Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The Chicago Hounds have now confirmed the long-awaited signing of Julián Domínguez. A try-scoring star first with NOLA and then Austin, the Argentina XV representative adds top class finishing ability to the expansion side’s backline. Domínguez could feature in Chicago’s historic home opener this weekend.
Another who could make his Chicago debut is Billy Meakes. The ex-LA center is yet to arrive in the windy city, with a recent trip home to Australia raising eyebrows. Sources say the intent is for him to suit up this weekend… will he arrive at the stadium in a parachute?
Hounds fans will have been comforted by the visuals of Luke Carty moving around freely at training. He pulled up lame after a conversion attempt in the season opener against DC, but looks ready to go for Sunday’s match against the Warriors.
INJURY UPDATES
No team was hit harder by injuries this past weekend than Toronto. The Arrows were forced to play Mitch Richardson at flyhalf – a position he hadn’t played in years – because of the late withdrawal of Shane O’Leary. Sam Malcolm and Noel Reid, the other two options, had already been ruled out. At least one of the trio should be fit to play Chicago on March 11.
A nasty mid-air collision between Ciaran Breen and Cole Davis left the latter down for the count after his head bounced off the New York turf. Davis was stretchered off as precaution but the Arrows issued an update indicating that he had been released from hospital and is now in recovery mode.
Toronto were also thin at tighthead prop after Tyler Rowland pulled out. Isaac Salmon was forced off for an HIA just before halftime and did not return. Nik Hildebrand come on but lined up at loosehead, with the starting No1 Conan O’Donnell instead switching to tighthead. Draft pick Denver Fatt did not end up signing for the team, which means the Arrows only have two tighthead specialists on the roster.
The Ironworkers will be assessing the fitness of two of their own players, both loose forwards. Kara Pryor was taken off with an HIA and did not return, while Benjamín Bonasso was carried off with a lower leg problem. They were already dealing with the loss of scrumhalf Conor McManus from the Seattle game.
Houston center Louritz van der Schyff is expected to miss “two or three weeks” with the unspecified injury suffered against Dallas in the season opener. Speaking of the Jackals, their captain JP Aguirre did not return after halftime against Utah for reasons unknown. Meanwhile lock Maikeli Naromaitoga limped off with a bad ankle just seconds before full-time.
New England prop Foster DeWitt also came off early with what looked like an ankle problem against San Diego. He initially taped it up and tried to soldier on, but was in clear discomfort. Second row Reegan O’Gorman is expected back mid-season after suffering a knee injury in the preseason, and center Le Roux Malan is working his way back from a broken thumb.
MLR YOUNGSTERS SET FOR HAWKS TOUR
The USA Hawks are set to travel to South America to play a series of games against Super Rugby Americas sides. It will be a development side making the trip, bolstered by several young Major League Rugby players, both senior and academy talent.
While USAR have not yet confirmed the list, among those expected to travel are Utah prop Elijah Hayes, New York lock Bill Whiteside, ATL scrumhalf Evan Conlon, and NOLA outside back Christian Olney. The roster should also include a handful of overseas-based players including Rugby HTX lock Maxime Wilson, currently playing with Bourges in France.
WINDSOR THE FIRST TO 500
MLR’s all-time leading scorer hit a career milestone against the Arrows. Sam Windsor became the first player in league history to reach 500 points. The bulk of his scoring was during his four-year stay in Houston, and the 35-year-old is still a raising the flags with regularity for New York.
Windsor might have hit the mark sooner were it not for MLR persisting with the needless ‘seven-point try’ for touching down under the posts. One record safe for the moment is the single-season scoring mark of 223 points that were collected by Seattle winger Brock Staller during the 2019 campaign.
