In a tightly contested battle, NOLA Gold came up just short against the Houston SaberCats, falling 17-15 in a match defined by momentum swings and tough defensive stands. Despite moments of brilliance, handling errors proved costly in the Gold’s narrow defeat.
NOLA Gold opened the scoring early in the first half, with Nikolai Foliaki breaking through the defense to score the first try of the game. Luke Carty followed with a successful conversion, giving the Gold a 7-0 lead. Houston quickly answered back with a try of their own, cutting the lead to 7-5.
Jay Tuivati lit up the field with a stunning try in the 26th minute, breaking through with a powerful stiff arm — but unfortunately, it was called back.
Later in the half, NOLA electrified the crowd as Ruben de Haas turned a defensive stand into a highlight-reel moment, sprinting the length of the field for a stunning 100-meter try. Although the conversion was missed, the Gold extended their lead to 12-5.
The SaberCats responded with two unanswered tries, swinging momentum, and taking a 17-12 lead. NOLA remained within striking distance thanks to a well-placed penalty kick from Luke Carty, making it 17-15.
The final stages of the match saw NOLA push for a comeback, but repeated handling errors stalled their attacking rhythm and ultimately prevented them from taking the lead back.
Despite the loss, NOLA Gold earned a crucial bonus point for keeping the final margin within seven points and showed plenty of determination throughout the match.
NOLA Gold will look to bounce back next weekend as they return home to play the Seattle Seawolves on April 27th at 3:00 PM CT.
Tickets for the game, including season tickets and individual match-day tickets, are available now. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 504-507-8429 (504-50-RUGBY) or visiting nolagoldrugby.com. Matchday tickets start at just $25.
Don’t miss out on the action—get your tickets now and cheer on NOLA GOLD at their next home match!
