March 23, 2022

It may have been somewhat of a head-scratching starting roster to some, but the Free Jacks delivered on Saturday, winning 25-17 to hand the Austin team a second consecutive defeat.

Whatever the theory behind the starting lineup, it did its job, taking a slender 18-7 lead into halftime and withstanding the physical onslaught in the second half to secure the win. The Free Jacks could have had more points in the first half, but a misfiring lineout cost the team some opportunities to press their numerical advantages, Austin having suffered two yellow cards in the first half.

Special mention must be made of Kyle Ciquera, not in the game day 23 the previous week, who made the most of his start against Austin. He ended up having to put in almost the full 80 minutes, having to come back on as an injury replacement soon after being substituted, but he seemed to be enjoying himself, even pulling off a nifty offload deep into the game to keep an attack alive and help preserve the win.

Ciquera was ably assisted by his teammates, who combined to notch up yet another huge tackle count in keeping the locals at bay in a torrid second half.

Another huge clash awaits the Free Jacks on the road this weekend in Atlanta, where Rugby ATL awaits. Both teams are on 5-1 records (along with Rugby New York, who entertain Toronto Arrows on Sunday), though Rugby ATL has a two point advantage due to scoring more bonus points. 3PM is the listed kickoff time.