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The next stop for the Dallas Jackals on their inaugural Major League Rugby voyage is Zions Bank Stadium, where the Utah Warriors celebrate their home opener on Saturday. Unusually both teams have yet to record a victory this season, with the Western Conference finalists coming up on the wrong side of some tight results in their first three games.
Given the unusually frigid weather experienced in Texas last weekend the Jackals might consider the brisk temperatures awaiting in Salt Lake positively balmy. Certainly they will be counting on a warmer performance on the pitch after struggling to get much of anything going against the thoroughly dominant New York forwards.
Pack leader Moe Abdelmonem is given a week off to heal a battered body. Conrado Roura switches to openside flanker with Namibian international Adriaan Booysen starting at No8. Ryan Bower tags in for Liam Murray at loosehead prop in the only other change to the starting pack.
The revolving door at scrumhalf continues as Dylan James, formerly with Utah Selects, takes over from Tom Brusati. Ned Hodson gets his first start in a Dallas shirt at inside center, and there are two new wingers. Eric Naposki has recovered from an ankle injury to return on the right, while there is a surprise choice in Alejandro Torres – normally a flyhalf – on the left wing.
Utah emerge from a bye week that will have given them time to work out their shortcomings from the losses to San Diego, Seattle, and Austin. Getting a win under the belt, even against the lowly Jackals, is essential to help build some confidence for tougher tests to come.
There are two changes up front with Chad Gough rotating in for Tuvere Vugakoto at hooker and Saia Uhila starting in place of Puna Vuli at lock. Olive Kilifi returns from injury to take up a spot on the bench as loosehead prop cover, and there are two reserve flankers in Thomas Tu’avao and Mike Gieselman.
Tomasi Tonga’s impressive cameo performance against Austin is rewarded with a first ever professional start at inside center. Cliven Loubser is fit to resume duty but lines up at fullback with Calab Makene retained in the No10 shirt. Set to make his pro debut from the bench is former Lindenwood flyhalf Coleson Warner, a second round pick in the 2021 Collegiate Draft who was acquired earlier this season in a trade from Rugby ATL.
The scrum has been an area of concern for Dallas, to put it lightly, and against the likes of Angus MacLellan and Paul Mullen they will find no respite in Utah. They are unlikely to find an edge in the backline either with the inexperienced Tonga surrounded by established stars. Expect the Warriors to put on a show for their fans as they finally expel the zero from their win column.
Kickoff is set for noon local time, 11am Pacific, 1pm Central, 2pm Eastern. Local broadcasts will be available on KMYU and KSL Sports online in Utah, with The Rugby Network streaming worldwide.
UTAH WARRIORS
1 Franco van den Berg, 2 Chad Gough, 3 Paul Mullen, 4 Saia Uhila, 5 Jamie Lane, 6 Lance Williams, 7 Bailey Wilson (capt.), 8 Jurie van Vuuren, 9 Niall Saunders, 10 Caleb Makene, 11 Mike Te’o, 12 Tomasi Tonga, 13 Tyler Fisher, 14 Mika Kruse, 15 Cliven Loubser
Replacements: 16 Tuvere Vugakoto, 17 Olive Kilifi, 18 Angus MacLellan, 19 Thomas Tu’avao, 20 Mike Gieselman, 21 Danny Christensen, 22 Calvin Whiting, 23 Coleson Warner
DALLAS JACKALS
1 Ryan Bower, 2 Matt Frings, 3 Alex Tucci, 4 Bronson Teles, 5 Jérémy Lenaerts, 6 Mike Matarazzo, 7 Conrado Roura, 8 Adriaan Booysen, 9 Dylan James, 10 Adriaan Carelse, 11 Alejandro Torres, 12 Ned Hodson, 13 Henry Trinder, 14 Eric Naposki, 15 Chris Pennell (capt.)
Replacements: 16 Brendan Rams, 17 Timmy Ohlwein, 18 Tommy Madaras, 19 Calvin Gentry, 20 Romain Gadeaux, 21 Tom Brusati, 22 Chad London, 23 Aaron Gray
Date: Saturday, March 5
Venue: Zions Bank Stadium, Herriman
Kickoff: 12:00 local (11:00 Pacific, 13:00 Central, 14:00 Eastern)
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistants: Kahlil Harrison (USA) & Kage Green (USA)
TMO: Mike Lash (New Zealand)
Broadcasts: KMYU, KSL Sports, The Rugby Network
HISTORICAL RESULTS
n/a
