Denver Barbarians 24 Golden Gate 22 (halftime: Denver 17-7)

Jeremy Osborne’s injury-time try lifted the visiting Denver Barbarians to a 24-22 Super League win over Golden Gate, spoiling a three-try comeback led by Shaun Paga.

Replacement wing Paga scored in the 59th and 80th minutes as Nick Ermin’s Irwin's XV moved inexorably from a 17-7 halftime deficit to a 22-17 edge. Particularly in the second half, the hosts claimed the best part of possession and forward momentum, but 1-of-6 goalkicking ultimately scuttled hopes of a season-opening win.

The Barbarians were outplayed in setpieces and mauls, a worrying outcome given two test regulars in the back five plus a veteran international scrumhalf, and had no answer to Golden Gate warhorse Fifita “Tasi” Mo’unga. Yet the visitors were stout enough near their line; brave under high ball; and used what possession they managed effectively enough to win the match.

Center Osborne nabbed the game’s opening try, answered by Mo'unga, before flyhhalf Jason Kelly stroked at penalty goal at 35 minutes. Near to halftime Osborne confused the midfield to release busy wing Mark Crovelli down to the five, where quick rucking put Aylor in space to bulldoze over the line.

There were few such moments for Denver in the second half, particularly when Ermin and props Jason Bowden and Josh Vavao packed down. Bowden also ran in Golden Gate’s second try, and rumbled downfield once more in the buildup to Paga’s first five-pointer.

The seeming game-winner followed Golden Gate’s scrumming over Denver on a Barbos’ feed at their own five, and the outcome looked secure when twice Ermin’s eight held off Denver put-ins inside the host 22. But with Kelly off the field, replacement Dan Bludeau took tap-move ball, sliced through a retreating defense, and offloaded to Osborne for the game-trying try. Dave Williams struck the winner from in front the posts.

Denver next week hosts Belmont Shore, 50-20 winners over Old Puget Sound Beach, while Golden Gate travels to OMBAC, which defeated Santa Monica 36-26. Elsewhere, the Chicago Lions left it to late in downing the Dallas Harlequins 40-8, while four Eastern games were postponed due to inclement weather.

USA 7s shield winners Todd Clever, Jone Naqica, and Andrew Osborne are not among the 22 players named to the Eagle training camp prior to Hong Kong. There are six new faces, notably including 2006 test debutant Tyson Meek, who started the year with Worcester Nottingham in Division but was recently loaned to the Midlands 2 East club Derby.

Update: Yanks Across reports that Meeks has signed with National Division 2 club Nuneaton for the remainder of the season.

Fifty-nine of the national team pool players who attended a weeklong training assembly last month in San Diego have been divided among the Hawks and Falcons. Eight frontliners are not among them, including center Paul Emerick, flyhalf Mike Hercus, backrow Scott Lawrence, prop Mike MacDonald, prop Chris Osentowski, center Salesi Sika, prop John Tarpoff, and fullback Francois Viljoen.

Final: Denver Barbarians 24 Golden Gate 22 (halftime: Denver 17-7)

Denver Barbarians
Tries: Jeremy Osborne (2), Mark Aylor
Conversions: Jason Kelly (2), Dave Williams
Penalties: Jason Kelly

Jone Naqica; Mark Crovelli (Dan Bludeau, Ben Hapapuro)), Pete Barclay, Jeremy Osborne, Matt Nockles; Jason Kelly (Jake Humphrey), Dave Williams (captain); Chris Moreno, Kyle Fenton (Andrew Post), Michael Landau (Jake Opfer), Justin Clark (Adam Drury), Mike Mangan, Mark Aylor, Kevin Whitcher, Pat Quinn

Golden Gate
Tries: Shaun Paga (2), Fifita Mo'unga, Jason Bowden
Conversion:  Andrew Aiken

Mo Ishak; Dan Walter Welton (Shaun Paga), Toshi Palamo, Pat Grass, Andrew Aiken; Roger Tuamaholoa, Mose Timoteo; Jason Bowden, Nick Ermin Irwin (captain), Josh Vavao, Philippe Farner, Redmond Collins, Aaron Latzke, Danny LaPrevotte, Fifita Mo’unga (full replacements not immediately available)

Referee: Dave Peters (Southern California)
Attendance: 150

Hong Kong 7s training squad
Forwards: Jarvis Albury (OMBAC), Justin Eilman (OMBAC), Riaan Hamilton (OMBAC), Kevin Mongold (Sciotto Valley), Andrew McNaughton (Olympic Club), Vili Matanibukaca (Old Puget Sound), Marcus Respes (Philadelphia Whitemarsh)

Backs: Brian Barnard (OMBAC), James Gillenwater (Maryland Exiles), Justin Hundley (Penn State), P.J. Komongnan (Washington), Tyson Meek (Derby), Takudzwa Ngwenya (Dallas), Mike Palefau (Narbonne), Jason Pye (OMBAC), Iopu Sanonu (Belmont Shore), Peter Sio (Belmont Shore), Dallen Stanford (Oxy Tigers), Ronnie Tisdale (Stanford Univ.), Derrick Wavomba (Boston), Chris Wyles (Nottingham)

Comments

[YanksAcross]

Kurt:

Tyson Meek was with Nottingham RFC in National One and was recently loaned to Nuneaton RFC. He has played one match for Nuneaton before attending the HK 7's camp.

[Dan Ransom]

Good writeup but a couple of the SFGG names were wrong -- it's hooker/captain Nic Irwin, not Nick Ermin, and the starting wing was Dan Welton, not Dan Walter.

Cheers.

[Kurt Oeler]

Thanks fellas, and fixed.

[Great Game]

What a finish to the match. SFGG stole the defeat from the jaws of victory.

Interesting in your write up you name the NZ hooker as the SFGG captain. Isn't this the guy that just arrived a few weeks ago.

Must be a pretty special guy to be named captain that quickly, or there is a shortage of leaders in the SFGG stable at the moment.....

[Dan Ransom]

Despite the unnecessarily negative tone in your post, there is some truth in that comment. Of recent SFGG captains -- Grant Wells, Aaron Smith, Aaron Satchwell, and Robbie Flynn, three have retired from rugby and one is playing abroad. In addition, other veteran leaders such as Karl Thomson, Mike Walker, Karl Halbart, and Pat Guire have retired from the game.

SFGG has reloaded with youth and is competing well despite a significant number of starters under 25 (seven on Saturday; would have been eight if Thretten Palamo hadn't been with the Samoa U19s). Some of those starters are still in their teens (Mo Ishak and Pat Grass). While that youth can lead to some uneven performances -- the good-bad-good-bad game against Denver being an example -- SFGG's win over OMBAC shows the potential in their lineup. They may or may not make the playoffs this year, but having been knocked as an old team in the past, SFGG deserves some credit for promoting youth. (At least) five members of the Super League squad played for SFGG Youth programs. That should be commended.

Such an emphasis on youth can lead to a need for leadership. I don't know Nic Irwin personally but his performances in the two games I've seen have been very strong and he must have been chosen as captain for a reason.