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It’s been four years since San Diego last touched down in Toronto, and much has changed since. The Legion are carrying a Major League Rugby record 11-game winning streak into the match, while the Arrows are on a franchise-worst 11-game winless streak. It’s the first time the two teams have met at all since the 2021 campaign, when they faced off at the neutral venue in Atlanta.
Toronto have opted to field an all-Canadian-eligible starting lineup for the first time in MLR history, and just the second all-domestic XV. It might make a fun headline but some might question the wisdom of pulling what is effectively a publicity stunt against the best team in the league.
Tyler Wong gets the start at hooker with Mike Sheppard recalled at lock after spending the past three weeks on the sidelines. Owain Ruttan is rewarded for his try-scoring cameo against Houston with a start at openside flanker. Shay Kerry and James O’Neill drop to the bench.
Sam Malcolm returns after a two-month spell out with concussion, but the vice-captain settles for a spot among the reserves. Mitch Richardson is fit to start in the midfield with Tautalatasi Tasi also a sub this week, and Dawson Fatoric is a straight swap for Ciaran Breen on the wing.
The Legion might have been forgiven for choosing to rest many of their top bodies given the circumstances but Danny Lee has instead named a largely full strength side with only a handful of changes to the lineup that squashed the Hounds last Saturday.
Shilo Klein is handed a chance to take the No2 shirt from Sama Malolo with the latter struggling at the set piece. Tom Franklin is fit to start at lock after spending the past five games on the injury list. Blair Cowan and Ma’a Nonu are given the week off with Dan Pryor and Tiaan Loots starting in their place, and Tevita Tameilau rotates in for Tupou Afungia at the back of the scrum.
The odds-makers won’t have to think long about this one. It will go down as one of the more lopsided lines in MLR history. Favorable weather for running rugby is exactly what San Diego will have wanted, with jet lag the only factor going against them. Don’t expect it to have much of an effect.
Kickoff is set for 4pm local time, 1pm Pacific. A local broadcast will be available on KFMB in San Diego while Canadian viewers can watch on TSN 2. Those located elsewhere in the USA and abroad can access the live stream on The Rugby Network.
TORONTO ARROWS
1 Connor Grindal, 2 Tyler Wong, 3 Tyler Rowland, 4 Mason Flesch, 5 Mike Sheppard, 6 Lucas Rumball (capt.), 7 Owain Ruttan, 8 Travis Larsen, 9 Will Grant, 10 Peter Nelson, 11 Dawson Fatoric, 12 Liam Bowman, 13 Mitch Richardson, 14 D’Shawn Bowen, 15 Shane O’Leary
Replacements: 16 Jack McRogers, 17 Conan O’Donnell, 18 Isaac Salmon, 19 Shay Kerry, 20 James O’Neill, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Tautalatasi Tasi, 23 Sam Malcolm
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 2 Shilo Klein, 3 Luke Green, 4 Ben Grant, 5 Tom Franklin, 6 Christian Poidevin, 7 Dan Pryor, 8 Tevita Tameilau, 9 Richard Judd, 10 Will Hooley, 11 Nate Augspurger, 12 Tiaan Loots, 13 Marcel Brache (capt.), 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Mikey Te’o
Replacements: 16 Sama Malolo, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Nathan Sylvia, 19 Chris Turori, 20 Tupou Afungia, 21 Michael Smith, 22 Luke Burton, 23 Ryan Matyas
Date: Sunday, June 11
Venue: York Lions Stadium, Toronto
Kickoff: 16:00 local (13:00 Pacific)
Broadcasts: KFMB, The Rugby Network, TSN 3
Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
Assistants: Peter Pender (Canada) & Clint Lemkus (Canada)
TMO: Andrew Hosie (Canada)
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2021-06-06 – Toronto Arrows 30, San Diego Legion 40 (Lupo Family Field)
2019-05-05 – Toronto Arrows 23, San Diego Legion 19 (Lamport Stadium)
2019-03-10 – San Diego Legion 20, Toronto Arrows 27 (Torero Stadium)
