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The six season of Major League Rugby officially begins on Friday evening in Atlanta. It’s the rebranded Rugby ATL hosting the Toronto Arrows with the Fire & Ice Cup on the line. The two sides have become closely-knit since Atlanta served as a surrogate home for the Arrows during the 2021 campaign.
ATL were knocked out in the Eastern Conference playoff by last season’s eventual champions, New York, and have made the postseason in two of their three years in MLR. New colors aside, there are plenty of familiar faces in Stephen Brett’s lineup that will lean on continuity to start the year off on a winning note.
Tiaan Erasmus is handed the first shot at hooker following the departure of Marko Janse van Rensburg. The first choice tight five is otherwise intact, with Johan Momsen taking on the captaincy in the absence of Matt Heaton. Daemon Torres will wear the unfamiliar No7 shirt while the Canadian is sidelined.
There are two debutantes in the backline. With Te Rangatira Waitokia also missing, it’s former New Zealand 7s squad member Rewita Biddle who starts in the midfield. Collegiate Draft pick Jack Shaw gets the nod to make his pro debut on the left wing, with fellow Canada u20 select Seth Purdey in line to make his first appearance as a replacement.
Wikus Groenewald returns from a long spell out to act as the secondary tighthead prop behind scrum anchor John-Roy Jenkinson. New Zealand Schools hooker Ben Strang, who is US-eligible, should make his first MLR appearance along with Australian second row Jordan Brown.
The Arrows finally returned home last season after two years with no games in the north, but a raft of injuries saw them sputtering out of the playoff race in the second half of the campaign. There has been significant upheaval on the playing roster. Six starters and two reserves are entirely new to MLR.
New faces Conan O’Donnell and Gene Syminton pack down in the front row, with Micaiah Torrance-Read behind them. Mason Flesch is a surprise choice to start at lock ahead of bench duo Adrian Wadden and Mike Sheppard. Former LA forward Corey Thomas makes his Arrows debut at No8, with ex-Seattle loosie Travis Larsen on the side of the scrum.
Toronto’s newest signing, Tautalatasi Tasi, will partner with Mitch Richardson in the midfield. The latter spent the off-season playing for Melrose in Scotland. Cole Davis lines up opposite his former team on the wing, with Canada 7s select Ciaran Breen at fullback. Nic Benn starts on the wing ahead of another Shute Shield arrival, Fabian Goodall. Canadian international Shane O’Leary settles for a spot on the bench with Sam Malcolm starting at flyhalf.
Injuries have deprived the men in blue of four of their off-season additions, though none are long-term casualties. Ex-Bristol No8 Mitch Eadie and Irish international center Noel Reid were expected to start, while front rower Ramón Ayarza and scrumhalf Will Grant also miss out.
Warm weather greeted the visitors on their arrival Thursday, and conditions should be relatively mild at kickoff. A longer preseason will have helped get the newcomers up to speed in Toronto, but this will be their first true test together while ATL are loaded with returnees. ATL have won four straight against the Arrows and have a habit of getting out to fast starts. Give the favorites tag to the home side.
Kickoff is set for 7pm local time, 4pm Pacific. TSN’s digital services will stream the game for Canadian viewers. Those located elsewhere can watch on The Rugby Network.
RUGBY ATL
1 Alex Maughan, 2 Tiaan Erasmus, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 4 Justin Basson, 5 Johan Momsen (capt.), 6 Vili Helu, 7 Daemon Torres, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Rowan Gouws, 10 Kurt Coleman, 11 Jack Shaw, 12 Rewita Biddle, 13 Will Leonard, 14 Austin White, 15 Martini Talapusi
Replacements: 16 Ben Strang, 17 Jonas Petrakopoulos, 18 Wikus Groenewald, 19 Jordan Brown, 20 Ross Deacon, 21 Ryan Rees, 22 Duncan van Schalkwyk, 23 Seth Purdey
TORONTO ARROWS
1 Conan O’Donnell, 2 Gene Syminton, 3 Isaac Salmon, 4 Mason Flesch, 5 Micaiah Torrance-Read, 6 Travis Larsen, 7 Lucas Rumball (capt.), 8 Corey Thomas, 9 Ross Braude, 10 Sam Malcolm, 11 Nic Benn, 12 Tautalatasi Tasi, 13 Mitch Richardson, 14 Cole Davis, 15 Ciaran Breen
Replacements: 16 Jack McRogers, 17 Lolani Faleiva, 18 Tyler Rowland, 19 Adrian Wadden, 20 Mike Sheppard, 21 Cole Brown, 22 Shane O’Leary, 23 Fabian Goodall
Date: Friday, February 17
Venue: Silverbacks Park, Atlanta
Kickoff: 19:00 local (16:00 Pacific)
Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Dave Edwards (USA) & Bryan Hall (USA)
TMO: Nick Hannon (USA)
Broadcasts: The Rugby Network, TSN Digital
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2022-05-28 – Rugby ATL 34, Toronto Arrows 23 (Silverbacks Parks)
2022-04-02 – Toronto Arrows 14, Rugby ATL 20 (York Lions Stadium)
2021-05-08 – Toronto Arrows 29, Rugby ATL 33 (Lupo Family Field)
2021-03-20 – Rugby ATL 21, Toronto Arrows 14 (Lupo Family Field)
2020-03-01 – Rugby ATL 18, Toronto Arrows 28 (Lupo Family Field)
