Free Jacks remain atop Eastern Conference despite loss to Miami – NBC Sports Boston

The playoff-bound New England Free Jacks faced the Miami Sharks on Friday evening for the second time this season and their seven-game winning streak came to an end, losing 30-19 on the road.

Coming in, New England boasted a record of 9-0-3 and sat atop Major League Rugby’s (MLR) Eastern Conference, while Miami sat in fourth at 6-0-6. 

Despite the setback, the two-time defending MLR champions remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 45 points. The Free Jacks (9-0-4) return to play next Saturday when they host Eastern Conference foe Old Glory DC at 5 p.m. ET in Quincy at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

After winning a hard fought-match 27-17 match against Chicago on Saturday, the Free Jacks started 10 new players for the match in Miami on short rest. 

Six minutes in, Miami’s Shane O’Leary converted a penalty kick, which put the first points of the match on the board and gave the Sharks a 3-0 head start.  Minutes later, Marcos Young scored the match’s first try increasing the score to 8-0. 

In the 23rd minute, the Free Jacks scored their first try of the match when a sprinting Prop Tevita Sole hustled from mid-field to collect a Sharks’ miscue from inside the 22 meter line to dot down a diving try. Dan Hollinshead made the conversion and the Free Jacks trailed 8-7.

Just ten minutes later, Miami answered with a try from Shane O’Leary. O’Leary missed the missed conversion and the score stood at 13-7.

Despite trailing on the scoreboard, the Free Jacks led in terms of first half territory possession at 56.8 percent, with the Sharks at 43.18 percent.  

Just two minutes into the second half, Miami’s Guiseppe du Toit pushed the ball past the try line, which increased Miami’s lead to 20-7. In the 58th minute, Miami added a penalty goal by O’Leary for a 23-7 advantage.

The Free Jacks refused to quit, scoring five minutes later. Wian Conradie scored the try. Hollinshead added the conversion for seven Free Jacks points. 

In the 69th minute, the Sharks extended their lead, Matías Orlando scoring Miami’s fourth try of the night, and brought up their score to 30-14. 

New England’s Conradie added his second score just a few minutes later, but the Free Jacks were unable to inch closer to claim points in the match.