Men's rugby dominated Indiana with the second side securing a 64-5 victory Saturday afternoon at the Track Complex, followed by a first XV shutout 45-0 Saturday evening at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles, Missouri.
How It Happened-First Side:
Right from the opening whistle, the Lions forward pack took control, driving the Hoosiers back with relentless force. Just four minutes into the match,
Chad Tinney capitalized on this early dominance with a powerful pick-and-go try, giving Lindenwood a 7-0 lead after a
Byron Forword conversion. Just eight minutes later, Forword showcased his dazzling footwork and sliced through the IU defense for another try. When he booted his second conversion of the day, the Lions led 14-0.
As the first half progressed, Lindenwood continued to control the match.
Jaryd de Jager scored in the 21
st minute and Forword once again delivered a perfect conversion, pushing the advantage to 21-0. Both sides battled fiercely for the remainder of the half, but the scoreline held steady.
Emerging from the break, the Lions showed renewed energy and quickly added to their tally when captain
Duncan Krige barreled through the Hoosiers defense to score another try just three minutes into the second half, extending the lead to 26-0.
With Lindenwood holding a comfortable lead and Indiana stifled, the intensity of the match briefly boiled over. The Lions received yellow cards in both the 51
st and 52
nd minutes, reducing them to just 13 men. This gave IU a flicker of hope as they sought to capitalize on the numerical advantage, but Lindenwood stood strong, resisting all of the Hoosiers advances for the next 10-minutes until returning to a full strength.
Once restored to 15 players, the Lions quickly extinguished any momentum Indiana had and pulled away. With his first carry of the day,
Jeremy Zwick stormed through for a try and Forword slotted the conversion for a 33-0 advantage.
Playing with several "finishers" in the line-up, Lindenwood continued to pressure the Hoosiers.
Luke Schaefer added to the score with a well-executed supporting line and a string of beautiful offloads in the 64
th minute. The conversion attempt from Forword was impeccable once again, extending the tally to 40-0.
Guillermo Bilbao delivered the final try of the match in the 79
th minute, securing a resounding 45-0 victory for the Lions.
Player Quotes:
Chad Tinney: "I was pleased with the way we performed on Saturday, given the small amount of time we have practiced together. The boys were hungry for a game. We still have a long way to go, but I'm very excited for the future with this talented group."
Jack Johnson: "It was exhilarating to get back on the pitch again. Thank you to the players and coaches of Indiana for giving us a good run. I can't wait to see how this season unfolds for us."
What's Next?
With two dominant wins to start the season, the Lions are brimming with confidence as they look ahead to their rescheduled game against Principia this Wednesday. Building off these commanding performances, the team is eager to continue their winning streak and set the tone for a successful season.
Scoring Summary:
Chad Tinney Followed by Mark Barbour
3' Lindenwood Try
Chad Tinney 5-0
4' Lindenwood Conversion
Byron Forword 7-0
12' Lindenwood Try
Byron Forword 12-0
13' Lindenwood Conversion
Byron Forword 14-0
21' Lindenwood Try
Jaryd de Jager 19-0
22' Lindenwood Conversion
Byron Forword 21-0
43' Lindenwood Try
Duncan Krige 26-0
51' Lindenwood yellow card
Giovanni Agostini
52' Lindenwood yellow card
Jack McAllister
61' Lindenwood Try
Jermey Zwick 31-0
62' Lindenwood Conversion
Byron Forword 33-0
64' Lindenwood Try
Luke Schaefer 38-0
65' Lindenwood Conversion
Byron Forword 40-0
79' Lindenwood Try
Guillermo Bilbao 45-0
Lineup:
