MLR 2024: Miami Sharks vs Dallas Jackals

Miami head home to host Dallas on Saturday in search of back-to-back wins for the first time after last week’s bonus point victory in New Orleans. The Jackals return to action from a bye week, with their last outing also a success with a one-point result over Utah in Arlington.

CURRENT STANDINGS

2-5-0 (W1) East 5th

3-4-0 (W1) West 4th

LINEUP CHANGES

1 Rob Evans replaces Jonas Petrakopoulos
3 Tevita Sole replaces Reinaldo Piussi
7 Dan Pryor replaces Roelof Smit
17 Jonas Petrakopoulous replaces Tevita Sole
19 David Beach replaces Michael Etete
20 Roelof Smit replaces Josh McAdam

4 Jerónimo Gómez Vara replaces Sam Golla
10 Martín Elías replaces Nazareno Valentini
11 Jason Tidwell replaces Vaughen Isaacs (No15 vs Utah)
23 Joeli Tikoisuva replaces Jason Tidwell

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(7) – Evans (Wales), Bonasso (USA), Ardao, Inciarte, Etcheverry (Uruguay), Videla (Chile), Grigg (Scotland)

(3) – Zeiss (Argentina), Richardson, Steeves (Canada)

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Kirby Myhill (HO), Reinaldo Piussi (TH), Tomás Cubelli (SH), Shane O’Leary (FH/FB)

– Liam Murray (LH), Sam Golla (LO), Pedro Imhoff (SH), Tomás Cubilla (CE), Vaughen Isaacs (FB)

NOTES

Miami have been hit with the loss of Reinaldo Piussi to a six-week suspension… the tighthead prop is the biggest man in Major League Rugby and has been hugely influential for the Sharks… Tevita Sole, on loan from New England, gets his first Miami start at No3
Dan Pryor returns after missing out on the NOLA game to captain the Sharks… regular club captain Tomás Cubelli remains sidelined leaving Tomás Inciarte at scrumhalf
Sam Golla is missing from a Dallas lineup for the first time since being drafted ahead of the 2023 campaign… Jerónimo Gómez Vara makes a timely return from an elbow injury to step in as captain, and will start at lock for the first time in his MLR career
the Jackals get a boost at flyhalf with the return of regular starter Martín Elías after a two-game absence… but will be without fullback Vaughen Isaacs… Connor Winchester drops back from center to cover with Tomás Malanos switching to the midfield
Jason Tidwell comes in on the wing for Dallas to make his first start in MLR… all eight of his previous appearances dating back to last season have come as a replacement

PREDICTION

Warm but windy weather is on the forecast which could favor the home side, who hold a significant height advantage at the lineout. The Jackals will fancy their chances at the scrum in Piussi’s absence, though they are missing regular loosehead Liam Murray. Of the two sides the visitors have been more consistent this season. Dallas are slight favorites on the road.

LINEUPS

MIAMI SHARKS
1 Rob Evans, 2 Sean McNulty, 3 Tevita Sole, 4 Rick Rose, 5 Stan van den Hoven, 6 Benjamín Bonasso, 7 Dan Pryor (capt.), 8 Manuel Ardao, 9 Tomás Inciarte, 10 Santiago Videla, 11 Michael Hand, 12 Nick Grigg, 13 Guiseppe du Toit, 14 Marcos Young, 15 Felipe Etcheverry

Replacements: 16 Alex Glover, 17 Jonas Petrakopoulos, 18 Alec McDonnell, 19 David Beach, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Damian Morley, 22 Chase Schor-Haskin, 23 Avery Oitomen

DALLAS JACKALS
1 Joaquín Horcada, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Jerónimo Gómez Vara (capt.), 5 Lucas Bur, 6 Ronan Foley, 7 Makeen Alikhan, 8 Sam Tuifua, 9 Juan-Dee Oliver, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Jason Tidwell, 12 Tomás Malanos, 13 Mitch Richardson, 14 Nic Benn, 15 Connor Winchester

Replacements: 16 Connor Grindal, 17 Tomás Bekerman, 18 Kyle Steeves, 19 Daemon Torres, 20 Ronnie McElligott, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Marques Fuala’au, 23 Joeli Tikoisuva

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, April 27
Venue: AutoNation Field, Fort Lauderdale
Kickoff: 19:30 local (16:30 Pacific, 18:30 Central)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 76°F (24°C), wind E 17-25mph (27-40km/h)
Broadcasts: Bally Sports Florida, KTXA, The Rugby Network