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Of the seven returning teams from the inaugural Major League Rugby campaign it’s the New Orleans Gold who have arguably made the most significant upgrades to their roster during the off-season. Austin takes the prize for pure quantity but the Gold have brought in quality both in in the form of overseas imports and Collegiate All-Americans. After a frustrating start that saw the team ravaged by injuries, NOLA mean business in Year Two and suddenly have the horses to do some real damage.
It might be said that 2018 was over before it began for the Gold. They lost back row stars Vince Jobo and Sebastian Kalm to season-ending injuries and Eagles caps JP Eloff and Tim Maupin both spent significant time on the sidelines. They won three of eight but finished second-to-last and conceded more points than any other team with the worst for-and-against ratio.
OFF-SEASON MOVES
Four forwards – Anthony Parry, Myles McQuone, Matt Wirken, and Matt Hughston – have packed their backs for New York. Sebastián Kalm went west to Austin, with the rest of the departures heading back to club sides. Peceli Rinakama spent time training with the Utah Warriors in the preseason but no longer appears to be with the team, while Moni Tonga’uiha looks to be continuing his conversion from the midfield to flanker with Life West.
Incoming is a heap of talent headlined by incumbent Eagles No8 Cam Dolan. Canadian flanker Kyle Baillie has joined and there is even more lineout height in second row pair Kane Thompson and Ignacio Dotti, the former a Samoan international and the latter from Uruguay. Several All-Americans have been signed up with another in flanker Kevin O’Connor set to arrive in the next couple weeks.
The backline has also been beefed up. Former Australia Sevens captain Con Foley is set to form a dangerous midfield combination with South African speedster Tristan Blewett. Scott Gale brings Super Rugby experience to either halfback position and highly promising winger Deion Mikesell will arrive in mid-March after spending a couple months in the Clermont Auvergne academy.
HOME FIELD
The Gold play their home games at Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero. There’s no nice way to put this – last season it was a bit of an eyesore. Significant upgrades have been made to the facilities in the off-season and there is now a green grass pitch with the venue renamed Gold Stadium. With a capacity of only 3,000 it’s the smallest in the league but does provide one significant hazard for opposition – the sweltering humidity that arrives in May invariably asks questions of even the most hearty opponents.
HEAD COACH
Nate Osborne is back for a second season and will be very pleased with the off-season acquisitions. The Australian is an innovative attack coach who showed last season he isn’t afraid to experiment. Along with regular assistant Todd Fitzgerald, Osborne will lean on the experience of Hubert Buydens to help with the scrum and Kane Thompson to work with the lineout.
CAPTAIN
With Taylor Howden shifting into a support role this season, last season’s pack leader Eric Howard has been given the full captaincy role for 2019. The 25-year-old was an integral part of the side last season as first choice hooker with his physical strength, low center of gravity, and surprising athleticism making him a wrecking ball in the loose. Currently second choice with Canada behind former Seattle standout Ray Barkwill, Howard now has a Gold-en opportunity to press for a promotion.
KEY PLAYERS
Cam Dolan isn’t just one of the biggest names at the club, he’s undoubtedly one of the most recognizable players in MLR. With 40 Eagles caps under his belt he is in the upper echelon of experienced internationals and his presence alone lifts the side. Dolan is a prime time lineout jumper and his link play should be a perfect fit for the gold’s high-flying offense.
Despite the arrival of Gale it will be incumbent Holden Yungert who starts at scrumhalf. He hasn’t quite been able to crack the Eagles yet but few would argue he doesn’t have the talent to do so. Yungert does everything at a high tempo and his snappy distribution gives the backline more time on the ball. His partnership with Gale to start the season will be under plenty of microscopes.
Vice-captain of the side and protagonist in the backs division, JP Eloff would be a welcome addition to any side in MLR. With the ability to play at flyhalf, center, or fullback at a high level, it’s the latter where Osborne will try him out in the early goings. Eloff is a footballer who can pop up at first receiver or slice through a gap out wide with his pace and vision.
ONE TO WATCH
With all hands on deck Malcolm May probably isn’t in the run-on side but he should make a serious impact coming off the bench. Able to play across the back row, the Penn State star is an explosive athlete with the footwork of a back. Look for him to fill in at No8 when Dolan is called for ARC duty. Of all the collegiate signings, he might have the highest ceiling.
STRENGTHS
This is a well-constructed side with a nice mix of experience and youth in the forward pack. After seeing the team scraping the barrel last season, this year there is a bit of breathing room at virtually every position. The scrum looks solid, there are a number of quality lineout options, and the backline is bristling with talent that is capable of putting up a lot points very quickly.
QUESTIONS
The team will be tested early with some of their best players answering calls for the Americas Rugby Championship during the opening weeks. Despite playing four warm-up games they were all against club sides and the step up in competition for some of the new players will be significant.
In terms of personnel most bases look covered. Osborne does, however, have a tendency to think outside the box and the experiments don’t always pay off. Greater consistency in selection will is important this season. The backline is designed for speed but could maybe add a crash ball option if one becomes available during the season.
OUTLOOK
After being a bit of a flop last year, this team now looks completely different. It has the depth to deal with injuries and on paper their first-choice side looks as good as any in MLR. They’ve run up some big scores against questionable opposition in the preseason so it’s hard to say exactly where they’re at. The season opener against Toronto will give us a proper indication. NOLA are certainly a far better team than 2018 and while it’s too early to rank them up with the heavy hitters, expect them to be in the Semi Final conversation three months from now.
TRANSFERS
IN: Kevin Sullivan (PR, Cal Golden Bears), Matt Harmon (HO, Life), Kane Thompson (LO, Taranaki, NZ), Ignacio Dotti (LO, Los Cuervos, UR), Kyle Baillie (FL, London Scottish, UK), Kevin O’Connor (FL, Trinity College, IR), Malcolm May (FL/N8, Penn State), Cam Dolan (N8, San Diego Legion), Scott Gale (SH/FH, Brisbane City, AU), Nick Feakes (FH/FB, Lindenwood), Tristan Blewett (CE, Southern Kings, SA), Con Foley (CE, Brisbane City, AU), Deion Mikesell (WI, Lindenwood), Shawn Riley (WI, Southern Pines)
OUT: Anthony Parry (PR, Rugby United New York), Alec Janotka (HO, Chicago Lions), Myles McQuone (LO, Rugby United New York), Matt Wirken (LO, Rugby United New York), Matt Hughston (FL, Rugby United New York), Chad Joseph (FL, Dallas Reds), Moni Tonga’uiha (FL, Life West Gladiators), Sebastián Kalm (N8, Austin Elite), Vita Makasini (SH, Metropolis), Peceli Rinakama (FH, Metropolis), Melvin DeSouza (WI, Metropolis), Joey Sok (WI)
