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The top two teams in Major League Rugby will square off at Gold Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Oddly enough the NOLA Gold and San Diego Legion have not played each other yet this season. They will meet again in San Diego on the last weekend of the regular season.
NOLA had little trouble with Austin in their last run-out and have made just three changes to the starting side. Nikola Bursic comes in at lock for the injured Kyle Baillie, and Zack Stryffeler rotates back in on the flank with Moni Tonga’uiha moving to the bench.
Scott Gale returns at flyhalf with Taylor Howden dropping to the reserves. There are two other changes among the replacements with Kavita Peniata stepping in for Alex Maughan, and Kevin O’Connor providing back row cover in place of John Sullivan.
San Diego are fresh off the sting of defeat after their five-game winning streak came to an end in Toronto. They show four changes to the run-on side, three of them required due to injuries.
One change in the front row sees Oti Pifeleti recalled at loosehead prop with Nathan Sylvian swapped to the bench. Louis Stanfill is back in the second row but Devin Short is out so Jasa Veremalua switches from lock to flanker.
Injuries have ruled out Dylan Audsley and Ryan Matyas, requiring two new wingers and a midfield shuffle. Save Totovosau and Nick Boyer start with JP du Plessis pushing out one spot to outside center and Conor Kearns getting a rare look at inside center.
The losses of Short, Matyas, and Audsley are particularly damaging to the Legion though the Gold are missing a couple of their own regulars in Baillie and tighthead prop Ben Tarr. Stanfill will add physicality to San Diego’s pack, as will Bursic for New Orleans.
Both teams enjoy playing expansive, attacking rugby, which should lead to an exciting and fast-paced spectacle. San Diego may have the edge in the scrum, but will it be enough to cancel out the home field advantage? It’s a close call but NOLA have slightly more momentum behind them. Added to the disruptions in the Legion’s backline, and the Gold are marginal favorites.
Kickoff is set for 2pm local, 3pm Eastern, Noon Pacific. The match will be broadcast by CBS Sports Network. Those located outside the USA can access the live stream on the official MLR Facebook page.
NOLA GOLD
1 Hubert Buydens, 2 Eric Howard (capt.), 3 Matt Harmon, 4 Kane Thompson, 5 Nikola Bursic, 6 Ignacio Dotti, 7 Zack Stryffeler, 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Holden Yungert, 10 Scott Gale, 11 Nick Feakes, 12 Con Foley, 13 Tristan Blewett, 14 Tim Maupin, 15 JP Eloff
Replacements: 16 Kavika Peniata, 17 Cam Falcon, 18 Kevin Sullivan, 19 Billy Stewart, 20 Moni Tonga’uiha, 21 Kevin O’Connor, 22 Michael Baska, 23 Taylor Howden
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 2 Kapeli Pifeleti, 3 Paddy Ryan, 4 Louis Stanfill, 5 Keni Nasoqeqe, 6 Psalm Wooching, 7 Jasa Veremalua, 8 Jordan Manihera, 9 Nate Augspurger, 10 Joe Pietersen (capt.), 11 Save Totovosau, 12 Conor Kearns, 13 JP du Plessis, 14 Nick Boyer, 15 Mike Te’o
Replacements: 16 Pat Blair, 17 Nathan Sylvia, 18 Dino Waldren, 19 Siaosi Mahoni, 20 Drew Gaffney, 21 Tai Enosa, 22 Will Holder, 23 Nick Lupian
Date: Saturday, May 11
Venue: Gold Stadium, Marrero
Kickoff: 14:00 local (12:00 Pacific, 15:00 Eastern)
Broadcasts: CBS Sports Network, Facebook
