MLR 2024: New England Free Jacks vs Utah Warriors

New England can inch closer towards clinching top spot in the Eastern Conference if they can defeat Utah at Fort Quincy on Sunday afternoon. The wounded Warriors have now dropped five in a row after their horror visit to Seattle, while the Free Jacks are coming in off a narrow road win over DC.

CURRENT STANDINGS

9-4-0 (W2) East 1st

4-9-0 (L5) West 5th

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

1 Kyle Ciquera replaces Malakai Hala-Ngatai
6 Piers von Dadelszen replaces Ethan Fryer
13 Ben LeSage replaces Le Roux Malan
14 Toby Fricker replaces Mitch Wilson

1 Emerson Prior replaces Fatongia Paea
4 Saia Uhila replaces Louis Conradie
7 Kalisi Moli replaces John DuPree
9 Kieran McClea replaces Lopeti Aisea (No13 vs Seattle)
12 Paul Lasike replaces Robbie Povey (No10 vs Seattle)
15 Caleb Makene replaces Noah Bain (No14 vs Seattle)

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(9) – Quattrin, Baillie, Keys, von Dadelszen, LeSage, DeWitt, Keith (Canada), Sigren (Chile), Malan (Namibia)

(7) – Vugakoto (Fiji), Mullen, Wilson, Tu’avao, Lasike (USA), Havili (Tonga), Povey (Canada)

CLUB DEBUTS

(1) – Toby Fricker*

* – MLR debut

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Josh Larsen (LO), Wian Conradie (N8), John Poland (SH)

– Matt Jensen (LO), Dylan Nel (FL/N8), Spencer Jones (CE), Mika Kruse (CE/WI), Joe Mano (WI)

NOTES

New England will hand an MLR debut to winger Toby Fricker… the 28-year-old represented Wales at the Rugby Europe 7s in 2018 but was recently called up to the Eagles long-list, qualifying through his US-born mother… he arrives from Ospreys, having previously played for Bristol Bears
the other changes are rotation with club captain Mitch Jacobson again named on the bench where it’s a 6/2 split… Seta Baker is a second reserve loose forward
Utah welcomes back Paul Lasike and Caleb Makene from injury, with the entire backline reshuffled as a result… notably Joel Hodgson returns to his preferred flyhalf position
scrumhalf Zion Going will start in the midfield for the second time this season with Lopeti Aisea dropped to the bench… regular centers Spencer Jones, Alesana Pohla, Mika Kruse, and Tomasi Tonga are all injured
Kalisi Moli gets his second start of the season on the flank and first since the opening round… Dylan Nel is serving the 4th of his 5-game suspension

PREDICTION

Injuries have not been kind to Utah but last week was a new low for the club. They have no form to speak of and have lost both previous trips to Boston. The Free Jacks haven’t been quite as dominant as last season but are a well-oiled machine matching towards another playoff run. New England are clear favorites at home.

LINEUPS

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Kyle Ciquera, 2 Andrew Quattrin, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 4 Kyle Baillie, 5 Conor Keys, 6 Piers von Dadelszen, 7 Jed Melvin, 8 Martín Sigren, 9 Holden Yungert, 10 Jayson Potroz (capt.), 11 Paula Balekana, 12 Wayne van der Bank, 13 Ben LeSage 14 Toby Fricker, 15 Reece MacDonald

Replacements: 16 Foster DeWitt, 17 Malakai Hala-Ngatai, 18 Cole Keith, 19 Jackson Thiebes, 20 Mitch Jacobson, 21 Cam Nordli-Kelemeti, 22 Le Roux Malan, 23 Seta Baker

UTAH WARRIORS
1 Emerson Prior, 2 Tuvere Vugakoto, 3 Paul Mullen, 4 Saia Uhila, 5 Frank Lochore, 6 Bailey Wilson, 7 Kalisi Moli, 8 Thomas Tu’avao, 9 Kieran McClea, 10 Joel Hodgson (capt.), 11 Jesse Hamilton, 12 Paul Lasike, 13 Zion Going, 14 Michael Manson, 15 Caleb Makene

Replacements: 16 Nic Souchon, 17 Franco van den Berg, 18 Tonga Kofe, 19 Louis Conradie, 20 Onehunga Havili, 21 Lopeti Aisea, 22 John DuPree, 23 Robbie Povey

MATCH INFO

Date: Sunday, June 16
Venue: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy
Kickoff: 15:00 local (12:00 Pacific, 13:00 Mountain)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 72°F (22°C), wind W 9-14mph (14-22km/h)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 1, The Rugby Network