www.americanrugbynews.com/artman ... ason.shtml

New AMNRL Season
Posted in: Rugby League
By Brian Lowe
Jun 5, 2010 - 7:57:06 PM




The 2010 American National Rugby League season got underway Saturday with some big scores up and down the eastern seaboard.

Week 1 winners included Aston, Jacksonville, New Haven and New York.

The Aston Bulls and Philadelphia Fight hooked up in a cross-town rivalry matchup that saw Aston emerge 44-32 winners.

The game produced an inordinate number of penalties, along with no fewer than five sin binnings.

The match also served as the USA debut of former Australian test player Daniel Wagon. Wagon, who has most recently been playing in France, is the highest ever profile player to be lured to the AMNRL and turned in a solid performance.

In another local derby, the New Haven Warriors doubled up the Connecticut Wildcats 48-24. New Haven led 26-0 at halftime.

Elsewhere, last year’s Grand Finalists the Jacksonville Axemen picked up from where they left off by hammering the Fairfax Eagles 66-16.

And speaking of picking up from where they left off, reigning champs the New York Knights downed the Boston 13s 32-14, but were made to work for it.

Boston hung in for the first two quarters before New York started to work the ball around the fringes to set up some scoring that eventually put the result beyond doubt.

Knights tries were scored by 2009 League MVP Luke Hume (2), Brian Cartwright (2), Todd Fischer, Rob Cabrerra and Justin Ripley. Fischer also converted two of the scores.

“The end result was good, but there’s a lot of work to be done,” New York CEO Rob Balachandran told ARN.

Boston’s tries were scored by George Aroyan (2) and Tyler Scullen.

“We’re still a young team and we were right in there for the first two quarters,” said 13s captain Jonathan Mixon. “We rallied up and took the fourth quarter and I’m proud as hell of our boys.”

The other scheduled game between new expansion team the Pittsburgh Vipers and the Washington DC Slayers was postponed because the DC side couldn’t travel.

“We had everything lined up and ready to go, but they didn’t come because of unforeseen circumstances,” Pittsburgh captain Ken DeLucia told ARN.

Standings (unofficial):
Jacksonville Axemen (1-0) 5pts
New Haven Warriors (1-0) 5pts
New York Knights (1-0) 5pts
Aston DSC Bulls (1-0) 5pts
Philadelphia Fight (0-1) 1pt
Connecticut Wildcats (0-1) 1pt
Boston 13s (0-1) 0pts
Fairfax Eagles (0-1) 0pts
Pittsburgh Vipers (0-0) 0pts
Washington DC Slayers (0-0) 0pts
Northern Raiders (0-0) 0pts

www.americanrugbynews.com/artman ... ason.shtml

New AMNRL Season
Posted in: Rugby League
By Brian Lowe
Jun 5, 2010 - 7:57:06 PM




The 2010 American National Rugby League season got underway Saturday with some big scores up and down the eastern seaboard.

Week 1 winners included Aston, Jacksonville, New Haven and New York.

The Aston Bulls and Philadelphia Fight hooked up in a cross-town rivalry matchup that saw Aston emerge 44-32 winners.

The game produced an inordinate number of penalties, along with no fewer than five sin binnings.

The match also served as the USA debut of former Australian test player Daniel Wagon. Wagon, who has most recently been playing in France, is the highest ever profile player to be lured to the AMNRL and turned in a solid performance.

In another local derby, the New Haven Warriors doubled up the Connecticut Wildcats 48-24. New Haven led 26-0 at halftime.

Elsewhere, last year’s Grand Finalists the Jacksonville Axemen picked up from where they left off by hammering the Fairfax Eagles 66-16.

And speaking of picking up from where they left off, reigning champs the New York Knights downed the Boston 13s 32-14, but were made to work for it.

Boston hung in for the first two quarters before New York started to work the ball around the fringes to set up some scoring that eventually put the result beyond doubt.

Knights tries were scored by 2009 League MVP Luke Hume (2), Brian Cartwright (2), Todd Fischer, Rob Cabrerra and Justin Ripley. Fischer also converted two of the scores.

“The end result was good, but there’s a lot of work to be done,” New York CEO Rob Balachandran told ARN.

Boston’s tries were scored by George Aroyan (2) and Tyler Scullen.

“We’re still a young team and we were right in there for the first two quarters,” said 13s captain Jonathan Mixon. “We rallied up and took the fourth quarter and I’m proud as hell of our boys.”

The other scheduled game between new expansion team the Pittsburgh Vipers and the Washington DC Slayers was postponed because the DC side couldn’t travel.

“We had everything lined up and ready to go, but they didn’t come because of unforeseen circumstances,” Pittsburgh captain Ken DeLucia told ARN.

Standings (unofficial):
Jacksonville Axemen (1-0) 5pts
New Haven Warriors (1-0) 5pts
New York Knights (1-0) 5pts
Aston DSC Bulls (1-0) 5pts
Philadelphia Fight (0-1) 1pt
Connecticut Wildcats (0-1) 1pt
Boston 13s (0-1) 0pts
Fairfax Eagles (0-1) 0pts
Pittsburgh Vipers (0-0) 0pts
Washington DC Slayers (0-0) 0pts
Northern Raiders (0-0) 0pts

www.americanrugbynews.com/artman ... wo_i.shtml

AMNRL Week Two
Posted in: Rugby League
By Brian Lowe
Jun 12, 2010 - 8:50:20 PM

Week Two of the American National Rugby League season produced blowouts and some closer encounters.

Winners included Aston, Fairfax, Philadelphia and Jacksonville.

The Aston DSC Bulls made it two from two by beating the Washington DC Slayers 32-22.

The Slayers earned a bonus point for scoring four tries even though they came out on the wrong side of the ledger.

“It’s better than what I expected,” Aston's former Queensland State of Origin utility back Daniel Wagon told ARN when asked about the standard of the game stateside. “In another couple of weeks I’ll be match fit.”

Wagon was playing just his second match in the US. He scored a try on debut last week and played well again Saturday.

New expansion team the Pittsburgh Vipers traveled to Virginia with only 14 players where they played their first ever game against the Fairfax Eagles and came off second best going down 80-4. Steven Karlovec scored their first and only points.

The Vipers played hard through the first quarter, but their inexperience was the big difference.

For the Eagles, John Young scored a hat-trick, while American-born prop Phantom Prompol turned in a solid performance in just his second game of rugby league.

“We didn’t play well last week and it all kind of came together today,” said Fairfax president Steve Grant.

Further north in Boston, the hometown 13s put up another good showing although it wasn’t enough to stop 2009 Grand Finalists the Jacksonville Axemen from notching their second straight W with a 34-16 victory.

And the Philadelphia Fight bounced back from their narrow loss to the Bulls last week by shutting out the Northern Raiders 76-0.

The Fight racked up 14 tries, including doubles by Patrick Quirk, James Brunson, Brad Kielinski and James Perry, plus singles to Tim Kilminster, Sal Ranniello, Phil Shipos, Zack Padgett, Nathan Roach and Rich Henson. Michael Princic was 10-for-13 on conversions.

Philly captain Kielinski was voted MVP for showing strong leadership on defense and for continuously breaking the line on attack.

“It was a fine effort by the lads,” Fight coach Peter Illfield told ARN. “We’re on the improve with the new guys on the team and our attacking skills will only improve in the next week or two.”

The New Haven Warriors are scheduled to host defending AMNRL champs the New York Knights on Sunday.

Standings (unofficial):
Jacksonville Axemen (2-0) 10pts
Aston DSC Bulls (2-0) 10pts
Philadelphia Fight (1-1) 6pts
New Haven Warriors (1-0) 5pts
New York Knights (1-0) 5pts
Fairfax Eagles (1-1) 5pts
Washington DC Slayers (0-1) 1pt
Connecticut Wildcats (0-1) 1pt
Pittsburgh Vipers (0-1) 0pts
Northern Raiders (0-1) 0pts
Boston 13s (0-2) 0pts

www.americanrugbynews.com/artman ... wo_i.shtml

AMNRL Week Two
Posted in: Rugby League
By Brian Lowe
Jun 12, 2010 - 8:50:20 PM

Week Two of the American National Rugby League season produced blowouts and some closer encounters.

Winners included Aston, Fairfax, Philadelphia and Jacksonville.

The Aston DSC Bulls made it two from two by beating the Washington DC Slayers 32-22.

The Slayers earned a bonus point for scoring four tries even though they came out on the wrong side of the ledger.

“It’s better than what I expected,” Aston's former Queensland State of Origin utility back Daniel Wagon told ARN when asked about the standard of the game stateside. “In another couple of weeks I’ll be match fit.”

Wagon was playing just his second match in the US. He scored a try on debut last week and played well again Saturday.

New expansion team the Pittsburgh Vipers traveled to Virginia with only 14 players where they played their first ever game against the Fairfax Eagles and came off second best going down 80-4. Steven Karlovec scored their first and only points.

The Vipers played hard through the first quarter, but their inexperience was the big difference.

For the Eagles, John Young scored a hat-trick, while American-born prop Phantom Prompol turned in a solid performance in just his second game of rugby league.

“We didn’t play well last week and it all kind of came together today,” said Fairfax president Steve Grant.

Further north in Boston, the hometown 13s put up another good showing although it wasn’t enough to stop 2009 Grand Finalists the Jacksonville Axemen from notching their second straight W with a 34-16 victory.

And the Philadelphia Fight bounced back from their narrow loss to the Bulls last week by shutting out the Northern Raiders 76-0.

The Fight racked up 14 tries, including doubles by Patrick Quirk, James Brunson, Brad Kielinski and James Perry, plus singles to Tim Kilminster, Sal Ranniello, Phil Shipos, Zack Padgett, Nathan Roach and Rich Henson. Michael Princic was 10-for-13 on conversions.

Philly captain Kielinski was voted MVP for showing strong leadership on defense and for continuously breaking the line on attack.

“It was a fine effort by the lads,” Fight coach Peter Illfield told ARN. “We’re on the improve with the new guys on the team and our attacking skills will only improve in the next week or two.”

The New Haven Warriors are scheduled to host defending AMNRL champs the New York Knights on Sunday.

Standings (unofficial):
Jacksonville Axemen (2-0) 10pts
Aston DSC Bulls (2-0) 10pts
Philadelphia Fight (1-1) 6pts
New Haven Warriors (1-0) 5pts
New York Knights (1-0) 5pts
Fairfax Eagles (1-1) 5pts
Washington DC Slayers (0-1) 1pt
Connecticut Wildcats (0-1) 1pt
Pittsburgh Vipers (0-1) 0pts
Northern Raiders (0-1) 0pts
Boston 13s (0-2) 0pts