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Newport kick off the Fall 2019 season as the defending New England champions with a comprehensive victory over Hartford.
Introduction:
Newport open the season with a match up against hard hitting Hartford at home.
Match Conditions:
Beautiful sunny day with a decent breeze at the Fort
LIVE UPDATES:
The game started with a kick off from Hartford and Newport receiving on the north end of the Joseph 'Jay' Kirwin Memorial Rugby Pitch. With just 6 minutes elapsed John Perotti scored on a perfect pass from Jake Howlett. The conversion was missed to make the score 5-0.
Newport kept the ball rolling with a try from Brandon Smith just a few short minutes later. After the successful conversion the score is 12-0 Newport. Newport had to play with a man down for 10 minutes as Jake Howlett receives a yellow card for an intentional knock-on. Hartford took advantage of the sin bin time scoring with a conversion to make the score 12-7.
Half way through the first half and Jake Howlett returns to the lineup as well as Lucien Moore replacing Jamie Shriner at Hooker. Wasting no time, Jake Howlett with a pass to John Perotti who scored his second try to make the score 19-7 with the conversion.
With seconds remaining in the first half, Brandon Smith scores a tough try outside the posts but Smith left the game with a hamstring injury. After the successful conversion the score is now 26-7 Newport.
<HALF TIME>
Newport kicks off to Hartford to begin the second half. Jay Mariano goes in to replace Steven Johnston who has left with an injury. Hartford scores a try and makes the conversion pull closer making the score 26-14. On a magnificent run zigzagging through the Hartford defense, John Perotti scores his forth try in the corner. After the missed conversion the score is now 31-14.
Hartford responds promptly with their own try in the corner with a failed conversion making the score 31-19. Lucien Moore takes a short pop pass and scores a try and the conversion makes it 38-19. After a penalty by Newport, John Perotti scores his third try of the day on an intercepted pass. The conversion by Gannon Karena makes the score 45-19.
On the restart after one phase, Gannon Karena breaks the gain line for a long run and makes a pass to Jake Howlett who cuts the defense to score yet another Newport try. The conversion makes the score 52-19. Gannon Karena scores on an interception at the end of regulation and converted the kick making the score 59-19 sealing the win for Newport.
Next Game - @ Worcester 9/14/2019 1PM
Match report by Andrew Menton & Ron Smith
9/8/2019
