The Toronto Arrows brought pro rugby downtown on Sunday, delivering a nail-biter in a 23-19 victory over the San Diego Legion.
Steven Ng’s 79th-minute try capped the comeback at Lamport Stadium, ending the Legion’s six-game unbeaten streak in Major League Rugby play.
“My first try of the season. No other way to do it than a game-winner,” Ng, a 21-year-old hooker from Ottawa, said with a wide smile.
The two teams exchanged the lead late in the game.
Trailing 12-9, Toronto went up a man in the 65th minute when San Diego scrum half Nate Augspurger was sin-binned for a high tackle. The Arrows took advantage immediately, with Uruguayan international Leandro Leivas crossing the line in the 67th minute.
Sam Malcolm coolly slotted the conversion for a 16-12 lead.
San Diego (9-3-1) answered quickly, driving down the field and scoring via Joe Pietersen off a scrum in front of the post. His conversion gave the Legion a 19-16 lead.
The Arrows raced back, winning the ball off a San Diego lineout deep in the Legion end. Then San Diego replacement prop Aaron Mitchell was called in the 77th minute, this time for a professional foul in deliberately slowing down the play
Toronto (7-5-0) opted for the scrum in front of the posts and Ng bulled his way over with Malcolm’s conversion making it 23-19, good for the Arrows’ third-straight win.