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Denver returns to CIBER Field well rested after a week’s vacation to host the mid-table San Diego Breakers on Sunday afternoon. Despite coming off a win in their last outing against Sacramento, the Stampede find themselves six points behind the usurpers Ohio albeit with two games at hand. A big win over the under-achieving Breakers would go a long way to getting them back into pole position to reclaim the top spot.
Back in action are four key forwards who missed the game against the Express, two of whom are back from Eagles duty along with center Chad London, who bumps Timana Tahu to the wing and Dustin Croy to the bench. Ben Tarr and Chris Baumann are back as the bookends, and Casey Rock is ready to roll again at the lineout. Logan Collins slides into the second row with Peter Dahl returning on the flank alongside Hanco Germishuys.
The Breakers have made three tactical changes in the pack and one enforced in the backs. Mason Pedersen starts at loosehead with Joe Taufete’e moving to his preferred hooker role, and Sione Tu’ihalamaka runs out at lock for the first time in his PRO career. Nikola Bursic starts on the blindside in place of Bruce Thomas, with Chris Turori given a chance at no8. Kurt Morath captains the side in the absence of Phil Mackenzie, with Ben Leatigaga filling in on the left wing.
San Diego dropped the last meeting between the two sides in Week 8 by one solitary point, but things have not gone swimmingly for the Breakers since. Denver have already rebounded from their sole defeat to the Aviators and looked just about back to normal last time out despite being short of numbers. Look for the home side to lift their game and put serious pressure on the San Diego scrum. The Breakers have their work cut out for them.
DENVER STAMPEDE
1 Ben Tarr 2 Zach Fenoglio 3 Chris Baumann 4 Logan Collins 5 Casey Rock 6 Hanco Germishuys 7 Peter Dahl 8 Pedrie Wannenburg (capt.) 9 Mose Timoteo 10 Will Magie 11 Timana Tahu 12 Ata Malifa 13 Chad London 14 Mike Garrity 15 Maximo de Achaval
16 Nick Wallace 17 Jake Turnbull 18 Soane Leger 19 Luke White 20 Zac Pauga 21 Bobby Impson 22 Kyle Hitt 23 Dustin Croy
SAN DIEGO BREAKERS
1 Mason Pedersen 2 Joe Taufete’e 3 Jake Ilnicki 4 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 5 Tai Tuisamoa 6 Nikola Bursic 7 Cecil Garber 8 Chris Turori 9 Charlie Purdon 10 Kurt Morath (capt.) 11 Ben Leatigaga 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Ryan Matyas 14 Pono Haitsuka 15 Mike Te’o
16 Mike Sosene-Feagai 17 Kakalea Pule 18 Brice Schilling 19 Jean-Baptiste Gobelet 20 Bruce Thomas 21 Tom Bliss 22 Kalei Konrad 23 Zach Pangelinan
Date: Sunday, July 10
Venue: CIBER Field, Denver
Kickoff: 15:00 local (14:00 PDT, 17:00 MDT)
Referee: Scott Green
Assistants: Leah Berard & Kurt Weaver
Broadcasts: PRO Rugby (web stream)
Tickets: TicketsWest
