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Denver will take it to the road in PRO Rugby Week 2, traveling to balmy San Francisco to take on their hosts at Boxer Stadium on Sunday. After surviving the frozen field at Infinity Park and coming out memorable extra time winners over Ohio by 16-13, Denver will be hoping the more tolerable temperature will raise their performance.
The team shows three changes to the one that started in Glendale, with two positional switches. Brodie Orth does not make the trip so Casey Rock will step in at lock, just a week after he was thought to have dropped out of contention. Drop-goal hero Will Magie moves from fullback to flyhalf, with Ata Malifa bumped to the midfield and Max de Achaval in at no15. Dustin Croy starts in place of Martin Knoetze on the right wing.
Former Wallaby and rugby league international Timana Tahu is named on a bench with an unusual 4-4 split, with versatile back Mose Timoteo added in place of Zac Pauga. Mike Garrity will have to wait his turn this week after starting against Ohio.
San Francisco look to rebound from their 37-25 defeat in Sacramento with four changes. Eagles ARC star David Tameilau makes a welcome entrance at no8, pushing Siupeli Sakalia into the second row in place of the suspended Nick Grass. Tom Coolican is named as a reserve with Jay Finau preferred at hooker.
An all-new Kiwi combination will take controls at the halfbacks as Devereaux Ferris and Orene Ai’i get the start. Volney Rouse pushes out to the wing, with Michael Haley left on the bench. Niko Lolohea is replaced by Codi Jones as a front row sub as San Francisco also maintain their 4-4 bench split, with Isaac Helu the only loose forward cover and no reserve lock present.
The match will be broadcast live on cable by ONE World Sport and streamed online by AOL.com.
SAN FRANCISCO
1 Maka Tameilau 2 Jacob Finau 3 Patrick Latu (capt.) 4 Siupeli Sakalia 5 Siaosi Mahoni 6 Sam Finau 7 Alec Gletzer 8 David Tameilau 9 Devereaux Ferris 10 Orene Ai’i 11 Jack O’Hara 12 Martini Talapusi 13 Nick Blevins 14 Volney Rouse 15 Jake Anderson
16 Tom Coolican 17 Fancy Namulau’ulu 18 Codi Jones 19 Isaac Helu 20 Junior Helu 21 Michael Reid 22 Michael Haley 23 Charles Mateo
DENVER
1 Luke White 2 Zach Fenoglio 3 Ben Tarr 4 Christian Wiessing 5 Casey Rock 6 Logan Collins 7 Peter Dahl 8 Pedrie Wannenburg (capt.) 9 Niku Kruger 10 Will Magie 11 Michael Al-Jiboori 12 Ata Malifa 13 Chad London 14 Dustin Croy 15 Maximo de Achaval
16 Nick Wallace 17 Jake Turnbull 18 Soane Leger 19 Gannon Moore 20 Mose Timoteo 21 Bobby Impson 22 Mike Garrity 23 Timana Tahu
Date: Sunday, April 24
Venue: Boxer Stadium, San Francisco
Kickoff: 15:00 local (16:00 MDT, 18:00 EDT)
Referee: Leah Berard
Assistants: Derek Summers & George O’Neil
Broadcasts: AOL.com (web stream) & ONE World Sport (cable)
Tickets: TicketsWest
