MLR 2025: Anthem Carolina vs NOLA Gold

The two bottom teams in both the Eastern Conference and overall standings will fight it out at American Legion Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. A win by Anthem wouldn’t be enough to move them up the latter, but would at least end their lengthy search for a first franchise victory. NOLA meanwhile have dropped a franchise-record five in a row and look ripe for the picking, with their only success of the campaign the opening-round win over Anthem in New Orleans.

CURRENT STANDINGS

0-6-0 (L6) East 6th

1-5-0 (L5) East 5th

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

	IN	OUT
1	Jake Turnbull	Dan Hanson
2	Alex Maughan	Connor Robinson
3	Joe Apikotoa	Alex Maughan
6	Colin Turner	Alby O’Shannessey
8	Dylan Fortune	Michael Ma’afu
9	Carlo de Nysschen	Karl Keane
12	Watson Filikitonga	Junior Gafa
14	Conner Mooneyham	Jason Tidwell

	IN	OUT
2	Joe Taufete’e	Ale Lopeti
3	Isaac Salmon	Paul Mullen
4	Chase Jones	Kaden Duguid
5	William Waguespack	Cam Dolan
11	Ed Fidow	Harley Wheeler
14	Nikolai Foliaki	Xavier Mignot

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(8) – Turnbull, Maughan, Golla, Fricker, Storti, Mooneyham, Wilson (USA), Apikotoa (Tonga)

(10) – Harmon, Taufete’e, Tonga’uiha, Mullen, de Haas, Carty (USA), Mau’u, Fidow (Samoa), Foliaki, Afungia (Tonga)

CLUB DEBUTS

(1) – Camp

(1) – Tuivaiti

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Puna Vuli (LO), Cliven Loubser (FH), Junior Gafa (CE)

– Cam Dolan (LO), Kélian Galletier (FL), Xavier Mignot (WI)

PREDICTION

It’s hard to say what the Gold’s preferred lineup is at the moment, but they are certainly short of full strength with three of their most experienced players absent. While they were convincing winners in Round 1, their form has not matched their talent while ARC have been on an upwards trend. Anthem have restored their all-international front row and if they can shut down the likes of Te Tamaki and Fidow out wide, an historic first is very much within reach. NOLA are slight favorites on the road.

LINEUPS

ANTHEM CAROLINA
1 Jake Turnbull (co-capt.), 2 Alex Maughan, 3 Joe Apikotoa, 4 Alejandro Martinez Tapia, 5 Sam Golla (co-capt.), 6 Colin Turner, 7 Makeen Alikhan, 8 Dylan Fortune, 9 Carlo de Nysschen, 10 Cam Gerlach, 11 Toby Fricker, 12 Watson Filikitonga, 13 Erich Storti, 14 Conner Mooneyham, 15 Mitch Wilson

Replacements: 16 Ethan Howard, 17 Javon Camp, 18 Stephan Bernal-Wendt, 19 Dan Hanson, 20 Graeme Pedegana, 21 Ishy Safodien, 22 Mateo Gadsden, 23 Line Latu

NOLA GOLD
1 Matt Harmon, 2 Joe Taufete’e, 3 Isaac Salmon, 4 Chase Jones, 5 William Waguespack, 6 Moni Tonga’uiha (capt.), 7 Aidan King, 8 Jonah Mau’u, 9 Luke Campbell, 10 Dorian Jones, 11 Ed Fidow, 12 JP du Plessis, 13 Isaac Te Tamaki, 14 Nikolai Foliaki, 15 Julian Roberts

Replacements: 16 Ale Lopeti, 17 Bart Vermeulen, 18 Paul Mullen, 19 Jay Tuivaiti, 20 Tupou Afungia, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Harley Wheeler, 23 Luke Carty

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, April 5
Venue: American Legion Memorial Stadium, Charlotte
Kickoff: 19:00 local (16:00 Pacific, 18:00 Central)
Weather Forecast: cloudy, 81°F (27°C), wind S 10-14mph (16-22km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Fox 13 Seattle, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network