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After a stop start opening to their 2019 Major League Rugby campaign, the Houston SaberCats will kick off five consecutive weekends of games when they welcome the Toronto Arrows to Constellation Field for their first home game of the season. Calling it the ‘home opener’ feels a little premature given their new home – the AVEVA Stadium – is scheduled to be completed in April, but at least it’s familiar confines for the SaberCats who played their 2018 preseason in Sugar Land.
Of course it’s not an altogether unfamiliar place to the Arrows. In their previous incarnation under the Ontario banner they fought the SaberCats to a 28-all draw one year ago. The two teams are at strikingly similar strength in the rematch, with half the starters between the two sides reprising their roles.
The Arrows will field an almost identical forward pack with the only chance in the second row where Josh van Horne fills in for Mike Sheppard, though van Horne was himself a replacement on that day. Rob Brouwer returns from suspension to start at loosehead prop after missing Sunday’s Seattle game and Tom Dolezel shifts across the front row with Morgan Mitchell ruled out with injury.
Johnny Sheridan is the only backfielder who played in the first game but it’s a familiar feel for the new-look Arrows. Guiseppe du Toit has been called up by Canada so Spencer Jones and Dan Moor become reacquainted in the midfield and Sheridan steps in on the right wing. Jack Evans takes over from Shawn Windsor at fullback.
There are two new props on the bench in Pat Lynott and Mike Smith, both still awaiting their MLR debuts. Andrew Wilson sticks with the squad as loose forward cover and there are two new names covering the backs. Uruguayan pair Leandro Leivas and Gastón Mieres will wait their turn from the bench after arriving in Toronto just ahead of the Seattle game.
Houston have re-jigged their front row with the arrival of their own Teros signings. Mateo Sanguinetti jumps straight in at loosehead prop with Jamie Dever mimicking Dolezel by switching to the tighthead side. Diego Magno and Alejandro Nieto are also named but will start on the bench, with Chris Coyle replacing injured Cecil Garber at openside flank the only other change to the starting pack.
The backs get a welcome boost in the midfield as Olympic champion Osea Kolinisau makes his first appearance of the new season, but he will be without his countryman Josua Vici whose place on the wing will instead be filled by Kolly Kolberg. Another change sees Max Tacket slide in one spot in the midfield with Conor Mills relegated to bench duty.
Former NOLA Gold hooker Amro Gouda will stick with the SaberCats this season and is one of six forward replacements on the bench. Charlie Connolly will act as Dever’s cover having started at tighthead in the two previous matches. The latest addition to the squad is former Collegiate All-American and USA Select scrumhalf Chris Saint, who adds experience in the absence of the suspended Santiago Arata.
The SaberCats caught the Legion by surprise in the first half of their match in San Diego, but they struggled to create any offense after halftime. Kolinisau’s creativity will help in the regard. Without Vici, however, the Arrows can aim their sights squarely on the 33-year-old.
Wet conditions are again on the forecast which suggests the set piece will be amplified. Neither side has been exceptional at the lineout but the scrum is a different story. Toronto had no trouble with Seattle and while Houston have also been competitive, the combination of Brouwer and Dolezel is tried and true.
In Sam Windsor the SaberCats possess one of the premier kickers in MLR, and there is considerably more experience in the forwards on the bench. Even missing 10 players the Arrows look a quality outfit but success will rest with their ability to close out the game. On just four days rest that may prove as difficult as it was in Seattle.
Kickoff is set for 7pm local time, 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern. A local broadcast will be available on KUBE, while Canadian viewers can choose GameTV on cable or the Facebook stream. ESPN+ will carry the game nationwide in the USA.
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Pat O’Toole, 3 Jamie Dever, 4 Robert Meeson, 5 Matt Trouville (capt.), 6 Luke Beauchamp, 7 Chris Coyle, 8 Ayron Schramm, 9 Connor Murphy, 10 Sam Windsor, 11 Malacchi Esdale, 12 Max Tacket, 13 Osea Kolinisau, 14 Kelly Kolberg, 15 Zach Pangelinan
Replacements: 16 Amro Gouda, 17 Jake Turnbull, 18 Charlie Connolly, 19 Chris Parker, 20 Diego Magno, 21 Alejandro Nieto, 22 Chris Saint, 23 Conor Mills
TORONTO ARROWS
1 Rob Brouwer, 2 AJ Quattrin, 3 Tom Dolezel, 4 Josh van Horne, 5 Paul Ciulini, 6 Peter Milazzo, 7 Marcello Wainwright, 8 Kolby Francis, 9 Andrew Ferguson, 10 Sam Malcolm, 11 Johnny Sheridan, 12 Spencer Jones, 13 Dan Moor (capt.), 14 Avery Oitomen, 15 Jack Evans
Replacements: 16 Steven Ng, 17 Pat Lynott, 18 Mike Smith, 19 Tom van Horne, 20 Andrew Wilson, 21 Riley DiNardo, 22 Leandro Leivas, 23 Gastón Mieres
Date: Friday, February 22
Venue: Constellation Field, Sugar Land
Kickoff: 19:00 local (17:00 Pacific, 20:00 Eastern)
Referee: Luke Rogan (USAR)
Assistants: Ben Crouse (SARU) & Kahlil Harrison (USAR)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Facebook, GameTV, KUBE
