Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The second of two Saturday night offerings sees the Gold welcoming Rugby ATL to New Orleans. It’s the last game of the regular season scheduled at The Gold Mine and one of enormous importance in the playoff race with NOLA just six points back of the Eastern Conference leaders with a game at hand.
NOLA won three of their four games in May including their most recent against the Utah Warriors. After a bye week to recover they will face an opponent who has had their number in both previous meetings. In April the Ratlers pulled away to take a convincing win.
There are just two changes in the starting side for the Gold. Regular skipper Kyle Baillie misses out so Ignacio Dotti starts at lock with Cam Dolan stepping up as captain. Kevin O’Connor is the backup hooker this week following Eric Howard’s injury against Utah.
In the backs there is a start for Namibia international Damian Stevens with Holden Yungert dropping to the bench. Canada longlist select Lockie Kratz and former Ospreys winger Hanno Dirksen settle for spots among the replacements.
ATL are coming off an inspirational victory over the LA Giltinis that has propelled them to second in the overall standings. After the grueling defensive display they have opted to freshen up the pack this week with two changes to the starters and two more on the bench.
Captain Matt Heaton is given the week off entirely with Connor Cook starting at openside flanker. Neething Gericke comes in at hooker with Marko Janse van Rensburg on the bench this week. Manasa Saulo returns as backup tighthead prop and first round draft pick Mike Matarazzo is poised to make his pro debut as one of six forward replacements.
The only change in the backs is notable as Duncan van Schalkwyk makes just his third start of the season and first at scrumhalf. Rowan Gouws drops out entirely with Ryan Rees and Robbie Petzer the only backline subs named.
This could be a must-win situation for NOLA if one considers their remaining six games are all on the road. Rain is on the forecast which would suggest an advantage to the home side but ATL won in similar conditions at The Gold Mine last year. If the Ratlers can avoid the post-Giltini blues that plagued New York, the visitors should have the edge in a close contest.
Kickoff is set for 7:30pm local time, 5:30pm Pacific, 8:30pm Eastern. CBS Sports Network will broadcast in Canada and the USA, with The Rugby Network streaming to viewers abroad.
NOLA GOLD
1 Matt Harmon, 2 Pat O’Toole, 3 Dino Waldren, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Billy Stewart, 6 Moni Tonga’uiha, 7 Andrew Guerra, 8 Cam Dolan (capt.), 9 Damian Stevens, 10 Timothée Guillimin, 11 Julián Domínguez, 12 JP du Plessis, 13 Juan Cappiello, 14 Tim Maupin, 15 Kyle Rogers
Replacements: 16 Kevin O’Connor, 17 Kevin Sullivan, 18 John Sullivan, 19 Nikola Bursic, 20 Devin Short, 21 Holden Yungert, 22 Lockie Kratz, 23 Hanno Dirksen
RUGBY ATL
1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Neethling Gericke, 3 Wikus Groenewald, 4 Johan Momsen, 5 Marno Redelinghuys, 6 Vili Helu, 7 Connor Cook, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Duncan van Schalkwyk, 10 Adriaan Carelse, 11 Rory van Vugt (capt.), 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 13 Mark O’Keeffe, 14 Jeremy Misailegalu, 15 Te Rangatira Waitokia
Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Jonas Petrakopoulos, 18 Manasa Saulo, 19 Conor Keys, 20 Ross Deacon, 21 Mike Matarazzo, 22 Ryan Rees, 23 Robbie Petzer
Date: Saturday, June 5
Venue: The Gold Mine, New Orleans
Kickoff: 19:30 local (17:30 Pacific, 20:30 Eastern)
Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Kat Roche (USA) & Allen Alongi (USA)
Broadcasts: CBS Sports Network, The Rugby Network
Historical Results
2021-04-24 – Rugby ATL 38, NOLA Gold 28 (Lupo Family Field)
2020-02-16 – NOLA Gold 10, Rugby ATL 22 (The Gold Mine)
