Walsh Takss Hard-Hitting Affair Over Notre Dame
Walsh Takss Hard-Hitting Affair Over Notre Dame
Walsh University hosted University of Notre Dame Friday night in North Canton, OH and the Cavaliers opened their season with a well-taken victory over the Fighting Irish.
The scoreline, 38-17, doesn’t quite tell the story, as Notre Dame tested Walsh repeatedly.
Some hard running from the Walsh front row set up an early attack that saw Notre Dame drift offside. Fullback Jake Tolhoek slotted the kick and Walsh led 3-0.
After a rather tough not-straight call on a Notre Dame lineout, Walsh took the gift by working the weak side. Prop Tanner Smith thundered on, the back row came in to scoop up his offload, and after wing Aya Mkhokeli came close, flanker Colton Weber finished it off.
Scrumhalf Elliott McKinney slotted the conversion from the sideline and it was 10-0.
But Notre Dame had some things going for them and with some impressive work from flanker Luke Ingle and a huge eightman pick and charge from Brendan Lucey, they were in Walsh territory. Lucey, however, Lucey picked up an injury that forced the forwards-thin Irish to slide scrumhalf Owen Portelli to flanker and bring on young Will Scariano at scrmhalf.
Still Notre Dame pressed on. Walsh was penalized multiple times in their 22, mostly for not rolling or offside, and eventually referee Rachael Mcgrail had had enough and awarded Notre Dame a penalty try.
There followed a long period where neither team could get through a lineout or a scrum without a penalty or a free kick. Eventually it was Walsh that found points. During a fairly innocuous series center Josh Groudle set up Mkhokeli in space. He raced down the sideline, looked inside for support and found scrumhalf Elliot McKinney. He passed inside to flyhalf Clementé Aguirre and the #10 sped in to score under the posts. It was a superb try.
Some Confusion
Somehow the magic of that score depleted the game for a bit as the players on both sides decided to try kicking at the most inopportune moments. The result was a series of blocked kicks that saw possession switch repeatedly.
Ingle missed on two penalty attempts: one he pulled wide and would probably want back, and the other was from 50 meters and fell just under the bar.
The final part of the first half saw Walsh take control.
The forward, led by Smith at prop, thundered ahead and quick ball saw it sent wide to Mkhoheli for a try in the corner. Tolhoek converted from the sideline.
And then, stuck deep in their own 22, Walsh went wide. Mkhokeli eluded his opposite number and McKinney was there again for support, this time to put rouble through.
Kick good and it was 31-10 at halftime.
The Irish Fight
The second half was characterized by both teams playing desperate defense in their 22. Walsh started the period on the front foot looking to put the game away but skipper Andrew LaFrankie’s Fighting Irish played tough in front of their tryline.
So the Irish got out of it and quickly were threatening. Walsh flew up in defense and worked hard to prevent quick ball for the Irish. Perhaps too hard. A series of not rolling penalties got them another yellow card.
Notre Dame’s lineout woes continued as Walsh challenged them well, and that prevent the Irish from taking advantage. Meanwhile, Walsh was blitzing whenever they were sure who the first receive was, giving the Irish little time to create anything.
After opting to tap on a penalty near the Walsh line, Notre Dame found themselves backed up 12 meters from the defensive pressure. But again the Cavaliers didn’t roll, and again they saw yellow. Down to 13 players Walsh continued to fight on.
Notre Dame caught a bit of a break as a kick to touch on a penalty was knocked dead by Walsh. The Irish got a scurm-five, and then a penalty, and finally off a tap move the forwards crashed it over. Conversion good and it was 31-17.
Notre Dame attacked hard after that and with flyhalf Phillip Guinan making plays and Lucey back on the field to help, they produced some scoring chances, but Walsh didn’t back down even when penalized.
Then it was Notre Dame’s turn. Under the cosh the Irish fought well and somehow didn’t give up a try when it looked for all the world like Walsh would score.
It wasn’t until the end of the game that they did. Notre Dame had a lineout in their end but again it didn’t quite go to plan.
The Fighting Irish retained somewhat sloppy ball, and went wide. Walsh swarmed in, the ball hit the deck, and someone was there to pick up and score.
Conversion good from the sideline again and that’s how it ended, 38-17.
Notre Dame Head Coach Justin Hickey did have a couple of players left home due to injury, and so was a little thin in the forwards, but he got what he needed out of this game.
His team fronted up in impressive fashion against a Walsh side that hits very hard and doesn’t back down. What Hickey’s squad learned was that they could handle this intensity and still play rugby.
For Walsh, what they unleashed was a team with a style more identifiable with Head Coach Cornell Britz. Massive physical defense, hard-nosed forward play, and backs who are willing and able to produce some magic.
