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It’s the penultimate round of the inaugural PRO rugby season and for San Diego this is the last kick at the can. Sacramento’s Bonney Field will host the show with the Express desperate for a win to escape the basement. The fate of the Breakers is academic at this point. If they win they finish where they stand in the middle of the pack. A loss puts them within reach of San Francisco.
Sacramento have a mix-and-match look to them this week and show four personnel changes to the starting roster. Valdemar Lee-Lo starts at tighthead having played loosehead all season, and with star no8 Langi Haupeakui ruled out Kali Tavake is on the flank with Kyle Sumsion switching to the back of the scrum. Canadian hooker Ray Barkwill returns from a leg injury to take up a spot on the bench.
Some unusual shuffling in the backs sees Mirco Bergamasco moved to flyhalf and Harry Bennett pushed back to fullback in place of absent Alex Hodgkinson. Nemia Qoro is recalled in the midfield and Jope Motokana – typically a scrumhalf – starts outside him to form an all-Fijian midfield.
The Breaks also swap four from the team that were humbled by San Francisco last weekend. Nikola Bursic replaces Ian Carpenter at lock and Derrick Broussard gets his first PRO start on the blindside with Bruce Thomas dropping to the bench. Eagles 7s flanker Pat Blair is included on the bench for his own late start in PRO Rugby.
Kurt Morath makes a welcome return at flyhalf, pushing Kalei Konrad to the bench, and captain Phil Mackenzie is also back on the wing with Pono Haitsuka making way. The rest of the backline is at full strength, with the exceptional attacking threats of Ryan Matyas, Taku Ngwenya, and Mike Te’o all present.
Both teams have dropped their last two in decisive fashion, and in fact San Diego have not pulled off a win since Week 7, coincidentally against Sacramento at Torero Stadium. On paper the Breakers have a screaming backline that has been talked about since Week 1. What they haven’t had is consistency from the forwards. If Sacramento can lean on them early and wear them down an upset for the home side is possible, but San Diego will be dead set on ending their campaign on a high. Look for the visitors to have an extra spring in their step.
SACRAMENTO EXPRESS
1 Eric Fry 2 Cameron Falcon 3 Valdemar Lee-Lo 4 Robert Meeson 5 Matt Doubek 6 Kali Tavake 7 John Quill (capt.) 8 Kyle Sumsion 9 Chris Saint 10 Mirco Bergamasco 11 Garrett Brewer 12 Nemia Qoro 13 Jope Motokana 14 Cody Jerabek 15 Harry Bennett
16 Ray Barkwill 17 Olive Kilifi 18 Estephan Tuamasaga 19 Ryan Koewler 20 Sione Latu 21 Ronald Dwyer 22 Joeli Tikoisuva 23 Shane Moore
SAN DIEGO BREAKERS
1 Mason Pedersen 2 Joe Taufete’e 3 Jake Ilnicki 4 Nikola Bursic 5 Tai Tuisamoa 6 Derrick Broussard 7 Cecil Garber 8 Chris Turori 9 Charlie Purdon 10 Kurt Morath 11 Phil Mackenzie (capt.) 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Ryan Matyas 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya 15 Mike Te’o
16 Mike Sosene-Feagai 17 Kakalea Pule 18 Epeli Kalemani 19 Pat Blair 20 Bruce Thomas 21 Zach Pangelinan 22 Kalei Konrad 23 Pono Haitsuka
Date: Saturday, July 23
Venue: Bonney Field, Sacramento
Kickoff: 19:30 local (20:30 MDT, 22:30 EDT)
Referee: Nick Ricono
Assistants: Derek Summers & Tim Lew
Broadcasts: PRO Rugby (web stream)
Tickets: Ticketmaster
