The Dallas Jackals traveled to Utah to take on the Warriors on March 5. Both teams entered the match without a win for 2022, but it was Utah that dominated the match and changed its record with a final score of 69-22. The Jackals were pummeled from the opening whistle and only managed two plays in Utah territory in the first half.
The Jackals’ first score in the game didn’t come until just after the 29-minute mark. The score was a three-point penalty kick that came on the team’s second foray into Warriors territory after Utah committed a knock-on near the Dallas try line. By the time the score came, Utah had already completed two tries.
Though the Warriors started strong, the Jackals seemed to be one or two steps behind throughout the game. Dallas missed several early opportunities to create changes of possession as Utah forwards repeatedly bobbled passes. The Jackals’ inability to shift the tide led to a staggering 29-3 half-time score.
The next time Dallas had an opportunity to score, the match was well out of hand. Eric Naposki playing out of the wing went mostly untouched for the try. Naposki had several breaks early in the match that showed promise, but his speed was not enough to overcome a stout defensive effort. The try put the score at 41-10 as the game approached the 57-minute mark.
When replacements for both teams came into the game, Dallas was granted additional opportunities for aggression, many of them squandered. A strong Jackals push near the 60-minute mark fell apart on a drop recovered by Utah’s Cliven Loubser at fly-half, who completed a pass to an on-sides and wide-open Niall Saunders to add to the Warriors lead.
Jackals center Ned Hodson added another try with a slippery running route and a bit of back and forth passing with Adrian Carelse that went under the post for an automatic try — rules state a team receives an automatic 7 points without the need to kick the attempt if the ball is down beneath the crossbar.
Unfortunately for Jackals fans, the automatic try would be the last score of the game. Utah added two additional tries, including one out of the scrum from Mika Kruse, who also had a score in the first half on a well-positioned drop kick.
The Jackals conceded a total of 12 penalties and suffered 86 breakdowns compared to five and 78, respectively, for the Warriors. The final score of 69 for the Warriors marks the most points the Jackals have surrendered this season.
Dallas will look for its first victory again on March 12, when the team returns to Choctaw Stadium in Arlington for a match against NOLA Gold. NOLA collected its first win of the season this weekend against the Seattle Seawolves with a nail-biting score of 25-24.
Dallas is the last winless team in the Eastern Conference. In the Western Conference, Old Glory DC is also 0-5, the only other winless team remaining this season.
