MLR 2024: NOLA Gold vs Miami Sharks

A new Southern rivalry begins on Saturday when NOLA welcome the Miami Sharks to The Gold Mine. Both teams enter on losing skids, with the home side falling to the Legion in San Diego last week and the visitors coming up well short against the Free Jacks in Boston.

CURRENT STANDINGS

3-3-0 (L2) East 3rd

1-5-0 (L2) East 5th

LINEUP CHANGES

3 Isaac Salmon replaces James Irey
7 Jonah Mau’u replaces Callum Botchar (No4 vs San Diego)
8 OJ Noa replaces Osaiasi Tonga’uiha
10 Reece Botha replaces Dorian Jones
14 Ross Depperschmidt replaces Ed FIdow (injury)
17 Jarred Adams replaces Trent Rogers
19 Callum Botchar replaces Maciu Koroi
20 Fintan Coleman replaces Ale Lopeti
21 Osaiasi Tonga’uiha replaces Reece Botha
22 Sebastiano Villani replaces Damian Stevens
23 Nick Feakes replaces Ross Depperschmidt

2 Sean McNulty replaces Kirby Myhill
3 Reinaldo Piussi replaces Alec McDonnell
6 Roelof Smit replaces Tomás Casares
8 Manuel Ardao replaces Dan Pryor
10 Santiago Videla replaces Matías Freyre (No15 vs New England)
11 Michael Hand replaces Avery Oitomen
13 Guiseppe du Toit replaces Tomás Cubelli (No9 vs New England)
16 Alex Glover replaces Sean McNulty
17 Alec McDonnell replaces Rob Evans
23 Avery Oitomen replaces Guiseppe du Toit

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(7) – Harmon, M Tonga’uiha (USA), Böhme (Chile), Noa, Iona (Samoa), Fife (Scotland), Botchar (Canada)

(8) – Piussi, Ardao, Inciarte, Etcheverry (Uruguay), Bonasso (USA), Videla (Chile), Grigg (Scotland), du Toit (Canada)

CLUB DEBUTS

(0) – n/a

(1) – Michael Hand*

* – MLR debut

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Sean Paranihi (TH), Cam Dolan (LO/N8), Jordan Jackson-Hope (CE), Ed Fidow (WI)

– Rob Evans (LH), Kirby Myhill (HO), Dan Pryor (FL), Tomás Cubelli (SH), Shane O’Leary (FH/FB)

NOTES

NOLA welcome back OJ Noa and Jarred Adams from suspension, with Isaac Salmon and Jonah Mau’u returning from injury to boost the pack
Sean Paranihi serves the second of his four-week suspension, while Ed Fidow joins Cam Dolan and Jordan Jackson-Hope on the Gold sidelines with a lower leg injury
Nick Feakes is ready for his first appearance of 2024… the versatile back and former Collegiate All-American spent four seasons with NOLA before playing with New York last year
Uruguayan internationals Reinaldo Piussi and Manuel Ardao are back for Miami after a two-game absence… Ardao captains the side for the first time… they join fellow World Cup Teros Tomás Inciarte and Felipe Etcheverry in the Sharks lineup
Inciarte again moves into the scrumhalf spot with Tomas Cubelli absent… meanwhile Etcheverry moves to fullback with Chilean utility back Santiago Videla starting at No10 for the first time in Sharks colors… he has played flyhalf many times for the Cóndores
Michael Hand is set for his MLR debut after joining the Sharks on loan from Chicago… he was a USA u20 select in 2020 and has also played for the USA Sevens development side
Chase Schor-Haskin was on the books for NOLA in 2022 but played only one game due to his Eagles Sevens commitments… he had no MLR appearances last season

PREDICTION

Neither team are in great form at the moment. Miami managed only 5 points against the Free Jacks last week, and have reshuffled their backline. Piussi and Ardao are a big boost for the Sharks but the Gold are also lifted with four key forwards back in the picture. After two straight second-half letdowns, the Gold will be determined not to let this game slip away. NOLA are slight favorites at home.

LINEUPS

NOLA GOLD
1 Matt Harmon, 2 Augusto Böhme, 3 Isaac Salmon, 4 Malcolm May, 5 William Waguespack, 6 Moni Tonga’uiha (capt.), 7 Jonah Mau’u, 8 OJ Noa, 9 Luke Campbell, 10 Reece Botha, 11 Taniela Filimone, 12 Rodney Iona, 13 JP du Plessis, 14 Ross Depperschmidt, 15 Dougie Fife

Replacements: 16 Pat O’Toole, 17 Jarred Adams, 18 Sam Klimkowski, 19 Callum Botchar, 20 Fintan Coleman, 21 Osaiasi Tonga’uiha, 22 Sebastiano Villani, 23 Nick Feakes

MIAMI SHARKS
1 Jonas Petrakopoulos, 2 Sean McNulty, 3 Reinaldo Piussi, 4 Rick Rose, 5 Stan van den Hoven, 6 Roelof Smit, 7 Benjamín Bonasso, 8 Manuel Ardao (capt.), 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 Alec McDonnell, 18 Tevita Sole, 19 Michael Etete, 20 Chase Schor-Haskin, 21 Damian Morley, 22 Josh McAdam, 23 Avery Oitomen

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, April 20
Venue: The Gold Mine, Metairie
Kickoff: 15:00 local (13:00 Pacific, 16:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sun and cloud, 82°F (28°C), wind SE 9-13mph (14-21km/h)
Broadcasts: Bally Sports Florida, YurView Louisiana, The Rugby Network