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The 2021 Major League Rugby preseason will begin in earnest next Friday, but fans will get a teaser of what is to come as Rugby ATL offers up an intra-squad battle at Lupo Family Field on Saturday evening. It’s Silver vs Black as 37 players take part with starting spots on the line and in some cases potentially MLR contracts for a handful of Pathway 404 athletes.
There are 19 returning players named including outstanding South African lock Johan Momsen, whose return was not previously confirmed by the club. Newcomers Rowan Gouws and Bautista Ezcurra pair in the halfbacks, with New Zealand import Te Rangatira Waitokia lining up at fullback.
Team Black features Will Burke at tighthead prop, formerly of Rugby United New York and recently left club-less by Dallas. Two former Raptors are named in Connor Cook and Robbie Petzer, and there is an intriguing selection of 6’5″ (1.95m) Jalen Tatum on the wing after signing as a flanker.
Other new arrivals are props Jonas Petrakopoulos and Lincoln Sii, flanker Daemon Torres, and collegiate draft picks John Scotti and Mike Matarazzo. Notable names who will sit the match out are tighthead prop Duane Aholelei, scrumhalf Duncan van Schalkwyk, and winger Austin White.
Kickoff is set for 7pm local time, 4pm Pacific, with a live stream available on Rugby ATL’s Facebook page.
ATL SILVER
1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Alex Maughan, 3 Jonas Petrakopoulos, 4 Marno Redelinghuys, 5 Johan Momsen, 6 Vili Helu, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Rowan Gouws, 10 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Harley Davidson, 12 Martini Talapusi, 13 Jeremy Misailegalu, 14 Tito Bautista-Vargas, 15 Te Rangatira Waitokia
ATL BLACK
1 Luke Schlotman, 2 Neethling Gericke, 3 Will Burke, 4 Harry Higgins, 5 Conor Keys, 6 Daemon Torres, 7 Connor Cook, 8 Ross Deacon, 9 Ryan Rees, 10 Kurt Coleman, 11 Jalen Tatum, 12 Robbie Petzer, 13 Zander van Schalkwyk, 14 John Scotti, 15 Eamonn Matthews
Replacements: Amro Gouda, Lincoln Sii, Mike Matarazzo, Campbell Robinson, Maciu Koroi, Sam Trammel, Gio Douyon
