Major League Rugby – One Month Out

We’re almost there. One month from today the whistle will blow, the ball will fly through the air, and it will be game on for the newest professional rugby competition in the Americas – Major League Rugby. If things go as planned there will be another beginning further south down the line, but it starts here.

In fact we’ve already had a dozen exhibition fixtures since the beginning of the year involving three MLR franchises (and one soon-to-be). Between now and April 21 there will be another dozen such matches and we will have seen all but the Seattle Seawolves donning their new armor. It’s in incredibly exciting time to be an American rugby fan.

Of course there is still a bit of business to be done before the season starts. The broadcast deals are in place (CBS / ESPN), coaches and venues have been announced, every team is now up and running on social media. We’re missing final team rosters, however, which seems just a tad behind schedule.

The vast majority of participants have been unveiled in one form or another, however, and now it’s just a matter of filling in the blanks. Below we’ll take a team-by-team look at where things stand and what we need to see over the next four-and-a-half weeks.

 

After a few early signing announcements, Austin Elite have been pretty quiet on the personnel front. Perhaps it’s because the bulk of their squad has been carried over from their previous incarnation as the Huns first team. For that reason is little chance they’ll struggle with team cohesion.

They have brought in a few ‘outsiders’ over the past few weeks. Most notably former Eagles center Andrew Suniula has arrived from Chicago. His signing has seen Tongan rep Paki Afu ‘reassigned’ to Utah. The two are similar operators, physically imposing, so it’s probably a good move for all parties. A second Suniula is reportedly also close to returning with Roland set to arrive at the conclusion of his commitments with Italian club Reggio.

Other additions include Reece Czarnecki, a Collegiate All-American sevens winger who along with Vetekina Malafu gives the team speedy if inexperienced outside back options. There’s a bit of x-factor in Fijian back row Junior Naruma as well. The son of 1991 World Cup attendee Pita Naruma is a dynamic ball carrier who might also be an option on the wing if they want a little more power in the wide spaces.

More than likely the squad is complete but there’s none listed on their website as yet and we’re still a little cloudy on a handful of forward positions. The other burning question is will we see Todd Clever in an MLR uniform? The former Eagles captain has been coy about his participation and looks to be dabbling in the squared circle for the moment but… watch this space.

A few of those roster spots will be revealed this weekend as Austin takes their first steps under the new banner. They’ll host San Diego at Nixon Lane on Saturday in the first of three preseason games they have lined up, with a home-and-away series against the Gold beginning on March 31 in New Orleans.

 

The Glendale Raptors enter the season as favorites and they showed why with a dominant win over the Gold at Infinity Park on March 10. They only have one remaining warm-up fixture with a trip to Salt Lake City on March 31. As with Austin, this won’t be detrimental to their preparations.

[EDIT: The official MLR website also lists an April 7 match against NYAC.]

It seems the Raptors will proceed with what they’ve got, and while it’s certainly laden with talent there are a couple of depth concerns. The tight five looks a little thin, for instance. They might be able to get away with one of their taller flankers in the second row in an emergency but they could do with another big man at lock, and maybe another prop though they do have Giorgi Tsverava on call with the Merlins.

Shaun Davies will lead the side this season which makes scrumhalf less of a concern and with South African prospect Carlo de Nysschen in the academy they’ve got some cover. Flyhalf is in a similar state. Eagles regular Will Magie is a top class starter but backup is more of a jigsaw puzzle with Max de Achaval, Ata Malifa, and youngster Mikaele Kruse seemingly the options.

The 19-year-old Kruse is one of four new players who debuted against NOLA. Georgian loose forward Grigor Kerdikoshvili started at No8 and looks a handy addition while Harley Davidson earned man-of-the-match honors for an impressive display in the wing. Lanky second row Max Dacey, another teenager, got a few minutes to stride about the park at in the final quarter.

 

Way, way ahead in the preseason department are the Houston SaberCats, who have been playing competitive fixtures since the first weekend in January and even got in a few rounds against local club sides before Christmas. The good news is that they’ll be battle-hardened and in sync, on the other hand the rest of the league knows what’s coming and every team will have had ‘visitors’ in the stands to take notes and prepare the counter-attack.

Houston has the most complete squad to date in terms of numbers and depth. They’ve suffered a couple injuries already – front rower Codi Jones will miss the season with a blown ACL – but have done well to fill in the gaps with equivalent talent. Irish-born Junior All-American select Paul Mullen has come in at tighthead prop, Chris Coyle bolsters the back row after returning from a stint in Australia, and uncapped Eagles squad winger Alex Elkins is a no-nonsense addition on the wing.

Across the nine games they’ve played this year we’ve seen no shortage of firepower but there are a couple concerns they’ll need to tidy up before business hours open. The scrum has looked shaky at times and while they have had no trouble scoring points there are perhaps a few too many conceded, particularly in the final quarter.

The Cats have two more games left to fine tune before the regular season starts, both on the road. They’ll head to New Orleans for a rematch with the Gold this weekend and then wrap things up with a trip to sunny San Diego on April 7.

 

Let’s not beat around the bush here. The New Orleans Gold have some catching up to do. That their attack was so sterile in the absence of one player (JP Eloff) against Glendale is a concern. In their matches against Houston and Glendale they just haven’t looked up to scratch. Of all the teams on paper this team has the greatest room for improvement.

A giant-sized problem looks to be in the second row. Chilean international Nikola Bursic adds ballast on one side but flanker John Sullivan has been pressed into action at lock. That might work in a club game, but in a professional competition you can’t get away with an undersized engine room. It’s not that NOLA doesn’t have the bulk. Myles McQuone, Matt Wirken, and young William Waguespack are all big bodies but it doesn’t seem as though coach Nate Osborne is convinced enough to start them.

The front row looks good in quality but numbers-wise they could use a couple more, and an aggressive outside back would be a very welcome addition. Thankfully it appears some cavalry are on the way, with versatile Eagles rep Tim Maupin the latest to answer the call. Do the Gold have the resources to bring in more heavy hitters? The success of their season might depend on it.

Two home fixtures are up next for New Orleans with the SaberCats up first on Saturday and then a home-and-away with Austin on successive weekends.

 

Call them fashionably late. While fans waited patiently for signs of life, Matt Hawkins & Co. were busy putting together a very impressive San Diego Legion roster second only to Glendale in preseason expectations. When it comes to name brand appeal they are top of the pops.

No less than 10 capped Eagles are on the books including the rocket man himself Taku Ngwenya, who returns to San Diego after another successful run in France. Newly-capped Malon Al-Jiboori is one to watch in the back row and New Zealand native Mungo Mason is tipped for big things on the flank. UCal Golden Bears star Anthony Salaber joins a back division already flush with talent.

The forwards are less convincing at the moment. Tony Purpura and Pat Blair give them two Eagles in the front row and Sione Tu’ihalamaka could switch to prop, but OMBAC’s Jay Harmon is the only legitimate second row and those backs will need a platform at the set piece if they’re going to thrive. As with Austin, more are set to be unveiled this weekend as the Legion step from the shadows into the spotlight.

At the moment only one further warm-up fixture is scheduled. After a brief stay in Texas they’ll head home to host Houston on April 7.

 

The Seattle Canadians, er, Seawolves… have wrapped up their recruitment phase and our now firmly entrenched in preparations. As with their roster, however, their preseason plans are entirely unique in that unless something changes quickly they will have played no preseason games. They were due to play the Crimson Tide in Langford but some administrative difficulties put that opportunity on ice.

It’s a risky strategy, helped somewhat by a backbone of Seattle Saracens players as well as the familiarity of the Canadian contingent with each other. The team will have major support from the north with seven in all imported from beyond the border. Six are fully capped internationals, the other a standout at national u20 level.

There are certainly no questions of strength in depth in the tight five, with the front row particularly well-stocked. A couple interesting moves recently have seen Kellen Gordon drafted in as a loosehead prop. He’s played there before but has also frequented the back row for the Saracens and is an accomplished sevens player. Louie Henson has begun training at hooker, and lined up in his new position in CDI Premier League action this past weekend.

On paper this is a competitive squad whose only real gap is in the halfbacks. Phil Mack and Peter Smith are specialists with Shalom Suniula capable of covering either position, but there’s no clear alternatives. Isaiah Chinen and Jonny Reid started for the Saracens on the weekend and could be on standby.

 

This is a fearsome-looking team. Of course it helps that their name is the Utah Warriors. With a strong Polynesian influence and some serious beef across the park these guys do not rank highly in the subtlety department. When the end-of-season highlight reels are passed around there will no shortage of rib ticklers to sort through from this lot.

Utah are still to publicly reveal roughly half their roster but with early team photos readily available on social media the core of the side is well known. Reports suggest that second row John Cullen is an early casualty in preseason training and could miss a good chunk of the season but the team look to have secured very capable replacements with David Tameilau confirmed during the week and cousin Siaosi Mahoni set to join him.

The addition of Paki Afu from Austin gives them a full stable of battering rams in the midfield and even the wingers will tip the scales close to the 100kg (220lbs) mark. Who exactly the contenders for the No10 shirt will be seems the most pressing question, but one that will be answered no later than next weekend when they take the field for the first time.

Rio Tinto Stadium is a marvelous venue to open their account and they’ll do so against the Raptors on March 31 before hosting the Ontario Arrows on April 6. Their final warm-up match will be a curtain raiser for the opening weekend of the regular season. Utah have a bye so they’ve invited the Prairie Wolf Pack to Salt Lake City to celebrate the opening of their new home at Zions Bank Stadium.

 

So who’s left? A handful of Eagles turned out for Rugby United New York on the weekend. Given that four have already committed to San Diego for the upcoming season, it’s not out of the question that a couple more might head south for a couple months to stay in the shop window for the national selectors. Dylan Fawsitt is one player rumored to be eyeing a loan move in time for the season start. Nate Brakeley is the other New York-based ARC rep who would fit the bill though his day job may prevent his participation.

A quick scan of the ARC roster gives five others who could make an appearance.

Huluholo Mo’ungaloa plays for Life West. San Diego or Utah might have need of a good prop. Clubmate Devereaux Ferris has yet to find an MLR home. Scrumhalf seems a relatively well-stocked position but it’s never a bad thing to have competition for spots.

Seattle would seem like a natural fit for Psalm Wooching, but the Seawolves have loose forward covered. His agent – Tadhg Leader – happens to be on the books with San Diego. Of course with three test caps now on his resume Wooching could just as likely secure an overseas contract.

SFGG stalwart Brendan Daly would be a handy pickup for a number of teams to shore up second row concerns but like Brakeley may choose to opt out of year one with work commitments. Winger Peni Tagive on the other hand seems a good fit for someone.

Outside that group there are other Eagles who are as-of-yet unconfirmed. Prop Demecus Beach, center Lemoto Filikitonga, and winger Spike Davis are missing in action. Enigmatic No8 Langilangi Haupeakui looks increasingly likely to miss out and Tim Stanfill is also in the cold.

Other notable absentees from the PRO Rugby ranks include: Jay Finau (hooker), Patrick Latu (prop/hooker), Sione Sina (lock), Ahmad Harajly (center / fullback), and Martini Talapusi (fullback).

Some of the above names may appear on roster lists in the coming days. With most of the formal league announcements out of the way it’s down to the individual teams to crank up the heat as the new darling of American rugby spreads its wings and prepares for takeoff.