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The second half of the inaugural PRO Rugby season gets underway on Sunday in Obetz, where the newly minted Ohio Aviators host the San Diego Breakers in another first for the league – the first match featuring full team names. Ohio return from a week off looking to put their disappointing loss in San Francisco behind them, while San Diego will be desperate to get back on the winning track after the slender defeat to Denver last weekend.
Both sides are entering new territory with a number of key players missing due to international call-ups. Angus MacLellan and Kyle Baillie have been summoned from Ohio by the USA and Canada, respectively, replaced by Demecus Beach and Ryan McTiernan in the starting lineup. Shaun Davies is an emergency-only sub on the bench, with Robbie Shaw leading the side from scrumhalf.
There are, however, two key additions making their PRO debuts. Former England ‘A’ midfielder Dom Waldouck finally arrives to add his experience at outside center, and Blue Bulls Academy loose forward Riekert Hattingh lines up at no8. The dynamic South African has previously spent time on American soil with the Austin Blacks. He pushes Sebastián Kalm up to flank, with Matt Hughston getting a run with the backs this week.
Alex Elkins is a winger again after covering the back row for a couple weeks, and Taylor Howden occupies the vacancy at flyhalf. Derrek van Klein, Dom Pezzutti, and Zach Stryffeler are recalled on the bench.
San Diego have been hit harder in the manpower department. Their starting front row and back three are all off on international duty, and only five players remain from the team that started a week ago. Mason Pedersen gets his first PRO start beside Mike Sosene-Feagai and Epeli Kalemani in the front row, with Nikola Bursic running out at lock and David Dolinar getting a slight rest on the bench.
Chris Turori and Cecil Garber are recalled on the flank in place of Bursic and Bruce Thomas, and Ryan Matyas is back in the side in the no13 jersey. Tim Stanfill and Pono Haitsuka are the new wingers, and Kalei Konrad fills in at fullback. Flyhalf and kicker Kurt Morath will captain in the absence of Phil Mackenzie, who has returned to Canada for a short rest.
Front row sub Kakalea Pule is back in the match-day squad along with Arnold Meredith, who covers the midfield this time out. OMBAC utility back Zach Pangelinan is again on the bench after getting a late call-up for last week’s match.
With so many changes to each lineup the most important thing for each will be to find their rhythm with ball in hand. Whichever team adapts the quickest will have the advantage. Waldouck and Hattingh are exciting additions to the Aviators but could take a few minutes to find their feet in new surroundings. The Breakers should be a little more familiar with each other and Morath gives them a metronomic goal kicking threat.
When last the two sides squared off, San Diego came up trumps thanks to a late try from Charlie Purdon. The match kicks off at 3pm local time and will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable in Ohio and streamed on the official PRO Rugby website for others.
OHIO AVIATORS
1 Jamie Mackintosh 2 Dylan Fawsitt 3 Demecus Beach 4 Pierce Dargan 5 Ryan McTiernan 6 Filippo Ferrarini 7 Sebastián Kalm 8 Riekert Hattingh 9 Robbie Shaw (capt.) 10 Tyler Howden 11 Alex Elkins 12 Matt Hughston 13 Dominic Waldouck 14 Spike Davis 15 Allan Hanson
16 Peter Malcolm 17 Derrek van Klein 18 Dominic Pezzutti 19 Zach Stryffeler 20 Ahmad Harajly 21 Shaun Davies 22 Chris Kunkel 23 Ryan Cochran
SAN DIEGO BREAKERS
1 Mason Pedersen 2 Mike Sosene-Feagai 3 Epeli Kalemani 4 Nikola Bursic 5 Tai Tuisamoa 6 Chris Turori 7 Cecil Garber 8 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 9 Charlie Purdon 10 Kurt Morath (capt.) 11 Tim Stanfill 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Ryan Matyas 14 Pono Haitsuka 15 Kalei Konrad
16 Kakalea Pule 17 Brice Schilling 18 Ian Carpenter 19 David Dolinar 20 Bruce Thomas 21 Zach Pangelinan 22 Arnold Meredith 23 Ben Leatigaga
Date: Sunday, June 12
Venue: Memorial Park, Obetz
Kickoff: 15:00 local (12:00 PDT, 13:00 MDT)
Referee: Kurt Weaver
Assistants: Leah Berard & Marc Nelson
Broadcasts: PRO Rugby (web stream) & Time Warner (cable)
Tickets: TicketsWest
