SFGG capitalized on Barbarians mistakes to claim a 24-0 halftime lead and win the RSL opener for both teams at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park 31-17.

 On a snowy and drizzling day at expansive Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, San Francisco Golden Gate took advantage of Denver Barbarians’ errors early and often to bolt to a 24-0 halftime lead and never looked back.  The Barbarians 2nd half effort brought them 3 tries and held a fading SFGG to 1 more try.  However, Denver fell short of a bonus point and will surely regret their first half handling errors that kept them under pressure from SFGG and gifted a try to the Bay Area side on an interception late in the 1st half.  

The Barbarians kicked off and SFGG kicked to clear.  The Barbarians counterattacked from midfield.  Denver #10 Dan Power chipped over the top and on the chase was penalized from pulling back a SFGG pursuer.  Jone Naqica pushed a 48 meter penalty kick wide a few minutes later.  

The Barbarians sent a long drop kick from their 22-meter line and SFGG counter attacked to inside the Barbarian half where Denver was penalized for a hand in the ruck.  Barbarian hooker Andy Post was binned for this infraction.  SFGG kicked to the corner and won the lineout and attacked left, where the Barbarians stopped the attack when defensive pressure caused a turnover.  The Barbarians scrum from their 5-meter line was driven and SFGG was awarded the reset scrum.  From that scrum 5-meters out, SFGG attacked wide right and Denver’s defense did not push out, placing wing Jodie Kramer defending a 2 on 1.  Wing Arona Palomo broke the line and touched down.  Naqica’s kick was good.  At 10 minutes, SFGG 7, Barbarians 0.    

At 12 minutes, Denver’s Power pushed a 22-meter penalty kick wide.  

The lead was extended the lead to 10 – 0 when SFGG’s attack stalled at the Denver 5-meter line following the restart and Denver was penalized.  Naqica converted the short penalty.  At 18 minutes, SFGG 10, Barbarians 0.  

The Barbarians returned to full strength and SFGG’s Palomo was yellow-carded at 29 minutes.   However, it was SFGG who scored next.  The Barbarians attacked with their man advantage into SFGG territory but again turned over the ball.  SFGG countered and took the ball wide, where hooker Chris Biller put Pulu through a tight gap on Pulu’s perfectly timed run for a 50-meter dash for pay dirt.  Naqica converted.  At 34 minutes, SFGG 17, Barbarians 0.

The Barbarians’ woes were not to end.  Trying to get back in the match quickly and mounting an attack on undermanned SFGG, flyhalf Power sent a long skip pass wide left, which was intercepted near midfield by Milemoto Pulu who went the distance to score.  Naqica converted.  SFGG 24, Barbarians 0.  SFGG had scored 10 points when the Barbos had a man in the sin bin and 14 when SFGG had a man in the sin bin.  

To their credit, Denver shrugged off their disappointment and exerted pressure on SFGG the remainder of the second half, but SFGG’s defense held down a man.  Shortly before halftime, Barbarian captain Nic Johnson declined a penalty kick from center field 22-meters out and ran the ball, attempting to get the Barbarians back in the match.  The attack fell short with a turnover and SFGG kicked to touch to end the first half.

In the first half, the Barbarians struggled to find a solid connection between their halfbacks, with new #9 Matt Trenary given an early hook at 20 minutes and Power being moved to fullback in the 2nd half after his handling errors continued.  Versatile Maximo De Acheval, who started at inside center was shifted to scrumhalf for the remainder of the match after Trenary left.  Taylor Howden came into the first receiver for Denver in the second half and the Barbarians became much more dangerous in attack.

Denver’s Johnson took the second half kickoff and ran at the SFGG backs, breaking the defense.  Denver recycled the ball several times and marched into SFGG’s half.  From a penalty inside SFGG’s 22 meter line, the Barbarians kicked to the corner.  Denver won the ensuing 5-meter lineout and mauled to the try zone, where they were awarded a penalty try (to #8 Johnson).  Power converted.  At 45 minutes, SFGG 24, Barbarians 7.

SFGG came right back.  They kicked deep behind the Denver wing and pressured.  Eventually, Denver mishandled and from a SFGG scrum 10 meters out, Naqica beat his opposite to break the line.  Denver’s defense responded and corralled Naqica, but he off-loaded to for a try.  At 56 minutes, SFGG 31, Barbarians 7.

The two packs had slugged it out for the entire match, with each set of forwards having their moments in the sun.  But for most of the second half Denver had the ascendancy. Quality possession permitted Howden, now at #10, to launch the Barbarian backs and for the remainder of the match, Denver placed the SFGG defense under pressure.  Between 65-68 minutes the Barbarians had a long possession in deep inside SFGG territory.  A series of pick and jams inside the 5-meters took Denver to the goal line, where replacement Aaron Latzke was yellow-carded in preventing a try.  However, on the restart SFGG held, cleared, and the considerable Barbarian efforts went for naught.

After the kickoff, the two sides exchanged kicks, with SFGG’s kick a beauty to deep behind the Barbarians’ defense.  Howden went back and made an over the shoulder catch under pressure for a mark at the Denver 5-meter line.  He quickly quick tapped and counter-attacked.  Denver’s fullback Power put a chip over the SFGG defense.  De Acheval got to the ball and chipped again and chased.  The SFGG back three failed to cover and their lone defender lost the battle for the ball with De Acheval, who chipped again to the try zone and covered for the try.  Power’s conversion failed.  At 75 minutes, SFGG 31, Barbarians 12.

Denver had one more try in them.  From the kick-off, the Barbarians broke the defense and chipped to the Barbarian 10-meter line, where wing Kramer drove the SFGG receiver to touch.  Kramer sent a quick lineout to a team mate and the Barbarians resumed the attack.  The ball was eventually sent through multiple Barbo hands to the right wing Phil Bolton.  Bolton turned the corner on his opposite and sprinted down the right touch line, where the SFGG cover defense headed him off.  Bolton passed inside to center Mike Graham, who bulled into the corner for the try.  De Acheval missed a quick drop kick conversion from the corner and Denver retreated to receive another kickoff with the hope of getting one more try and a bonus point.  At 78 minutes, SFGG 31, Barbarians 17.

SFGG kicked off and Denver attacked back.  A loose Barbarian kick did not find space, SFGG took possession, and time expired.  

SFGG took care of the ball better than did Denver, punished the Barbarians for their mistakes, played stout defense at crucial times, and were hugely opportunistic.  Their scrum put Denver under pressure early in the match and at critical times in the second half, when the Barbarians were getting momentum.  Denver looked dangerous when they were not their own worst enemy.  Their defense was very solid in the second half, giving up only a second half try when a great individual move by SFGG’s Naqica broke Denver’s sound structure.  The lack of match play and the difficult weather conditions (light snow at kick-off, warming to a cold drizzle) proved difficult for both teams, but SFGG’s handling in the conditions proved to be a huge difference-maker.  Both sides will have learned a lot about themselves today and SFGG took an important road win.

The Barbarians travel to San Diego to take on Old Mission Beach Athletic Club next Saturday.  SFGG has a bye weekend next week.  


DENVER BARBARIANS:  1  Chris Moreno 2 Andrew Post (Moreno blood sub and at 70 minutes, 3 Josh Masek (Adam Ullrich at 60 minutes), 4 Adam Drury, 5 Mike Mangan (Meininger at 51 minutes), 6 Garrett Peterson (Dan O’Kane at 70 minutes), 7 Justin Stencil, 8 Nic Johnson (Dan O’Kane for blood), 9 Matt Trenary (Jake Humphrey at 20 minutes, Humphrey to #13, De Acheval to #9, Graham to #12), 10 Dan Power, 11 Jody Kramer, 12 Maximo De Acheval, 13 Mike Graham, 14 Phil Bolton, 15 Taylor Howden, 16 Rob Moreno, 17 Adam Ullrich, 18  Dan O’Kane, 19 Paul Mumford, 20 Travis Meidinger, 21 Jake Humphrey, 22 Ben Haapapuro.

Head Coach:  Stephen Hazel

Scoring:  17

Tries:  Johnson, De Acheval, Graham
Penalties:  none
Conversion:  Power

Yellow cards:  Post

SAN FRANCISCO GOLDEN GATE:  1  Jason Bowden, 2 Mark Biller, 3 Paul Fukofuka,  4 Nick Johnson, 5 John Thomas, 6 Daniel La Prevotte, 7 Eoin Sheeran, 8 Samuela Manoa, 9 Mose Timeteo, 10 Jone Naqica, 11 Arona “Seta” Palamo, 12 Milemoto Pulu, 13 Tevita Okusi, 14 Hector Quiles, 15 Jeffrey Colata, 16 Samimone Lauaupalueau, 17 Josh Vavao, 18 Albert Tuipolotu, 19 Aaron Latzke, 20 Martin Cole, 21 Damian Fatognia, 22 Shaun Paga.  Replacement statistics not available.

Head Coach:  Paul Keeler

Tries:  Pulu 2, Palomo 1, unknown 1
Penalties:  Naqica
Conversions: Naqica 4

Yellow cards:  Palomo, Latzke

Referee:  Tim Luscombe

Attendance at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park:  700