Austin forwards taking shape for 2020

Now more than a week into preseason training for the 2020 Major League Rugby season, there are still several key names to be confirmed by the Austin Herd including their new Head Coach. The club did announce the signing of two players this past week with others checking in to begin conditioning work.

Loosehead prop Phil Hanson returns after joining the team late last season from the Austin Huns as injury cover. The 26-year-old appeared in two games as a replacement. An All-Conference No8 for Texas A&M, he is now focused on the front row and joins incumbent starter LaRome White and new recruit Skyler Adams as options in the No1 shirt.

Another late arriver last season was Fijian lock Maikeli Naromaitoga. At 6’5″ (1.95m) and upwards of 285lbs (130kg) he is one of the biggest men in MLR and a fearsome ball carrier who was used effectively as a second half impact sub in three matches, scoring one try. The 28-year-old initially joined on loan from Utah but the move is now a permanent one for 2020. Rikus Zwart returns with second row his probable position after playing mainly blindside flanker in 2019, while Tongan international Dan Faleafa is another option at lock.

Naromaitoga is now one of four Fijians on the current roster. New arrival Enele Malele joins returning winger Peni Tagive, and the club has now announced the signing of openside flanker Lino Saunitoga. At 32 he is the oldest forward currently on the roster but this will be his first venture into professional rugby. Saunitoga was part of the Fiji training squad for the 2009-2010 World Sevens season though he did not make an appearance on the circuit. Having played for the Kalihi Raiders in Hawai’i since 2016, he is now US-eligible on residency.

It will be a much-changed forward pack for Austin in 2020 but there is some continuity in the front row. Both Tiaan Erasmus and Chris Schade return at hooker, with Mason Pedersen and World Cup select Juan Echeverría again competing for starts at tighthead prop. The back row is less certain with Canadian flanker Moe Abdelmonem one of few retained. All-American duo Michael de Waal and Wesley White add depth while Samoa ‘A’ rep Potu Leavasa is eyeing the vacant No8 shirt.