Toronto Arrows’ playoff hopes take a blow with 41-17 loss to Rugby New York

TORONTO — The Toronto Arrows’ playoff hopes took a blow Sunday in a 41-17 loss to Rugby New York in Major League Rugby play.

The Arrows trailed 24-7 after the first half on a sunny afternoon at York Lions Stadium with New York displaying some hard-nosed defence and free-flowing offence. Toronto scored 1src unanswered points after the break to cut into the lead but could not catch the New Yorkers.

Chris Brown and Lolani Faleiva scored tries for Toronto. Sam Malcolm kicked a conversion and a penalty and the Arrows got an automatic conversion for a try scored under the posts.

The 22-year-old Brown, who suffered a lower body injury in pre-season, was making his pro debut with the Arrows supply of scrum halves decimated by injury.

Ed Fidow scored two tries for New York with Kalolo Tuiloma, Jack Heighton, Dylan Fawsitt, Brendon O’Connor and Faaisu Fuatai adding singles. Heighton also booted three conversions.

The bonus-point win moved Rugby New York (8-4-src, 42 points) past Rugby ATL (8-4-src, 41 points) into second place in the Eastern Conference behind the New England Free Jacks (11-1-src, 52 points). Rugby ATL lost 44-26 on Saturday at the Utah Warriors.

Toronto (6-6-src, 3src points) remains in fourth place.

The top team in both the East and West receive