MLR 2024: Miami Sharks vs Old Glory DC

It’s another must-win scenario for Miami in their final home game of the season on Saturday. Realistically their chances of making the postseason are slim-to-none, but if they can pull off an improbable bonus-point win over Old Glory while preventing DC from getting a bonus point it will make for an interesting final week of the regular season.

CURRENT STANDINGS

5-9-0 (W1) East 5th

6-6-2 (W1) East 3rd

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

2 Kirby Myhill replaces Sean McNulty
3 Alec McDonnell replaces Reinaldo Piussi
11 Eric Naposki replaces Avery Oitomen
13 Tomás Inciarte replaces Nick Grigg
15 Matías Freyre replaces Felipe Etcheverry

12 Tommaso Boni replaces John Powers

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(11) – Koloamatangi (Tonga), Myhill (Wales), Bonasso (USA), Ardao, Inciarte, Piussi (Uruguay), Cubelli, Orlando (Argentina), Videla (Chile), du Toit, O’Leary (Canada)

(10) – Iscaro, Fa’anana-Schultz, Daniel, Boni (USA), Gattas, Dotti (Uruguay), Harley, Hoyland (Scotland), Rowland, Bowd (Canada)

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Rob Evans (LH), Felipe Etcheverry (FH/FB), Nick Grigg (CE)

– Martín Vaca (HO), Axel Müller (WI), Perry Humphreys (WI)

NOTES

the Sharks have surprisingly opted to leave star tighthead prop Reinaldo Piussi on the bench with Alec McDonnell wearing the No3 shirt… Piussi might also find himself playing lock in the second half, as he did against Anthem, with no specialist second rows in reserve
Uruguayan playmaker Felipe Etcheverry is another unexpected absentee from the Miami lineup… his fullback spot goes to Matías Freyre, with Canadian international Shane O’Leary returning from a two-month injury hiatus to take up a spot on the bench
for a third straight week the Sharks have only four forwards on the bench, with flanker Chase Schor-Haskin the only non-front rower… injuries and the suspension to Tomás Casares have left them shorthanded
the only change to DC’s lineup is the return of USA international Tommaso Boni in the midfield with John Powers dropping to the bench… the backline remains without first choice wingers Axel Müller and Perry Humphreys
a single bonus point will be enough to clinch DC’s spot in the playoffs, but a bonus-point win combined with a NOLA loss to New England would set up an exciting head-to-head clash with the Gold next week with a home Quarter Final on offer

PREDICTION

Their last meeting was a close call played in heavy rain at Old Glory’s home pitch. With more to play for than their hosts and dry skies on the forecast, DC should be aiming to put maximum points on the board. The Sharks have some class in the starting lineup but don’t have the same strength in depth on the bench. DC are favorites on the road.

LINEUPS

MIAMI SHARKS
1 Tau Koloamatangi, 2 Kirby Myhill, 3 Alec McDonnell, 4 Rick Rose, 5 Stan van den Hoven, 6 Benjamín Bonasso, 7 Dan Pryor, 8 Manuel Ardao, 9 Tomás Cubelli (capt.), 10 Santiago Videla, 11 Eric Naposki, 12 Matías Orlando, 13 Tomás Inciarte, 14 Marcos Young, 15 Matías Freyre

Replacements: 16 Sean McNulty, 17 Jonas Petrakopoulos, 18 Reinaldo Piussi, 19 Chase Schor-Haskin, 20 Guiseppe du Toit, 21 Nicolás Elewaut, 22 Michael Hand, 23 Shane O’Leary

OLD GLORY DC
1 Jack Iscaro, 2 Facundo Gattas, 3 Steven Longwell, 4 Rob Harley, 5 Tevita Naqali, 6 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (capt.), 7 Cory Daniel, 8 Lautaro Bavaro, 9 Connor Buckley, 10 Jason Robertson, 11 John Rizzo, 12 Tommaso Boni, 13 William Talataina, 14 Ishmail Shabazz, 15 Damien Hoyland

Replacements: 16 KoiKoi Nelligan, 17 Cali Martinez, 18 Tyler Rowland, 19 Ignacio Dotti, 20 Collin Grosse, 21 Ethan McVeigh, 22 Gradyn Bowd, 23 John Powers

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, June 22
Venue: AutoNation Field, Fort Lauderdale
Kickoff: 19:30 local (16:30 Pacific)
Weather Forecast: cloudy, 82°F (28°C), humidex 90°F (32°C), wind SE 8-12mph (13-19km/h)
Broadcasts: Bally Sports Florida, Monumental Sports, The Rugby Network