MLR 2023 – Old Glory DC – ARN Season Guide

It was a rough start to the campaign for Old Glory in 2022, with their first victory not coming until their 10th match of season – and after they had made a coaching change. Their first and only Head Coach until then Andrew Douglas departed and Nate Osborne took over in an interim capacity. While Osborne led the side to three wins in the second half of the season team management has opted to chance it up once again with Josh Syms taking the top job.

There is a strong South American contingent on the squad this year who bring experience and optimism. A change in captaincy also sees Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz wearing the armband, replacing last year’s skipper Danny Tusitala. Can DC challenge for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference? Below we look at the changes from last year to now.

A detailed squad list can be seen here.

 

TEAM HISTORY

YEAR	SEASON	RANK	FINALS
2020	4-1	3 of 12	–
2021	6-9-1	8 of 12	–
2022	3-13	12 of 13	–

After a remarkable start to their Major League Rugby experience during the shortened 2020 campaign, the team got a bit of a reality check in 2021. Recruitment maybe wasn’t quite up to par heading into 2022 and certainly their defensive standards left a lot to be desired, with only Dallas conceding more points over the course of the season.

 

COACHING STAFF

Josh Syms arrives after coaching Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship. The 42-year-old had previously coached Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship. Callum Gibbins and James Willocks return as assistants, and further reinforcement to the coaching group comes in the form of Kurt Baker. The New Zealand 7s star will take up a player-coach role with a focus on the backline.

 

FRONT ROW

MLR 2022	POS	MLR 2023
Jack Carroll Jack Iscaro Will Vakalahi	LH Prop	Alex Balladares Jack Iscaro Quentin Newcomer
Facundo Gattas Rob Irimescu Mo Katz	Hooker	Facundo Gattas KoiKoi Nelligan Nic Souchon
Jake Ilnicki Dante Lopresti Kyle Stewart	TH Prop	Ramiro Herrera Cali Martinez Kyle Stewart

Only three front rowers return in 2023 – Jack Iscaro, Facundo Gattas, and Kyle Stewart. Will Vakalahi has gone to Houston and Jake Ilnicki returned to Canada. Rob Irimescu is now playing for Romania. Local trio Jack Carroll, Mo Katz, and Dante Lopresti have been left off the roster.

Former Pumas starter Ramiro Herrera is the biggest addition – figuratively and literally – and will anchor the scrum at tighthead prop. Quentin Newcomer arrives from New England, while the Collegiate Draft brings Canada age-grade select Cali Martinez and Old Glory academy member Alex Balladares.

Bay of Plenty export Nic Souchon appears to have the inside line on the starting hooker role despite Gattas being the heavier and more experienced player. Collegiate All-American KoiKoi Nelligan is another draft pick who was acquired from San Diego after USA u23 captain Jack Manzo opted for Trinity College instead.

PROJECTED STARTERS

1	2	3
Jack Iscaro	Nic Souchon	Ramiro Herrera
25 yrs	25 yrs	34 yrs
6’1″ / 1.85m	5’11” / 1.80m	6’4″ / 1.93m
255lbs / 115kg	220lbs / 100kg	285lbs / 130kg
USA Eagles (2 caps)		Argentina (40 caps)

 

SECOND ROW

MLR 2022	POS	MLR 2023
David Beach Matt Gordon Api Naikatini Tevita Naqali Stan South	Lock	David Beach Api Naikatini Tevita Naqali Stan South

An area of consistency with no new additions. Matt Gordon departs after seeing little action over his two seasons with the club. Stan South has been named vice-captain. Loose forwards Fintan Coleman and Collin Grosse have also played some lock during the preseason.

PROJECTED STARTERS

4	5
Tevita Naqali	Stan South
29 yrs	26 yrs
6’5″ / 1.95m	6’6″ / 1.98m
255lbs / 117kg	260lbs / 118kg
	England u20

 

BACK ROW

MLR 2022	POS	MLR 2023
Dom Bailey Fintan Coleman Brady Daniel Cory Daniel Felix Kalapu Dacoda Worth	Flanker	Lautaro Bavaro Alejo Daireaux Brady Daniel Cory Daniel Collin Grosse
Josh Brown Luke Campbell Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz	No8	Fintan Coleman Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz

Josh Brown and Luke Campbell have retired, while Dom Bailey is not returning. Dacoda Worth has signed on with the Chicago Hounds. Felix Kalapu is now playing Super Rugby with the Western Force.

Former Argentina XV skipper Lautaro Bavaro is a high quality addition, while US-eligible openside Alejo Daireaux arrives from San Isidro. Collin Grosse won a national collegiate title with Army West Point alongside Nelligan. Both traveled with the USA Falcons to Montevideo this past October.

PROJECTED STARTERS

6	7	8
Lautaro Bavaro	Cory Daniel	Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz
28 yrs	27 yrs	26 yrs
6’1″ / 1.86m	6’3″ / 1.90m	6’2″ / 1.89m
225lbs / 102kg	230lbs / 105kg	255lbs / 115kg
Argentina XV	USA Eagles (3 caps)	USA Eagles (8 caps)

 

HALFBACKS

MLR 2022	POS	MLR 2023
John LeFevre Danny Thomas Danny Tusitala	Scrumhalf	Gardy Lebon John LeFevre Danny Tusitala
Mike Dabulas Rohan Saifoloi	Flyhalf	Gradyn Bowd Joaquín Díaz Bonilla Mike Weir

Danny Tusitala remains the starting scrumhalf though he won’t be captain this season. John LeFevre also toured with the Falcons to Uruguay and steps up to be Tusitala’s primary backup. Collegiate All-American Gardy Lebon is a new addition while senior academy member Jose Reyes also played in the preseason.

Joaquín ‘Tito’ Díaz Bonilla is another ex-Puma international who adds class at No10 in place of Rohan Saifoloi. Canada’s Gradyn Bowd is an experienced reserve. Mike Dabulas is shifting to the outside backs after recovering from a knee injury, with Dartmouth captain and USA u23 select Mike Weir picked up in the Collegiate Draft.

PROJECTED STARTERS

9	10
Danny Tusitala	Joaquín Díaz Bonilla
31 yrs	33 yrs
5’9″ / 1.75m	5’10” / 1.77m
180lbs / 82kg	175lbs/ 80kg
Samoa (3 caps)	Argentina (6 caps)

 

MIDFIELD

MLR 2022	POS	MLR 2023
Doug Fraser LJ Koi-Larbi Simi Moala Thretton Palamo William Talataina	Center	Doug Fraser Fermín Martínez Thretton Palamo William Talataina Marcos Young

Simi Moala recently signed for Houston while LJ Koi-Larbi has not been retained. US-eligible Fermín Martínez arrives from Argentina and gives the team four solid midfielders who will be competing for playing time. William Talataina was a starter last season but looks to have a fight on his hands this year to keep his place. Marcos Young is a recent addition who can play outside center, wing, and fullback.

PROJECTED STARTERS

12	13
William Talataina	Thretton Palamo
27 yrs	34 yrs
6’2″ / 1.89m	6’3″ / 1.91m
225lbs / 103kg	250lbs / 113kg
Samoa ‘A’	USA Eagles (19 caps)

 

OUTSIDE BACKS

MLR 2022	POS	MLR 2023
Peni Lasaqa John Rizzo Jack Russell Junior Sa’u	Wing	Mike Dabulas Peni Lasaqa John Rizzo Junior Sa’u
Renata Roberts-Te Nana Owen Sheehy	Fullback	Kurt Baker Owen Sheehy

Renata Roberts-Te Nana is a big loss but has been replaced Kurt Baker, the New Zealand 7s star who is now a player-coach. Jack Russell is currently on Chicago’s training squad. Mike Dabulas will instead be considered an outside back this season and has started on the wing in the preseason. Junior Sa’u will be focused on the wing in direct competition with the speedster Peni Lasaqa for a starting role.

PROJECTED STARTERS

11	14	15
Peni Lasaqa	Mike Dabulas	Kurt Baker
22 yrs	26 yrs	34 yrs
5’8″ / 1.72m	5’11” / 1.80m	6′ / 1.83m
180lbs / 82kg	185lbs / 85kg	200lbs / 92kg
	USA Eagles (2 caps)	New Zealand 7s

 

2023 OUTLOOK

The departures of Kalapu and Roberts-Te Nana are significant but their replacements are no slouches. Herrera, Bavaro, Díaz Bonilla, and Baker add experience and attitude to a team that needed a little more fire in their belly. Added to the influence of Syms, this team will not be walkovers this season.

Other teams in the Eastern Conference have not been idle, however, and the likes of New York and New England have greater depth across the board. Old Glory can field a competitive side but over the course of the season might struggle to keep pace with last season’s top dogs.