The Dallas Jackals‘ inaugural season continues to show promise; however, the newest member of the Major League Rugby organization has yet to earn a victory.
The Jackals bounced back from a crushing defeat last week to keep the match against the Houston Sabercats competitive and even briefly held the lead in the game. Nonetheless, they left the field having lost 31-6.
Houston scored an early try but failed to convert the kick to go up by five points over Dallas. The Jackals scored their first points of the match on a penalty kick to press within two points, then completed a second penalty kick to gain a one-point advantage.
The lead marks one of the only times in the season that the team has not been playing from behind, stirring hope for the franchise’s first victory.
Unfortunately for the Jackals, the six points in the match would be the total for the day, and Houston went on to score 26 unanswered to take the 31-6 victory.
The loss marks the third consecutive week of double-digit losses, but the team showed improvement after numerous starters were injured in an off-field accident before the April 9 loss to Los Angeles.
Dallas started Augusto Bohme and Charlie Hola for the second week in a row. They were brought in to fill in for players injured in the March 20 incident that involved a walkway collapse. Hola was traded to Dallas from NOLA Gold, while Bohme is on a short-term loan to the Jackals.
Also starting this week was recently-acquired Asa Carter, who comes to the Jackals on a trade with the Austin Gilgronis. Carter was the 20th overall draft pick in the 2021 Major league Rugby draft. The Jackals also added Campbell Robinson from the Austin Gilgronis Academy team in a trade executed on April 1; however, Robinson did not play against Houston.
The match against Houston is the first time this season that the Jackals have failed to score at least one try, but the lack of a score did not dissuade the team from playing a physical match.
Saturday was the second meeting between the teams. The first match, on February 19, was the closest margin of defeat the Jackals have managed this season, losing with a score of 38-33.
Conrado Roura returned to the lineup after being injured in the March 20 incident; however, the Jackals’ primary kicker Adriaan Carelse did not play against Houston.
The Jackals are currently dealing with numerous on- and off-field injuries that have led to significant shuffling of the starting lines. A lack of consistency in both starting lineup and replacements is likely a primary factor in the team’s recent scoring slump.
The next match for the Dallas Jackals will be a home game against the Austin Gilgronis at Chocktaw Stadium. Dallas played the season-opener against Austin, suffering a crucial 43-7 defeat.
In all, the Jackals have lost nine straight games and are in last place in the Division. Only one other MLR team has yet to win a match this season — Old Glory DC, who Dallas will face on April 23.