MLR 2024: San Diego Legion vs Utah Warriors

It’s another ‘originals’ match-up for San Diego on Sunday when they host the Warriors at Snapdragon Stadium. The Legion are on a roll with five wins on the trot and are now second only to Seattle in the Western Conference standings. Utah have yet to find their rhythm and a late score cost them victory against the Jackals in Arlington last week.

CURRENT STANDINGS

5-1-0 (W5) West 2nd

2-4-0 (L1) West 5th

LINEUP CHANGES

1 Payton Telea-Ilalio replaces Faka’osi Pifeleti
2 Chris Mickelson replaces Hugh Roach
13 Tiaan Loots rotates with 23 Ethan Grayson
14 Matai Leuta replaces Tomas Aoake
15 Mikey Te’o replaces Marcel Brache
18 Luke Green replaces Oliver Kane
20 Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi replaces Chris Mickelson
22 Alex Horan replaces Chris Mattina (injury)

15 Caleb Makene replaces Spencer Jones (No13 vs Dallas)
20 Bailey Wilson replaces Louis Conradie
23 Alesana Pohla replaces Sione Mahe (injury)

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(9) – Peterson, Helu, Tameilau, James, Leuta, Te’o, Sylvia (USA), Cowan (Scotland), Nonu (New Zealand)

(10) – MacLellan, Jensen, Tu’avao, Mano, Lasike, Kruse, Mullen, Wilson (USA), Havili (Tonga), Povey (Canada)

CLUB DEBUTS

(1) – Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi*

(0) – n/a

* – MLR debut

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Faka’osi Pifeleti (LH), Hugh Roach (HO), Isaac Ross (LO), Christian Poidevin (FL), Tupou Afungia (FL/N8), Matt Giteau (FH), Marcel Brache (CE/FB), Tomas Aoake (WI)

– Spencer Jones (CE)

NOTES

Chris Mickelson gets his first MLR start with Hugh Roach given the week off… Mickelson represented his home country of Australia in last year’s u20 Oceania Championship… Cyrille Cama will cover hooker for the Legion after being a reserve flanker for the last 3 games
Mikey Te’o will play fullback for the first time since Week 2… vice-captain Marcel Brache has been wearing the No15 shirt since then with Te’o used on the wing… Brache will sit this game out, the first Legion selection of the season without him in the lineup
Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi has another chance to make his full pro debut… the 19-year-old loose forward was an unused replacement against Seattle in Week 1
Utah have made just one personnel change to their lineup… vice-captain Caleb Makene returns after a three-game absence… Michael Manson shifts to the right wing with Mika Kruse starting at outside centre… Spencer Jones is the odd man out
it’s an identical Warriors pack this week with the only alteration on the bench… regular club captain Bailey Wilson returns to the squad at the expense of Louis Conradie

PREDICTION

The Legion are unbeaten since their opening round defeat to the Seawolves. While they haven’t looked impervious, they are confident and the strength of their bench has earned three straight come-from-behind wins. Utah have been competitive but their lineout has struggled and they haven’t looked convincing since the Week 2 win over Chicago. San Diego are clear favorites at home.

LINEUPS

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Payton Telea-Ilalio, 2 Chris Mickelson, 3 Darcy Breen, 4 Jay Tuivaiti, 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Vili Helu, 7 Blair Cowan (capt.), 8 Tevita Tameilau, 9 Connor Tupai, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 11 Ryan James, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 13 Tiaan Loots, 14 Matai Leuta, 15 Mikey Te’o

Replacements: 16 Cyrille Cama, 17 Nathan Sylvia, 18 Luke Green, 19 Charlie Hewitt, 20 Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi, 21 Danny Christensen, 22 Alex Horan, 23 Ethan Grayson

UTAH WARRIORS
1 Franco van den Berg, 2 Nic Souchon, 3 Angus MacLellan, 4 Matt Jensen, 5 Saia Uhila, 6 Frank Lochore, 7 Dylan Nel, 8 Thomas Tu’avao, 9 Zion Going, 10 Joel Hodgson (capt.), 11 Joe Mano, 12 Paul Lasike, 13 Mika Kruse, 14 Michael Manson, 15 Caleb Makene

Replacements: 16 Phil Bradford, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Paul Mullen, 19 Onehunga Havili, 20 Bailey Wilson, 21 Kieran McClea, 22 Robbie Povey, 23 Alesana Pohla

MATCH INFO

Date: Sunday, April 21
Venue: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego
Kickoff: 15:00 local (16:00 Mountain, 18:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 70°F (21°C), wind W 9-14mph (14-22km/h)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 2, The Rugby Network