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Sunday night’s Western Conference Playoff will feature Major League Rugby’s most rivalry as the Seattle Seawolves host the San Diego Legion at Starfire Stadium. The two sides contested the 2019 Championship Final in front of a packed house at Torero Stadium, arguably the best match in league history.
Of course it’s not the match that was expected. The LA Giltinis were to host the Houston SaberCats for a shot at the Austin Gilgronis. Off-field drama has seen both Austin and LA disqualified, with Houston now hosting the winner of Sunday’s game in the Western Conference Final next weekend.
It’s the Seawolves who hold a 6-4 advantage in the head-to-head matchup be virtue of claiming both of their meetings this season. Every engagement has delivered excitement with February’s match decided by three points and April’s by only two.
Allen Clarke’s men were initially resigned to missing out on the playoffs but were handed a second chance and remarkably earned their spot with an upset win over the Giltinis. They were missing several players due to injury for that trip but welcome back three key players this weekend.
Andrew Durutalo is back at flanker in place of Tommy Clark, while Samu Manoa comes into the second row for Brad Tucker. Sean McNulty is ruled out, however, which sees James Malcolm back in the starting lineup at hooker.
Tavite Lopeti misses out again but Dan Kriel is passed fit to resume at outside center. David Busby keeps his place at No12 in Lopeti’s stead and Ross Neal bumps out one spot to the wing. Lauina Futi has shaken off a knock suffered against LA to maintain his spot in the squad albeit on the bench.
The Legion, remarkably, have been eliminated twice already and could have been forgiven for thinking their season was well and truly over. They had a bye week to end the regular season but have answered the call for the unlikely opportunity that has been presented.
Danny Lee has made just three personnel changes to the team that lost to Austin on May 28. Hencus van Wyk switches to tighthead prop with Nathan Sylvia in at loosehead and Paddy Ryan missing out entirely. Pat Lynott covers loosehead on the bench. There is a straight swap in the second row with Ben Mitchell tagging in and Jale Railala dropping to the reserves.
Nate Augspurger made a miraculous return to the squad off the bench against Austin and is now fit enough to start at scrumhalf. Jason Higgins, who has been a standout in recent weeks at No9, is named among the replacements. The backline is otherwise unchanged with Josh Henderson continuing at flyhalf in the absence of the injured Will Hooley.
Light but steady rain is expected at game time but so to a raucous partisan crowd. The Seawolves will need the inspiration after the brutal physicality experienced in the Coliseum. Their hopes lie in their ability to last another 80 minutes of collisions.
San Diego meanwhile will feel refreshed and determined not to let the chance go begging. It appeared that MLR might have seen the last of Robshaw, Nonu, and Pietersen, but the door is now open for a triumphant send-off.
With Mitchell in the starting lineup alongside Ben Grant, the Legion have twin towers to disrupt Seattle’s throw-in. They will also be desperate to redeem their earlier losses to Seattle. It’s a close call but Augspurger’s presence and the week of recovery give San Diego the edge on the road.
Kickoff is set for 7pm local time, 10pm Eastern. Fox Sports 2 will broadcast nationwide with The Rugby Network streaming to viewers abroad.
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Mzamo Majola, 2 James Malcolm, 3 Sam Matenga, 4 Samu Manoa, 5 Rhyno Herbst, 6 Andrew Durutalo, 7 Travis Larsen, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 AJ Alatimu, 11 Martin Iosefo, 12 David Busby, 13 Dan Kriel, 14 Ross Neal, 15 Duncan Matthews
Replacements: 16 Mike Brown, 17 Kellen Gordon, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Brad Tucker, 20 Tommy Clark, 21 Reid Watkins, 22 Lopeti Aisea, 23 Lauina Futi
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Nathan Sylvia, 2 James Hilterbrand, 3 Hencus van Wyk, 4 Ben Mitchell, 5 Ben Grant, 6 Dan Pryor, 7 Michael Smith, 8 Tevita Tameilau, 9 Nate Augspurger, 10 Josh Henderson, 11 Tomas Aoake, 12 Ma’a Nonu (capt.), 13 Tiaan Loots, 14 Bjorn Basson, 15 Joe Pietersen
Replacements: 16 Peter Malcolm, 17 Pat Lynott, 18 Chris Baumann, 19 Jale Railala, 20 Chris Robshaw, 21 Jason Higgins, 22 Josh Thiel, 23 Ryan Matyas
Date: Sunday, June 12
Venue: Starfire Stadium, Tukwila
Kickoff: 19:00 local (22:00 Eastern)
Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Luke Rogan (USA) & Lex Weiner (USA)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 2, The Rugby Network
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2022-04-16 – Seattle Seawolves 34, San Diego Legion 32 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-02-20 – San Diego Legion 28, Seattle Seawolves 31 (SDSU Sports Deck)
2021-07-03 – San Diego Legion 34, Seattle Seawolves 21 (Elite Athlete Training Center)
2021-05-09 – Seattle Seawolves 21, San Diego Legion 15 (Starfire Stadium)
2020-02-09 – San Diego Legion 33, Seattle Seawolves 24 (Torero Stadium)
2019-06-16 – San Diego Legion 23, Seattle Seawolves 26 (Torero Stadium)
2019-03-31 – Seattle Seawolves 22, San Diego Legion 28 (Starfire Stadium)
2019-02-02 – San Diego Legion 17, Seattle Seawolves 13 (Torero Stadium)
2018-06-30 – Seattle Seawolves 38, San Diego Legion 24 (Infinity Park)
2018-04-22 – Seattle Seawolves 39, San Diego Legion 23 (Starfire Stadium)
