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The coastal rivalry renews on Saturday when Rugby United New York plays host to the San Diego Legion at MCU Park. New York famously won their first ever Major League Rugby match against the Legion on opening weekend, and the two sides are now in the thick of a playoff race with every point vital.
San Diego has re-tooled slightly since then. Psalm Wooching returned to fitness, Jordan Manihera arrived from New Zealand, Nate Augspurger won back his place at scrumhalf, and Jasa Veremalua somehow transformed from winger to lock in a span of weeks.
After back-to-back wins over Seattle and Austin, Rob Hoadley has kept his team intact with the only two changes to the match day squad coming on the bench. There is no specialist lock cover available so Sione Tu’ihalamaka is named a super-sub. Conor Kearns returns to fitness to take the place of Kyle Rogers as outside back cover.
New York are on an even bigger roll having won each of their last five and are as-of-yet unbeaten on Coney Island. They enjoyed a bye last weekend and after a shaky performance against Austin in San Antonio, Mike Tolkin has reverted to a close to full-strength side.
Dylan Fawsitt returns at hooker with Ross Deacon at the back of the scrum. Trevor Cassidy is unfit for duty so Alex MacDonald will start at lock but curiously there is no second row cover on the bench. Instead flanker Kyle Sumsion is back after a five-game absence to join Matt Hughston among the reserves.
The number one halfback combination of captain Mike Petri and Cathal Marsh are back in business, and Mark O’Keeffe starts at inside center with Will Leonard still out with a shoulder injury. Connor Wallace-Sims is restored on the left wing and Seimou Smith has staved off the competition on the right.
January’s match was on a knife-edge and this one should be no different. New York’s forward pack has bested all comers though San Diego’s scrum is not to be taken lightly. The Legion-ary firepower out wide will trouble United but the likes of Wallace-Sims and Ben Foden are also dangerous. Give the slight edge to New York on home turf but not by much.
Kickoff is set for 1pm local time, 10am Pacific. Local broadcasts will be available on Fox 5 San Diego, NBC Sports Washington and Philadelphia, and SNY. ESPN+ will carry the game nationwide and a Facebook stream will be available to those outside the USA.
RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK
1 James Rochford, 2 Dylan Fawsitt, 3 Paddy Ryan, 4 Alex MacDonald, 5 Nate Brakeley, 6 John Quill, 7 James Denise, 8 Ross Deacon, 9 Mike Petri (capt.), 10 Cathal Marsh, 11 Connor Wallace-Sims, 12 Mark O’Keeffe, 13 Chris Mattina, 14 Seimou Smith, 15 Ben Foden
Replacements: 16 Mike Brown, 17 Anthony Parry, 18 Chris Sullivan, 19 Kyle Sumsion, 20 Matt Hughston, 21 Marcus Walsh, 22 Harry Bennettt, 23 Gavan D’Amore-Morrison
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 2 Dean Muir, 3 Paddy Ryan, 4 Louis Stanfill, 5 Jasa Veremalua, 6 Psalm Wooching, 7 Devin Short, 8 Jordan Manihera, 9 Nate Augspurger, 10 Joe Pietersen (capt.), 11 Ryan Matyas, 12 JP du Plessis, 13 Dylan Audsley, 14 Savenaca Totovosau, 15 Mike Te’o
Replacements: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 17 Nathan Sylvia, 18 Aaron Mitchell, 19 Sione Tu’ihalamaka, 20 Drew Gaffney, 21 Nick Boyer, 22 Tai Enosa, 23 Conor Kearns
Date: Sunday, April 14
Venue: MCU Park, Brooklyn
Kickoff: 13:00 local (10:00 Pacific)
Referee: Elgan Williams (WRU)
Assistants: Scott Green (USAR) & Jake Still (USAR)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Facebook, Fox 5 San Diego, NBC Sports Washington/Philadelphia, SNY
