Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Two teams who came up short a week ago will meet in the battle of the basement dwellers at Boxer Stadium on Sunday. Sacramento are now firmly behind San Francisco and even a victory won’t lift them from the bottom, but it would be a good start. After a two-match winning streak the Rush were pulverised by Ohio and just about anything at all would be an improvement based on that performance.
The good news is that Paul Keeler does have four key players back at his disposal this week. Brendan Daly replaces Nick Grass in the second row, and David Tameilau will run out on the blindside flank as part of a very physical back row trio. Mils Muliaina returns to boost the midfield, and top finisher Pila Iongi is back from international duty on the wing.
Speaking of impressive loose forwards, Sacramento has restored one of the best in the competition with captain John Quill and battle wagon Langi Haupeakui set to wreak havoc. Matt Doubek gets a rare start at lock, and Ray Barkwill returns from Canada albeit in a reserve capacity this week.
Injury has ruled out Chris Saint so Jope Motokana starts at scrumhalf, with English-born Alex Hodgkinson awarded his run-on debut at fullback in place of benched Garrett Brewer. Nippy halfback Ronald Dwyer is called back to the match day squad to replace Saint.
This could be a better match than recent results might suggest. San Francisco field a beefy pack and the return of Muliaina and Iongi is a major upgrade to the back division. The Express loose forwards are a very formidable unit, however, and Motokana offers a unique attacking threat around the fringes that the more traditional Saint does not. Expect big hits in a confrontational match, with the Rush holding the slight edge at home.
SAN FRANCISCO RUSH
1 Niko Lolohea 2 Patrick Latu 3 Fancy Namulau’ulu 4 Brendan Daly 5 Jérémy Lenaerts 6 David Tameilau 7 Sam Finau 8 Bill Fukofuka 9 Devereaux Ferris 10 Volney Rouse (capt.) 11 Jake Anderson 12 Orene Ai’i 13 Mils Muliaina 14 Pila Iongi 15 Martini Talapusi
16 Neil Barrett 17 Codi Jones 18 Saimone Laulaupea’alu 19 Nick Grass 20 Siupeli Sakalia 21 Michael Reid 22 Michael Haley 23 Jack O’Hara
SACRAMENTO EXPRESS
1 Valdemar Lee-Lo 2 Cameron Falcon 3 Eric Fry 4 Robert Meeson 5 Matt Doubek 6 Kyle Sumsion 7 John Quill (capt.) 8 Langi Haupeakui 9 Jope Motokana 10 Harry Bennett 11 Ryan Thompson 12 Mirco Bergamasco 13 Nemia Qoro 14 Cody Jerabek 15 Alex Hodgkinson
16 Ray Barkwill 17 Kali Tavake 18 Olive Kilifi 19 Sione Sina 20 Ryan Koewler 21 Ronald Dwyer 22 Pate Takiveikata 23 Garrett Brewer
Date: Sunday, July 3
Venue: Boxer Stadium, San Francisco
Kickoff: 15:00 local (16:00 MDT, 18:00 EDT)
Referee: Derek Summers
Assistants: Leah Berard & George O’Neil
Broadcasts: PRO Rugby (web stream) & ONE World Sports (cable)
Tickets: TicketsWest
