PRO Rugby Preview – Sacramento

As PRO Rugby sits just a couple days away from kicking off their historic first season, we close out the week by taking at look at Sacramento. With San Diego not opening up their season until next weekend, the team preview for the Southern Californians is being released next week so that we can have the most up to date roster possible. Sacramento holds the distinction as the very first city named as a location for PRO Rugby. Yes, they are now a trivia question and hopefully one that means a great deal to rugby fans in America and around the World.

Where other teams are more heavily populated with representative players, Sacramento have only a handful of internationals with Italy’s Mirco Bergamasco the only bona fide star on the roster. Otherwise there is a heavy dose of promising local talent from the likes of East Palo Alto, Santa Rosa, and the Sacramento Blackhawks. Washington State supplies a few from Metropolis and Seattle Saracens, and the rest ride into town from every direction.

PROP

Olive Kilifi leads the Sacramento front row. The veteran Eagles prop has improved considerably since winning his first cap in 2013. That experience is going to come in handy as he anchors a largely unproven group of props. Toke Kefu was a bulldozing high school running back in San Mateo and went on to play college football at Eastern Washington. He’s since put on more beef and has been a standout for the EPA Razorbacks. Valdemar Lee-Lo is one to keep an eye on this season. The highly rated Junior All-American graduate is seen by many as a future international. James Reddey is a man-mountain from England who has moved from lock and loose forward to tighthead prop. He joins the team from the Blackhawks.

HOOKER

Sacramento has a solid set of hookers spearheaded by 30-cap Canadian starter Ray Barkwill. The 35-year-old is one of the older players in the competition, but don’t let his age fool you. He was a late bloomer and still has a few miles in the tank yet. Expect him to become a fan favorite straight away with his infectious personality. Josh Inong played internationally for the Philippines and is one of the most interesting stories in PRO Rugby. After being shot multiple times in a random attack while in high school his career looked to be over, but he’s battled his way to this point and serves as an inspiration to many. Kali Tavake is another from the Blackhawks whose size and power has seen him shift from the midfield to the front row.

LOCK

Second row seems to be an area of concern throughout the league and Sacramento is no exception. Robert Meeson comes from Santa Rosa and has represented the NorCal Pelicans. He’ll be the go-to man in the lineout. Sione Sina left the Cal football team to play rugby. He’ll be the beefy one powering the engine room. Rich Knight is a veteran with the local Blackhawks who brings height and athleticism.

BACK ROW

The back row will be an area of strength, though not a lot of depth. Starting flankers Kyle Sumsion and John Quill are both capped internationals and as good a flank duo as there is in the competition. Sumsion the bruiser will play blindside, Quill will be all over the ball on the openside. Battling it out for the third spot will be Sione Latu, another Blackhawks midfielder moving to the forwards, and human highlight reel Langi Haupeakui, a former nose tackle who is very short on subtlety. Look for Latu to be the starter at no8 and Haupeakui to come on as a wrecking ball impact sub. Another forward may join the group in the future but for the time being Inong and Tavake will cover in an emergency.

SCRUMHALF

The Bay Area side now has three solid scrumhalves that should compete for game time. Josh Holland comes to the side from SFGG and Tiger where he stood out as a sevens player. Jope Motokana of Seattle Saracens is more of a physical threat than Holland and capable of making big plays. He is another that has shined in sevens with the USA Falcons national development side. The newest addition to the team is Chris Saint, a standout in a strong Junior All-American group in 2009. He has been transferred from Ohio to add experience and compete for a starting role.

FLYHALF

Two quality players will contest the starting no10 shirt. Santa Monica’s Harry Bennett hails from Australia, where he played first grade for Eastwood and also appeared with the Junior Waratahs. He’s an intelligent footballer and quality goal kicker who can slot in at several positions. Garrett Brewer is the other. He’s a big man for a flyhalf with a heavy boot who is also an option at fullback. Brewer has been in Eagles camps before and has recently spent time in Australia and Ireland. Pate Takiveikata is a third option but should see most of his time at center.

CENTER

Mirco Bergamasco isn’t quite as legendary as his big brother Mauro, but 89 caps for Italy is a pretty decent effort. He’s struggled with injury problems in the latter part of his career but at 33 his body might not be as beaten up as others after missing so much game time. Inside 40 meters he’s a top class goal kicker while his attacking qualities in the midfield are well established. Bergamasco’s partner could be Takiveikata, a physical specimen of Fijian extract who can shift and has good handling skills. He’s more of an inside back option, while former Junior All-American Nemia Qoro – also Fijian – is the outside option. The latter is more compact, a strike runner who can also play on the wing.

WING

There is no star power out wide, but a name might emerge from a solid group of athletes. Rashad Harbor is the gas man from Glendale, small in stature but high in octane. EPA’s Fatai Vailala is the power back, a unit who will take some stopping once he gets going. Ryan Koewler is tall and strong, he’s played in the back row for Arizona State but will be winger on this team. Joeli Tikoisuva is a promising speedster from Metropolis who can play anywhere across the back three.

FULLBACK

With no out-and-out specialist in the squad, it looks like Tempe’s Ryan Thompson will get a good look here, though he has the versatility to play anywhere in the outside backs including center. He’s the older brother of Eagles winger Brett, a bit smaller and more of a all-round player than an out-and-out finisher. Bennett, Brewer, and Tikoisuva will also be considered at the back.

OUTLOOK

On paper Sacramento has the most question marks of any franchise. For a number of players this is a big step up in competition, and will be asking a lot for the big names to step up their game to compensate in the early stages of the season. They lack height at the lineout but have a strong core of first choice players in the pack. The backs are more of a mystery, but there is raw talent to work with that could catch others by surprise. Expect some rough patches in the opening weeks, but also marked improvements come the second half of the season.

HOME FIELD

Bonney Field is going to be the home field for Sacramento. Seating 11,000 fans, the stadium has played host to a number of internationals, including matches in both the 2014 and 2015 Pacific Nations Cup. A near capacity crowd at saw the USA defeat Japan in the most recent rugby match played at the facility. Bonney Field is also the home of the Sacramento Republic FC of the United Soccer League.

COACHING STAFF

Former USA Eagles stalwart Luke Gross is the Head Coach. He is the most-capped Eagles lock of all time with 62, playing in three World Cups and enjoying a long professional career in Europe with Harlequins, Scarlets, and Newcastle among others. After finishing his playing career, Gross moved into various coaching roles for USA Rugby, including player development roles.

Skills coach Fred Waititi is a native of New Zealand who won national XVs and 7s titles while coaching the Gentlemen of Aspen. Attack coach Kevin Battle heads up the Santa Barbara Rugby Academy, and was the long-time Head Coach of the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. He has also been involved with numerous USA select sides. Team manager Ben Parker is another from New Zealand who is currently president of the NorCal rugby union and Head Coach of the Sacramento Blackhawks.

ROSTER

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	DOB	CAPS	COUNTRY
Kefu, Toke	PR	1.78 5-10	128 280	Apr 21 1986	–	USA
Kilifi, Olive	PR	1.80 5-11	124 275	Sep 28 1986	19	USA
Lee-Lo, Valdemar	PR	1.85 6-1	120 265	Jul 4 1995	–	USA
Reddey, James	PR	1.95 6-5	137 300	1990	–	England
Tuamasaga, Estephan	PR	1.85 6-1	115 255	1991	–	USA
Barkwill, Ray	HO	1.73 5-8	102 225	Aug 26 1980	30	Canada
Inong, Josh	HO	1.78 5-10	100 220	1987	?	Philippines
Tavake, Kali	HO	1.80 5-11	114 250		–	USA
Knight, Rich	LO	1.96 6-5	107 235		–	USA
Meeson, Robert	LO	1.96 6-5	100 220	1987	–	USA
Sina, Sione	LO	1.93 6-4	125 275	Dec 8 1991	–	USA
Haupeakui, Langi	FL/N8	1.86 6-1	118 260		–	USA
Quill, John	FL	1.85 6-1	102 225	Mar 10 1990	17	USA
Sumsion, Kyle	FL	1.89 6-2	108 240	Jan 24 1990	5	USA
Latu, Sione	N8	? ?	? ?		–	USA
Holland, Josh	SH/WI	1.72 5-8	76 165		–	USA
Motokana, Jope	SH	1.75 5-9	88 195	1989	–	USA
Saint, Chris	SH	1.73 5-8	83 180	Jul 18 1989	–	USA
Bennett, Harry	FH	1.79 5-10	87 190	1990	–	Australia
Brewer, Garrett	FH/FB	1.94 6-4	101 220	Jan 1 1988	–	USA
Bergamasco, Mirco	CE	1.80 5-11	92 200	Feb 23 1983	89	Italy
Qoro, Nemia	CE	1.78 5-10	100 220	Aug 20 1994	–	USA
Takiveikata, Pate	CE	1.85 6-1	107 235	June 6 1995	–	USA
Harbor, Rashad	WI	1.68 5-6	75 165	1987	–	USA
Koewler, Ryan	WI	? ?	? ?	Nov 15 1991	–	USA
Vailala, Fatai	WI	1.82 6-0	105 230	1989	–	Tonga
Tikoisuva, Joeli	WI/FB	1.83 6-0	85 185	Mar 1 1996	–	USA
Thompson, Ryan	FB	1.86 6-1	90 200	1987	–	USA

FIXTURES

DATE	PDT	MDT	EDT	HOME	AWAY
Sun, Apr 17	16:00	17:00	19:00	Sacramento	San Francisco
Sat, Apr 23	15:00	16:00	18:00	San Diego	Sacramento
Sun, May 8	17:00	18:00	20:00	Sacramento	Ohio
Sun, May 15	15:00	16:00	18:00	Sacramento	Denver
Sun, May 22	12:00	13:00	15:00	Ohio	Sacramento
Sat, May 28	18:30	19:30	21:30	San Diego	Sacramento
Sun, Jun 26	14:00	15:00	17:00	Denver	Sacramento
Sun, Jul 3	15:00	16:00	18:00	San Francisco	Sacramento
Sat, Jul 9	19:30	20:30	22:30	Sacramento	Ohio
Sun, Jul 17	14:00	15:00	17:00	Denver	Sacramento
Sat, Jul 23	19:30	20:30	22:30	Sacramento	San Diego
Sat, Jul 30	19:30	20:30	22:30	Sacramento	San Francisco