by player/coach Roy Leoni near the posts for a 16-10 scoreline.
The Knights hit back a short time later when that man Hume went on yet another long-range scamper to bag his second try of the night. Nable’s conversion was good and again things were knotted at 16-apiece as the game surged into the final quarter.
With less than 10 minutes to go in regulation, both teams lifted their intensity and it was New York’s Aussie halfback making another play that put his team in front for good.
A clever cross-field kick by Hume saw John Meoli gather the ball and dot down out wide. The attempted conversion missed but it didn’t matter as time had expired, leaving the Knights to savor a slender four-point victory.
“It’s been a long time and we’re just proud to get there,” New York CEO Robert Balachandran told ARN. “Our journey’s not done until next weekend’s Grand Final and we have our work cut out for us, but we’re just happy and thankful to be where we are.
“The Warriors should be congratulated for a great season. They were wonderful champions on and off the field.” The Knights have made one prior appearance in the AMNRL championship final and that was back in 2002 when they beat the then Glen Mills Bulls.
Knights into Grand Final
Posted in: Rugby League
By Brian Lowe
Aug 21, 2009 - 9:26:25 PM
New York is the first team to qualify for the 2009 American National Rugby League championship game following a last gasp 20-16 win against New Haven in the first semifinal Friday night in New York City.
The Knights will play the winner of Saturday’s second semi between Jacksonville and Boston.
In a tight affair at ‘The Castle’ on Pier 40, the game was evenly poised inside the dying minutes until a moment of magic by Knights’ halfback Luke Hume finally swung things in New York’s favor.
The Warriors were first on the board with two quick tries by Keiki Misipeka and Brian Lee within the opening 12 minutes for an early 10-0 lead and that’s how the scores remained through the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter the Warriors looked to be in again, but the ball was knocked on in the in-goal nullifying the effort. After that the Knights started to find their rhythm and Hume found some open space to score on a 40-meter sprint to the line.
Adam Nable converted to close the gap to 10-6 and then New York tied things up just before halftime with their second four-pointer by Xavier Loguenez.
The third quarter began with some uncompromising, no-nonsense football that saw New Haven skipper Siose Muliumu binned by referee Rob Irwin, forcing the defending champs to play a man down for the next 10 minutes. However, despite being reduced to 12 men, the Warriors regained the lead when veteran Derek Roma pounced on a nifty kick-through by player/coach Roy Leoni near the posts for a 16-10 scoreline.
The Knights hit back a short time later when that man Hume went on yet another long-range scamper to bag his second try of the night. Nable’s conversion was good and again things were knotted at 16-apiece as the game surged into the final quarter.
With less than 10 minutes to go in regulation, both teams lifted their intensity and it was New York’s Aussie halfback making another play that put his team in front for good.
A clever cross-field kick by Hume saw John Meoli gather the ball and dot down out wide. The attempted conversion missed but it didn’t matter as time had expired, leaving the Knights to savor a slender four-point victory.
“It’s been a long time and we’re just proud to get there,” New York CEO Robert Balachandran told ARN. “Our journey’s not done until next weekend’s Grand Final and we have our work cut out for us, but we’re just happy and thankful to be where we are.
“The Warriors should be congratulated for a great season. They were wonderful champions on and off the field.” The Knights have made one prior appearance in the AMNRL championship final and that was back in 2002 when they beat the then Glen Mills Bulls.
