It’s an all-West Coast clash in Carson on Sunday when Los Angeles rolls out the red carpet for Seattle. The home side are coming off a gutsy 22-all draw on the road against DC, while Seattle are riding a two-game win streak after narrowly getting past Dallas a week ago.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
1-3-1 (D1) West 6th
5-1-0 (W2) West 1st
| LINEUP CHANGES |
3 Conor Young replaces Alex Maughan
7 Max Katjijeko replaces Matt Heaton
8 Jason Damm rotates with 20 Michael Amiras
9 Niall Saunders rotates with 21 Tas Smith
13 Seth Purdey replaces Will Leonard (injury)
15 Austin White replaces Andrew Coe (No14 vs DC)
18 Sam Buckley replaces Conor Young
19 Liam Antrobus replaces Max Katjijeko
22 Matt Anticev replaces Seth Purdey
23 Sam Walsh replaces Austin White
3 Sam Matenga replaces Olive Kilifi
5 Jean Droste replaces Mahonri Ngakuru
6 Reid Davis rotates with 20 Pago Haini
9 JP Smith rotates with 21 Ryan Rees
10 Sam Windsor replaces Mack Mason
14 Toni Pulu replaces Lauina Futi
17 Kellen Gordon replaces Sam Matenga
22 David Busby replaces Sam Windsor
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(5) – Young, O’Gorman (Canada), Kunatani (Fiji), Katjijeko (Namibia), Damm (USA)
(6) – Wenglewski, Taufete’e, Hattingh, Rees (USA), Kuridrani (Australia), Rossouw (Namibia)
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(3) – Sam Buckley*, Liam Antrobus*, Matt Anticev*
(0) – n/a
* – MLR debut
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Alex Maughan (LH/TH), Wilton Rebolo (TH), Jurie van Vuuren (LO), Matt Heaton (FL), James Stokes (CE), Will Leonard (CE), Andrew Coe (WI)
– Cameron Orr (LH), Mahonri Ngakuru (LO), Huw Taylor (LO/FL), Mack Mason (FH)
| NOTES |
- a late change for LA sees vice-captain Matt Heaton dropping out with Max Katjijeko starting on the flank… Katjijeko was a teammate with Seattle fullback Divan Rossouw at the 2023 World Cup in France… both representing their home country of Namibia
- Sam Buckley, Liam Antrobus, and Matt Anticev are all set to make their MLR debuts from the bench… Buckley joins on loan from NOLA and was previously part of the Northampton Saints academy… Antrobus has arrived from Wales where he was playing for Cardiff Met University… Anticev, formerly of Dartmouth, was the 5th overall selection in the 2023 Collegiate Draft
- both Alex Maughan and Andrew Coe were suspended during the past week, Maughan for yellow card accumulation and Coe for foul play… Will Leonard is out with a broken finger but Jason Emery has shaken off a knee complaint to start in LA’s midfield
- both starting flyhalves are former New York players… LA’s Dan Hollinshead spent the 2021 season in the Big Apple… Seattle’s Sam Windsor was there for the past two seasons… other ex-New Yorkers taking part are Emery for LA and Seattle trio Chance Wenglewski, DaQuan Perry, and Pago Haini… LA center Seth Purdey played for NYAC during the off-season
- Kellen Gordon is set to make his first MLR appearance since 2022… he is one of the original Seawolves who was a regular in the title-winning campaigns of 2018 and 2019… the 35-year-old prop is a player-coach with the local Seattle Rugby Club
- David Busby should make his first appearance of the season as a replacement… the former Ireland u20 cap and 7s training squad member joined the Seawolves in 2020 and could qualify for the USA on residency in time for the 2025 season
| PREDICTION |
LA have shown some improvement in the past two games, defeating Utah at home before the come-from-behind tie with DC. Discipline cost them dearly against Old Glory with 5 cards handed out. The Seawolves were put to the test against the Jackals and while they ultimately got the win, they will be keen to put in a more convincing performance in California. Seattle are favorites on the road.
| LINEUPS |
RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Dane Zander, 2 Bruce Kauika-Petersen, 3 Conor Young, 4 Reegan O’Gorman, 5 Theo Vukasinovic, 6 Semi Kunatani, 7 Max Katjijeko, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Niall Saunders (capt.), 10 Dan Hollinshead, 11 Rory van Vugt, 12 Jason Emery, 13 Seth Purdey, 14 Jack Shaw, 15 Austin White
Replacements: 16 Ben Strang, 17 Lincoln Si’i, 18 Sam Buckley, 19 Liam Antrobus, 20 Michael Amiras, 21 Tas Smith, 22 Matt Anticev, 23 Sam Walsh
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Joe Taufete’e, 3 Sam Matenga, 4 Rhyno Herbst, 5 Jean Droste, 6 Reid Davis, 7 Charles Elton, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 Sam Windsor, 11 Jade Stighling, 12 Tevita Kuridrani, 13 Dan Kriel, 14 Toni Pulu, 15 Divan Rossouw
Replacements: 16 DaQuan Perry, 17 Kellen Gordon, 18 Dewald Donald, 19 Taylor Krumrei, 20 Pago Haini, 21 Ryan Rees, 22 David Busby, 23 Conner Mooneyham
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Sunday, April 14
Venue: Dignity Health Track Field, Carson
Kickoff: 15:00 local (18:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: mainly sunny, 59°F (15°C), wind SW 14-21mph (22-34km/h)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 2, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: George Myers (Australia)
Assistants: Marquise Goodwin (USA) & Will Nelson (USA)
TMO: Cam Russell (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (2) – Seattle 1, ATL 1, STREAK Seattle +1
2023-02-24 – Seattle Seawolves 28, Rugby ATL 22 (Starfire Stadium)
2021-05-23 – Seattle Seawolves 6, Rugby ATL 25 (Starfire Stadium)
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