MLR 2024 – Seattle Seawolves vs San Diego Legion – ARN Guide

The highest-profile match of the weekend takes place at Starfire Stadium on Saturday night. It’s a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Final with the Seattle Seawolves squaring off against the San Diego Legion, the most storied rivalry in Major League Rugby.

CLUB DEBUTS

(11) – Orr, Ngakuru, Taylor, Mason, Pulu, Stighling, Rossouw, Wenglewski, Davis, Rees, Windsor
(9) – Telea-Ilalio, Roach, Peterson, Tupai, Cama, Breen, Hewitt, Helu, Amiatu-Tanoi

MLR DEBUTS

(7) – Orr, Ngakuru, Taylor, Pulu, Stighling, Rossouw, Davis*
(4) – Peterson, Tupai, Breen, Amiatu-Tanoi*
* – pro debut

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(9) – Malcolm, Hattingh, Lopeti, Taufete’e, Wenglewski, Kilifi, Rees, Futi (USA), Rossouw (Namibia)
(9) – Ross, Nonu (New Zealand), Peterson, Brache, Te’o, Sylvia, Helu, Boyer (USA), Cowan (Scotland)

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Tevita Kuridrani (CE)
– Matt Giteau (FH), Lincoln McClutchie (FH)

NOTES

• both Allen Clarke and Danny Lee return as Head Coaches, Clarke arriving for Seattle halfway through the 2021 campaign and Lee joining San Diego in 2022
• Seattle flyhalf Mack Mason returns to professional rugby after a one-year hiatus, he previously played two seasons with the Austin Gilgronis after arriving from Australia
• JP Smith was granted an unusual ‘exemption’ by MLR last season, but is officially US-qualified on residency this year having spent the past five years in Seattle
• Matt Giteau suited up in the preseason after a two-season break from rugby but is currently back in his native Australia with no word yet on when he will return
• San Diego debutant Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi was the youngest signing in MLR history last season but did not make an appearance… he played for Utah Warriors Selects in the off-season
• Blair Cowan plays his first game as a domestic player… a Canadian grandmother combined with three years since his last international cap with Scotland means he can now play for the Maple Leafs using the Union Transfer regulation

PREDICTION

Seasonably brisk and damp conditions await the Legion in the Pacific Northwest. Both teams are very close to full strength, though San Diego are absent their top two choices at flyhalf. Most preseason predictions have these two sides as title contenders, and a win would be a statement of intent. Seattle have had a more productive preseason and have the raucous Starfire crowd behind them. Seawolves are slight favorites at home.

LINEUPS

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Cameron Orr, 2 Peter Malcolm, 3 Sam Matenga, 4 Rhyno Herbst, 5 Mahonri Ngakuru, 6 Huw Taylor, 7 Charles Elton, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 Mack Mason, 11 Toni Pulu, 12 Dan Kriel, 13 Tavite Lopeti, 14 Jade Stighling, 15 Divan Rossouw

Replacements: 16 Joe Taufete’e, 17 Chance Wenglewski, 18 Olive Kilifi, 19 Taylor Krumrei, 20 Reid Davis, 21 Ryan Rees, 22 Sam Windsor, 23 Lauina Futi

SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Payton Telea-Ilalio, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Luke Green, 4 Isaac Ross, 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Christian Poidevin, 7 Blair Cowan (capt.), 8 Tupou Afungia, 9 Connor Tupai, 10 Josh Henderson, 11 Filimoni Waqainabete, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 13 Marcel Brache, 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Mikey Te’o

Replacements: 16 Cyrille Cama, 17 Nathan Sylvia, 18 Darcy Breen, 19 Charlie Hewitt, 20 Vili Helu, 21 Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi, 22 Nick Boyer, 23 Alex Horan

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, March 2
Venue: Starfire Stadium, Tukwila
Kickoff: 19:00 local (22:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 37°F (3°C), wind S 10-15mph (16-24km/h)
Broadcasts: Fox 5 San Diego, Fox13 Plus Seattle, The Rugby Network

OFFICIALS

Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Chris Assmus (Canada) & Bradley Schwalger (Canada)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (13) – San Diego 7, Seattle 6, STREAK San Diego +3
2023-07-02 – San Diego Legion 32, Seattle Seawolves 10 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2023-06-18 – San Diego Legion 40, Seattle Seawolves 19 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2023-04-08 – Seattle Seawolves 20, San Diego Legion 23 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-06-12 – Seattle Seawolves 43, San Diego Legion 19 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-04-16 – Seattle Seawolves 34, San Diego Legion 32 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-02-20 – San Diego Legion 28, Seattle Seawolves 31 (SDSU Sports Deck)
2021-07-03 – San Diego Legion 34, Seattle Seawolves 21 (Elite Athlete Training Center)
2021-05-09 – Seattle Seawolves 21, San Diego Legion 15 (Starfire Stadium)
2020-02-09 – San Diego Legion 33, Seattle Seawolves 24 (Torero Stadium)
2019-06-16 – San Diego Legion 23, Seattle Seawolves 26 (Torero Stadium)
2019-03-31 – Seattle Seawolves 22, San Diego Legion 28 (Starfire Stadium)
2019-02-02 – San Diego Legion 17, Seattle Seawolves 13 (Torero Stadium)
2018-06-30 – Seattle Seawolves 38, San Diego Legion 24 (Infinity Park)