MLR 2024 Eastern Conference Final: New England Free Jacks vs Chicago Hounds – ARN Guide

A plane ticket to San Diego is on offer for the winner of Saturday’s Eastern Conference Final at Fort Quincy. Chicago have found their form and drove home their credentials with a dominant second half performance in New Orleans last week. The defending champions are another step up the ladder, however, and New England have a score to settle after losing to the Hounds at home in May.

FORM GUIDE

11-5-0 regular season, East 1st, Last 5: 4-1, Streak: Won 2

8-7-1 regular season, East 3rd, Last 5: 4-1, Streak: Won 4

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

14 Dave Kearney replaces Julián Domínguez (HIA)

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(12) – Quattrin, Baillie, Keys, von Dadelszen, DeWitt, Keith, Larsen, Fryer, LeSage (Canada), Malan (Namibia), Geiger, Wilson (USA)

(10) – Fawsitt, Ryan, McCarthy, Carty, Campbell, Augspurger (USA), Flesch, Rumball, Higgins (Canada), Kearney (Ireland)

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Kyle Ciquera (LH), Mitch Jacobson (FL), Martín Sigren (FL/N8), Wian Conradie (N8), John Poland (SH)

– Zura Zhvania (LH), Luke White (N8), Julián Domínguez (WI)

NOTES

• the Hounds are now a perfect four-from-four under interim coach Rob Webber… it ties their previous high for consecutive victories set earlier in the campaign
• Webber has made just one alteration to his match day squad, an enforced change with star winger Julián Domínguez failing an HIA… Dave Kearney comes into the starting lineup with Noah Brown again a reserve
• Chicago front rowers Ignacio Péculo and Guillermo Pujadas are again on international duty as they start for Uruguay against Scotland in Montevideo this weekend
• the two sides split their regular season meetings, with the visiting team successful on both occasions… Chicago won the game at Quincy but only just, with a late turnover from Billy Meakes saving the result
• it’s an identical 23 for the Free Jacks this week, with no sign of back rows Mitch Jacobson or Martín Sigren… loosehead prop Kyle Ciquera’s season is done after suffering a knee injury in training
• Josh Larsen is set to win his 50th cap for the Free Jacks… he captained New England for much of their first four seasons and would have reached the milestone much earlier were it not for last year’s shoulder injury
• New England will have one extra day of rest heading into the match and also benefit from not traveling… they played at home last Saturday while Chicago were on the road on Sunday

PREDICTION

Perfect playing conditions are on the forecast which will be pleasing for the Free Jacks, who will want to move the ball around against a bigger Chicago pack. The set piece cost New England dearly during their last encounter, while discipline will be critical if they are to deny Dylan Fawsitt opportunities to score from the driving maul. Chicago will miss the finishing of Domínguez out wide, and on defense will need to close down space to reduce the threat of strike runners Wayne van der Bank and Reece MacDonald. Experience matters in big games and the Free Jacks have been here before. New England are favorites at home.

LINEUPS

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Malakai Hala-Ngatai, 2 Andrew Quattrin, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 4 Kyle Baillie, 5 Conor Keys, 6 Piers von Dadelszen, 7 Jed Melvin, 8 Seta Baker, 9 Oscar Lennon, 10 Jayson Potroz (capt.), 11 Paula Balekana, 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Wayne van der Bank, 14 Toby Fricker, 15 Reece MacDonald

Replacements: 16 Foster DeWitt, 17 Cole Keith, 18 Kaleb Geiger, 19 Josh Larsen, 20 Ethan Fryer, 21 Holden Yungert, 22 Ben LeSage, 23 Mitch Wilson

CHICAGO HOUNDS
1 Nicolás Revol, 2 Dylan Fawsitt, 3 Paddy Ryan, 4 George Merrick, 5 James Scott, 6 Mason Flesch, 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Conall Boomer, 9 Nick McCarthy, 10 Luke Carty, 11 Nate Augspurger, 12 Billy Meakes (capt.), 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Dave Kearney, 15 Adriaan Carelse

Replacements: 16 Janus Venter, 17 Fred Apulu, 18 Charlie Abel, 19 Brad Tucker, 20 Lucas Rumball, 21 Jason Higgins, 22 Mark O’Keeffe, 23 Noah Brown

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, July 27
Venue: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy
Kickoff: 13:00 local (10:00 Pacific, 12:00 Central)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 82°F (28°C), wind E 7-11mph (11-18km/h)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 1, The Rugby Network

OFFICIALS

Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Luke Rogan (USA) & Jarrod Ford (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (3) – New England 2, Chicago 1, STREAK Chicago +1
2024-05-05 – New England Free Jacks 20, Chicago Hounds 26 (Veterans Memorial Stadium)
2024-03-24 – Chicago Hounds 17, New England Free Jacks 22 (SeatGeek Stadium)
2023-04-08 – New England Free Jacks 31, Chicago Hounds 19 (Veterans Memorial Stadium)