MLR 2025: Utah Warriors vs RFC Los Angeles

Top spot in the West is up for grabs when Utah hosts Los Angeles on Saturday night. It’s arguably the most consequential match of the weekend. The Warriors need to come away with two points to clinch top seed, but a bonus point win for LA combined with a maximum one point in defeat for their hosts would give the visitors a remarkable success story. On the flipside, a loss would leave the door wide open for Houston to claim second spot and home field advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.

CURRENT STANDINGS

10-5-0 (W2) West 1st

8-6-1 (W4) West 2nd

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

	IN	OUT
5	Gavin Thornbury	Kalisi Moli

	IN	OUT
1	Franco van den Berg	Alessandro Heaney
2	Mike Sosene-Feagai	Ben Sugars
7	Matt Heaton	Ed Timpson
11	Seth Purdey	Christian Dyer

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(9) – Seiuli, Leuila (Samoa), Coltman (New Zealand), Wilson, Mano, MacLellan, Jensen (USA), Jones, Benn (Canada)

(9) – Sosene-Feagai, Damm, Dyer (USA), Heaton, Coe, O’Gorman (Canada), Bertranou (Argentina), Leali’ifano (Samoa), Kunatani (Fiji)

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Paul Lasike (CE), Kyle Brown (CE)

– Alessandro Heaney (LH), Ed Timpson (FL), Rory van Vugt (WI)

PREDICTION

Picture-perfect conditions are on the forecast, though LA will have to contend with the altitude. Injury has ruled out flanker Ed Timpson and outside back Rory van Vugt, but it’s an otherwise strong visiting selection. That said the Warriors are near full strength with the long-awaited return of captain Gavin Thornbury. Will that be enough to overcome their mediocre form on home turf this season? This should be a cracking contest that is too close to call with any certainty. Utah are slight favorites at home.

LINEUPS

UTAH WARRIORS
1 Aki Seiuli, 2 Liam Coltman, 3 Tonga Kofe, 4 Frank Lochore, 5 Gavin Thornbury (capt.), 6 Bailey Wilson, 7 Lance Williams, 8 Dylan Nel, 9 Zion Going, 10 Joel Hodgson, 11 Joe Mano, 12 Spencer Jones, 13 Cole Semu, 14 Nic Benn, 15 Jordan Trainor

Replacements: 16 Phil Bradford, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Angus MacLellan, 19 Matt Jensen, 20 Reid Davis, 21 Logan Crowley, 22 Kalisi Moli, 23 D’Angelo Leuila

RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Franco van den Berg, 2 Mike Sosene-Feagai, 3 Maliu Niuafe, 4 Jason Damm (capt.), 5 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Tim Anstee, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Ben Houston, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Christian Leali’ifano, 11 Seth Purdey, 12 Billy Meakes, 13 Matias Jensen, 14 Andrew Coe, 15 Reece MacDonald

Replacements: 16 Ben Sugars, 17 Timmy Ohlwein, 18 Dane Zander, 19 Reegan O’Gorman, 20 Semi Kunatani, 21 Matias Jensen, 22 Tas Smith, 23 Christian Dyer

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, June 7
Venue: Zions Bank Stadium, Herriman
Kickoff: 19:00 local (18:00 Pacific, 21:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 77°F (25°C), wind N 10-16mph (16-26km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, FanDuel SoCal, KJZZ, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network

OFFICIALS

Referee: Mike Lawrenson (USA)
Assistants: Alex Nunnally (USA) & Kage Green (USA)
TMO: Amanda Cox (USA)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (7) – ATL/LA 4, Utah 3
2025-04-12 – RFC Los Angeles 28, Utah Warriors 45 (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
2024-06-28 – Utah Warriors 24, RFC Los Angeles 31 (America First Field)
2024-03-24 – RFC Los Angeles 36, Utah Warriors 32 (Dignity Health Track Field)
2023-05-27 – Utah Warriors 28, Rugby ATL 12 (Zions Bank Stadium)
2022-05-07 – Utah Warriors 44, Rugby ATL 26 (Zions Bank Stadium)
2021-07-10 – Utah Warriors 31, Rugby ATL 41 (Zions Bank Stadium)
2020-02-09 – Rugby ATL 28, Utah Warriors 19 (Lupo Family Field)