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Wrapping up opening day of the 2022 Major League Rugby season is an intriguing clash between Eastern Conference rivals NOLA Gold and the New England Free Jacks. Both were mid-table finishers last year and are gunning for their first taste of postseason action with an extra playoff spot on offer this season. Each side will also be under the care of a new Head Coach after off-season changes.
Kane Thompson has been elevated to the top spot for NOLA while former All Blacks star Carlos Spencer has been added to the staff. Cam Dolan takes over the skipper’s role permanently from departed Kyle Baillie, with vice-captain Robbie Coleman returning from long-term injury to start at flyhalf.
Canadian hooker Eric Howard is the only name in a familiar pack that is not US-eligible. Devin Short starts at openside flanker with last season’s MLR Rookie of the Year Andrew Guerra expect to miss at least another three months with a broken leg. Malcolm May and William Waguespack start at lock in the absence of Ignacio Dotti and Billy Stewart.
Nick Feakes returns after a season-long injury absence on the left wing with JP Eloff ready to make his return from the bench. Goal kicker Carl Meyer moves up to the midfield with JP du Plessis settling for a spot as a reserve. Kyle Rogers is handed the start at fullback, and Harley Wheeler returns to MLR and makes his club debut on the right wing.
Four others should make their first appearances for NOLA as replacements. Collegiate Draft pick George Sharpe provides backup at hooker with eightman Maciu Koroi arriving from ATL. Second row Taylor Krumrei and scrumhalf Devereaux Ferris move east from Seattle. Krumrei is another player who missed all of the 2021 season with injury.
Scott Mathie is now Head Coach of the Free Jacks with Mike Rogers his right-hand man in charge of the forwards. Josh Larsen returns to captain a side that features seven newcomers in the starting lineup and another four on the bench.
Foster DeWitt and Reegan O’Gorman makes it three Canadians in the pack. DeWitt makes his MLR at loosehead prop after being initially signed as a hooker. New Zealand imports Slade McDowall and Terrell Peita are expected to be influential figures in the back row.
With Harrison Boyle injured it’s Beaudeni Waaka who will get the first shot at the unsettled No10 shirt, and incumbent John Poland has fought off the challenge of former NOLA starter Holden Yungert at scrumhalf. It’s a new-look midfield in Le Roux Malan and Canadian-eligible Jack Reeves, with ex-Houston flyer Paula Balekana manning the right wing.
Mills Sanerivi, Alex Johnston, and Stan van den Hoven have arrived from New Zealand to take up spots on the bench. Sanerivi wears the No17 shirt but covers hooker with Johnston the loosehead prop backup. Loose forward Cam Davidowicz is set to make his MLR debut after being promoted from the extended roster, with center Mika Lomano also in line for a professional appearance.
This is the most difficult match of Saturday’s offerings to predict. NOLA have greater continuity on the playing side but the influx of New Zealanders to the Free Jacks is significant. Both teams will be adjusting to their new coaches and played just one warm-up match in the preseason. Expect a close battle with a slight advantage going to the Gold at home.
Kickoff is set for 8pm local time, 6pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern. Fox Sports 2 will broadcast nationwide with The Rugby Network streaming to viewers located abroad.
NOLA GOLD
1 Matt Harmon, 2 Eric Howard, 3 Dino Waldren, 4 Malcolm May, 5 William Waguespack, 6 Moni Tonga’uiha, 7 Devin Short, 8 Cam Dolan (capt.), 9 Damian Stevens, 10 Robbie Coleman, 11 Nick Feakes, 12 Carl Meyer, 13 Juan Cappiello, 14 Harley Wheeler, 15 Kyle Rogers
Replacements: 16 George Sharpe, 17 Kevin Sullivan, 18 Brian Nault, 19 Taylor Krumrei, 20 Maciu Koroi, 21 Devereaux Ferris, 22 JP Eloff, 23 JP du Plessis
NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Foster DeWitt, 2 Pieter Jansen, 3 Erich de Jager, 4 Josh Larsen (capt.), 5 Reegan O’Gorman, 6 Joe Johnston, 7 Slade McDowall, 8 Terrell Peita, 9 John Poland, 10 Beaudein Waaka, 11 Harry Barlow, 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Jack Reeves, 14 Paula Balekana, 15 Dougie Fife
Replacements: 16 Alex Johnston, 17 Mills Sanerivi, 18 Spencer Krueger, 19 Stan van den Hoven, 20 Cam Davidowicz, 21 Holden Yungert, 22 Mika Lomano, 23 Mitch Wilson
Date: Saturday, February 5
Venue: The Gold Mine, New Orleans
Kickoff: 20:00 local (18:00 Pacific, 21:00 Eastern)
Referee: Moe Chaudhry (Canada)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 2, The Rugby Network
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2021-06-26 – New England Free Jacks 9, NOLA Gold 17 (Union Point Stadium)
2021-04-17 – NOLA Gold 30, New England Free Jacks 29 (The Gold Mine)
2020-03-07 – NOLA Gold 31, New England Free Jacks 22 (The Gold Mine)
