MLR 2025: Utah Warriors vs San Diego Legion

The lone mid-week contest in Round 12 of the Major League Rugby campaign is a Western Conference battle between the Utah Warriors and San Diego Legion at Salt Lake. Both sides enter on just three days rest after victories on Saturday, but the respective coaches have taken different approaches in making changes to their lineups.

CURRENT STANDINGS

7-2-0 (W3) West 2nd

6-4-0 (W1) West 3rd

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

	IN	OUT
1	Aki Seiuli	Fred Apulu
2	Liam Coltman	Phil Bradford
3	Tonga Kofe	Angus MacLellan
6	Tamarau McGahan	Bailey Wilson
7	Kalisi Moli	Lance Williams
8	Dylan Nel	Reid Davis
9	Zion Going	Logan Crowley
13	Cole Semu	Kyle Brown
14	Sione Mahe	Joe Mano

	IN	OUT
1	Nathan Sylvia	Payton Telea-Ilalio
2	Shilo Klein	Hugh Roach
3	Brook To’omalatai	Darcy Breen
4	Charlie Hewitt	Jed Holloway
5	James Rivers	Christian Poidevin
7	Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi	Brad Wilkin
8	Tevita Tameilau	Jimmy Hokafonu
9	Richard Judd	Connor Tupai
10	Harris Rutherford	Lincoln McClutchie
12	Tiaan Loots	Cassh Maluia
13	Tavite Lopeti	Marcel Brache
14	Rhian Stowers	Ryan James
15	Steffan Crimp	Ethan Grayson

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(8) – Seiuli, Leuila (Samoa), Coltman (New Zealand), Jensen, Uhila, Lasike (USA), Benn (Canada), Vugakoto (Fiji)

(8) – Sylvia, Klein, Helu, Tameilau, Lopeti, Brache (USA), To’omalatai (Samoa), Sears-Duru (Canada)

CLUB DEBUTS

(0) – none

(2) – Rivers, Law*

* – MLR debut

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Gavin Thornbury (LO), Kyle Brown (CE), Joe Mano (WI)

– Jed Holloway (LO), Brad Wilkin (FL), Lincoln McClutchie (FH)

PREDICTION

The two sides will just 11 days removed from their most recent encounter, when the Warriors were the better side in San Diego. It’s now three wins in a row for Utah, and Greg Cooper has recalled a near-identical lineup to the one that celebrated victory at Torero Stadium with most of his preferred starters back in. John Manenti meanwhile will be relieved that the losing streak is over, but instead of asking his men to front up again he has instead opted for a second-string pack and rested his first choice flyhalf with an eye towards Sunday’s clash with NOLA. Utah are clear favorites at home.

LINEUPS

UTAH WARRIORS
1 Aki Seiuli, 2 Liam Coltman, 3 Tonga Kofe, 4 Frank Lochore, 5 Matt Jensen, 6 Tamarau McGahan, 7 Kalisi Moli, 8 Dylan Nel, 9 Zion Going, 10 Joel Hodgson, 11 Nic Benn, 12 D’Angelo Leuila, 13 Cole Semu, 14 Sione Mahe, 15 Jordan Trainor (capt.)

Replacements: 16 Tuvere Vugakoto, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Remsy Lemisio, 19 Saia Uhila, 20 Lance Williams, 21 Logan Crowley, 22 Paul Lasike, 23 Tomasi Tonga

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Nathan Sylvia, 2 Shilo Klein, 3 Brook To’omalatai, 4 Charlie Hewitt, 5 James Rivers, 6 Vili Helu, 7 Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi, 8 Tevita Tameilau, 9 Richard Judd (capt.), 10 Harris Rutherford, 11 Tomas Aoake, 12 Tiaan Loots, 13 Tavite Lopeti, 14 Rhian Stowers, 15 Steffan Crimp

Replacements: 16 Liki Chan-Tung, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Oliver Kane, 19 Chris Turori, 20 Jimmy Hokafonu, 21 Connor Tupai, 22 Marcel Brache, 23 Darius Law

MATCH INFO

Date: Wednesday, April 30
Venue: Zions Bank Stadium, Herriman
Kickoff: 19:00 local (18:00 Pacific, 21:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 54°F (12°C), N 10-16mph (16-26km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, KUSI, KJZZ, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network