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The second half of the Major League Rugby season begins at Fort Quincy, where the New England Free Jacks host Rugby ATL on Saturday afternoon. There are 10 points separating the two in the Eastern Conference with the home side holding top spot as the playoff picture starts to take shape.
New England had a field day in Toronto and have yet to lose against any opponent in the East this season. Scott Mathie has made three adjustments to his starting lineup this week.
Slade McDowall gets his first start of the season at openside flanker, with Joe Johnston dropping to the bench. Last season’s midfield pairing is reunited with Wayne van der Bank coming in at outside center and Ben LeSage named as a replacement. Taniela Filimone is ruled out with a sore shoulder but Mitch Wilson returns from concussion on the right wing.
With Foster DeWitt nursing a strained calf muscle, Kianu Kereru-Symes will get a look as replacement loosehead prop instead of his usual hooker spot. It’s a conventional 5/3 split on the bench this week with Zach Bastres covering the wing.
ATL have won back-to-back games and are in the middle of a log-jam in East. Four teams are within five points of each other and it remains to be seen which two emerge behind front-runners New England for the postseason slots. It’s a nearly-identical lineup from Stephen Brett with only two changes.
Injury to Rowan Gouws sees Ryan Rees returning at No9. Niall Saunders is yet to settle in so there is no specialist scrumhalf on the bench, with Duncan van Schalkwyk providing emergency cover. Frederick Henry-Ajudua joins Daemon Torres on a bench that shows a 6/2 split this week.
Cloudy but mild conditions are on the forecast. ATL have a formidable pack though the loss of Jason Damm for the season stings. They haven’t traveled well this season aside from last week in New Orleans, while the Free Jacks are unbeaten at home. Take New England though it could take until the hour mark to wear the visitors down.
Kickoff is set for 3pm local time, noon Pacific. A local broadcast will be available on NBC Sports Boston with The Rugby Network streaming worldwide.
NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Kyle Ciquera, 2 Andrew Quattrin, 3 Cole Keith, 4 Jesse Parete, 5 Conor Keys, 6 Mitch Jacobson (capt.), 7 Slade McDowall, 8 Wian Conradie, 9 John Poland, 10 Jayson Potroz, 11 Paula Balekana, 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Wayne van der Bank, 14 Mitch Wilson, 15 Spencer Jones
Replacements: 16 Mills Sanerivi, 17 Kianu Kereru-Symes, 18 Tevita Sole, 19 Reegan O’Gorman, 20 Joe Johnston, 21 Holden Yungert, 22 Ben LeSage, 23 Zach Bastres
RUGBY ATL
1 Will Burke, 2 Alex Maughan, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 4 Justin Basson, 5 Johan Momsen (capt.), 6 Vili Helu, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Ross Deacon, 9 Ryan Rees, 10 Duncan van Schalkwyk, 11 Nolan Tuamoheloa, 12 Will Leonard, 13 Martini Talapusi, 14 Te Rangatira Waitokia, 15 Rewita Biddle
Replacements: 16 Isaac Bales, 17 Lincoln Si’i, 18 Wikus Groenewald, 19 Nahuel Milán, 20 Frederick Henry-Ajudua, 21 Daemon Torres, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Harley Davidson
Date: Saturday, April 22
Venue: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy
Kickoff: 15:00 local (12:00 Pacific)
Broadcasts: NBC Sports Boston, The Rugby Network
Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Mike Rudzinsky (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2022-05-13 – New England Free Jacks 15, Rugby ATL 10 (Veterans Memorial Stadium)
2022-03-26 – Rugby ATL 27, New England Free Jacks 41 (Silverbacks Park)
2021-07-18 – New England Free Jacks 22, Rugby ATL 19 (Veterans Memorial Stadium)
2021-05-15 – Rugby ATL 33, New England Free Jacks 18 (Lupo Family Field)
