In an early meeting of two top teams in Washington, the Eastside Lions defeated the Rainier Highlanders in a thriller.
Eastside struck first, setting the tone just five minutes in when tighthead prop Peleki Vuatalevu, a wrecking ball in contact, jackled at the breakdown before rumbling 10 meters forward. Two quick rucks later, captain Lewis Chambers took matters into his own hands, crashing over for the opening score. Flyhalf Jerry Fleming added the extras for a 7-0 Eastside lead.
The Lions’ joy was short-lived. Just three minutes later, Vuatalevu was forced from the field with a shoulder injury, leaving a noticeable hole in the Eastside scrum. Rainier seized the moment, surging downfield and forcing a penalty inside the 22. Opting for the lineout, they built through the phases before their hard-running center Teu Kongaika smashed over. Kooper Tasler’s conversion squared things at 7-7.
Fierce First Half and a Flashpoint
The first half saw both teams hurl themselves into tackles with unrelenting intensity. The defining moment came just before the break when Rainier No. 8 Dillon Titialli was shown a red card. That certainly hurt the Highlanders. The Lions capitalized immediately—Fleming, reading the fringe defense like a book, sniped from the base of a ruck to dart over from five meters out. He coolly slotted the conversion to give Eastside a 14-7 halftime lead.
Second-Half Fireworks
Eastside wasted no time extending their advantage after the restart. Building from a strong forward drive, they spun the ball wide to fullback William Rasileka, who finished clinically in the corner. The conversion drifted wide, but at 19-7, the Lions looked in control.
Rainier, though, had other ideas. Showing resilience, they clawed back territory, and when Eastside were pinged for offside, Tasler stepped up. Reading the swirling wind to perfection, he sent a beautifully judged penalty over the bar. 19-10.
Sensing a shift, Rainier launched wave after wave of attack, their efforts rewarded when Eastside’s No. 7, Abood, saw yellow for a cynical ruck infringement. Smelling blood, the Highlanders turned the screw, and their flying winger Jerry Motokana delivered, finishing expertly in the corner. Unfazed by the angle, Tasler nailed the conversion to make it 19-17.
