Gagiano scores in RWC debut

UCT’s JJ Gagiano made the Ikeys proud despite his US Eagles team’s heavy loss to Australia on Friday, when he scored his team’s only points and in fact the first and only try against Australia in the 2011 tournament so far.

The US Eagles who rested some of their charges after hard games against Ireland and Russia, did well in the first half to keep the score at 5:22 against the TriNations champions. But in the later stages of the second half the tempo of the game got to the Americans who conceded a total of 11 tries with the score at 67:5 at full time.

The Ikeys No.8 was left beaming after his try on RWC debut, picking up from the base of the scrum and working his way past Wallaby flank Rocky Elsom for well deserved points.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said the former Ikey Tigers skipper. “The ball just came my way. I was not thinking about it, it just worked.

“It was just a great experience,” he added. “It’s not often you get to play a side like Australia. But you make one mistake and they come at you.”