Old Glory DC aimed to bounce back against Anthem Rugby Club following their home-opening loss to the San Diego Legion. Meanwhile, Anthem entered the match seeking their first victory after a narrow one-point defeat to the Miami Sharks. Just like Week 2 in Maryland, the wind played a significant role in this contest.
Anthem struck first in the 10th minute with a penalty goal following an offside infringement. They extended their lead in the 16th minute with a well-executed try, making it 10-0. That score seemed to ignite Old Glory, who responded with immediate intensity. A quick try from OGDC was disallowed due to a high tackle by prop Joseph Wrafter, resulting in a yellow card. However, Old Glory soon found their breakthrough. Scottish international Nicholas Grigg powered through the midfield, bouncing off defenders to score.
OGDC seized the lead with a moment of magic in the 26th minute. Grigg, making an impact in his debut, delivered a no-look, over-the-shoulder reverse pass to Ethan McVeigh, who secured the ball and dotted it down. Jason Robertson expertly judged the wind to convert, putting DC ahead 14-10.
Anthem responded swiftly, regaining the lead five minutes later through a broken play. After ripping the ball in contact, Anthem spun it wide to winger Connor Mooneyham, who sprinted in to score in the corner. The missed conversion left Anthem up 15-14. The visitors extended their lead in the 38th minute, capitalizing on an OGDC penalty to maul over a try in the corner. A difficult conversion was successfully slotted, giving Anthem a 22-14 halftime advantage.
The second half started sluggishly, with both teams trading unforced errors and penalties. OGDC applied sustained pressure inside Anthem’s 22 but failed to convert it into points. In the 57th minute, DC suffered another setback with a yellow card for a high tackle. Yet, despite being a man down, Old Glory once again found a way to score.
In the 60th minute, OGDC executed a crafty lineout deep in Anthem territory. After multiple quick passes, the ball found its way to Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, celebrating his 50th cap, who powered over for a crucial try. The score brought DC within three points, setting the stage for their final push.
DC soon flipped field position, forcing Anthem into costly penalties near their own try line. After repeated infringements, OGDC substitute Logan Weidner crashed over from a well-executed tap-and-go, securing the lead. The question remained: could DC hold on? Despite some nervy moments late in the match, Old Glory saw out the win and improved to a 2-1 record.
This intense, back-and-forth battle featured several lead changes. Anthem’s defense held strong throughout, frequently driving DC back, but they struggled to turn defensive pressure into points in the second half. Both teams traded possession, but Old Glory’s resilience in the final minutes sealed their victory.
Next up, Old Glory hits the road to face the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Hounds (3-1) on March 15th at 1 PM Eastern Time, looking to build on their momentum.
