Fly half Malcom does it all in Arrows' win over the Hounds

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — The Toronto Arrows can thank Sam Malcolm for their first victory of the Major League Rugby season.

The 27-year-old fly half from New Zealand accounted for all of Toronto's points in a 27-26 win over the expansion Chicago Hounds at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday night.

And the Arrows vice-captain collected the points haul in every way, scoring two tries and kicking four penalties and a conversion before booting a 78th-minute drop goal to seal the win.

Malcolm's first try, in the 13th minute, capped a sweeping move highlighted by wing Mitch Richardson retrieving his own chip kick before offloading to Malcolm in the tackle.

Malcolm, Toronto's all-time points leader, was in the right place at the right time again in the 23rd minute to gather Tautalatasi Tasi's offload at the goal-line. The score came with Arrows captain Lucas Rumball in the sin-bin.

Toronto (1-2-0) trailed 20-15 at the half. Both teams had players sent to the sin-bin in the second half — centre Noel Reid for the Arrows and flanker Maclean Jones for Chicago.

Canadian international hooker Lindsey Stevens started for Chicago (0-3-0).

Toronto visits Old Glory D.C. (1-2-0) next Saturday. The Arrows play their first six games of the season on the road before hosting the defending champion New York Ironworkers on April 8 at York Lions Stadium.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2023