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One week after facing their inaugural Major League Rugby Final opponents, the defending champion Seattle Seawolves will square off against the side they beat in the Semi Final – the San Diego Legion. Seattle will be trying to make it two from two in their first road game of the year while San Diego dropped a close one to New York after holding the lead well past the 70 minute mark.
The two sides are the least affected by Americas Rugby Championship call-ups thus far. The Seawolves have made just one change to the run-on side, though it is a significant one. There is no sign of new flyhalf Ben Cima in the lineup so it’s captain Shalom Suniula who slides in one spot with Canada’s George Barton getting his first start of the season.
It’s a 6-2 split on the bench this week. Cole van Harn adds another flanker option while new signing Scott Dean provides backup at No10. Otherwise it’s business as usual with Djustice Sears-Duru and Nakai Penny away on Canada duty and their countryman Cam Polson still sidelined with injury.
San Diego meanwhile start an identical forward pack to the one that faced New York but there are three personnel changes in the backs. Dylan Audsley is away on Eagles duty so Jasa Veremalua comes into the midfield with JP du Plessis moving in one spot to his more familiar inside center role. Marcus Tupuola starts where he left off on the left wing, and Kyle Rogers replaces Conor Kearns at fullback.
The big news for the Legionnaires is the return of two outstanding Eagles speedsters from injury. Mike Te’o returns after eight months on the sidelines with a knee injury. He starts on the right wing, with Nate Augspurger named on the bench. The latter tore a thigh muscle just prior to the November internationals.
With rain on the forecast the value of the set piece is amplified and an area where San Diego came off decidedly second best in 2018. They will have a chance to test their new-look front row against the vaunted Seattle scrum in a battle that will see four players with Super Rugby experience colliding.
It’s the muscle in the rest of the forwards that leans towards the Seawolves on a wet pitch. The Legion are a team that thrives off quick ball on a dry day. While it’s disappointing that Cima will not face his former team, the addition of Barton gives Seattle two heavyweights in the midfield to punch holes and keep the gainline moving forward.
This will be a real test of San Diego’s adaptability. Will they risk running rugby in the conditions or do they tighten up and take the challenge of the ‘Sea Wall’ head on? In the end all the questions are directed at the Legion. Look for Seattle to continue their winning season in an intriguing contest but ultimately one that should tilt towards the visitors.
Kickoff is set for 3:30pm local time, 6:30pm Eastern. Live broadcasts will be available locally on Fox 5 San Diego and Root Sports, with ESPN+ carrying the game nation-wide. Those based outside the USA can watch on the official MLR Facebook page.
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Nathan Sylvia, 2 Dean Muir, 3 Paddy Ryan, 4 Louis Stanfill, 5 Keni Nasoqeqe, 6 Chris Turori, 7 Devin Short, 8 Drew Gaffney, 9 Nick Boyer, 10 Joe Pietersen (capt.), 11 Marcus Tupuola, 12 JP du Plessis, 13 Jasa Veremalua, 14 Mike Te’o, 15 Kyle Rogers
Replacements: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 17 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 18 Aaron Mitchell, 19 Sione Tu’ihalamaka, 20 Alec Barton, 21 Tai Enosa, 22 Nate Augspurger, 23 Save Totovosau
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Olive Kilifi, 2 Stephan Coetzee, 3 Tim Metcher, 4 Taylor Krumrei, 5 Api Naikatini, 6 Brad Tucker, 7 Vili Toluta’u, 8 Riekert Hattingh, 9 Phil Mack, 10 Shalom Suniula (capt.), 11 Peter Tiberio, 12 George Barton, 13 William Rasileka, 14 Brock Staller, 15 Mat Turner
Replacements: 16 Mike Shepherd, 17 Kellen Gordon, 18 John Hayden, 19 Jérémy Lenaerts, 20 Eric Duechle, 21 Cole van Harn, 22 JP Smith, 23 Scott Dean
Date: Saturday, February 2
Venue: Torero Stadium, San Diego
Kickoff: 15:30 local (18:30 Eastern)
Referee: Scott Green (USAR)
Assistants: Paul-Henri Courbier (USAR) & Austin Reed (USAR)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Facebook, Fox 5 San Diego, Root Sports
