Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
It’s only the second week of the season but for this moment in time Dallas are at the top of the Western Conference, with last year’s finalists San Diego in 5th. Reality might come crashing down when the Jackals host the Legion at Choctaw Stadium on Sunday, but if one counts the preseason the home side have won three straight and take unprecedented momentum into this match.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
1-0-0 (W1) West 1st
0-1-0 (L1) West 5th
| LINEUP CHANGES |
1 Liam Murray replaces Nicolás Revol
7 Daemon Torres replaces Marques Fuala’au
9 Juan-Dee Oliver replaces Pedro Imhoff (injury)
10 Vaughen Isaacs replaces Martín Elías
12 Connor Winchester replaces Manuel Covella
14 Manuel Covella replaces Tomás Malanos
16 Joaquín Horcada replaces Liam Murray
20 Makeen Alikhan replaces Daemon Torres
22 Jason Tidwell replaces Joeli Tikoisuva
23 Marques Fuala’au replaces Cam Nelson
6 Vili Helu replaces Christian Poidevin (injury)
10 Lincoln McClutchie replaces Josh Henderson
11 Matai Leuta replaces Filimoni Waqainabete
20 Tevita Tameilau replaces Vili Helu
22 Josh Henderson replaces Alex Horan
23 Ethan Grayson replaces Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(6) – Oliver*, Isaacs*, Winchester*, Horcada**, McElligott**, Alikhan*
(3) – McClutchie*, Leuta, Grayson*
* MLR debut
** pro debut
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(5) – Murray, Richardson, Steeves (Canada), Zeiss (Argentina), Golla (USA)
(11) – Ross, Nonu (New Zealand), Peterson, Helu, Leuta, Brache, Te’o, Sylvia, Tameilau, Boyer (USA), Cowan (Scotland)
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Ben Fry (FL), Pedro Imhoff (SH), Martín Elías (FH), Tomás Cubilla (CE)
– Christian Poidevin (FL), Matt Giteau (FH)
| NOTES |
- back row Makeen Alikhan has joined Dallas on loan from English Premiership club Harlequins… he is a USA u20 select but is also eligible for Canada having been born in Vancouver
- Alikhan’s addition means Dallas have seven Canadian-eligible players on their roster… the others are Liam Murray, Dewald Kotze, Nic Benn, Mitch Richardson, Kyle Steeves, and Brock Gallagher
- new Jackals halfback pairing Juan-Dee Oliver and Vaughen Isaacs are both from South Africa… Oliver played age-grade rugby for the Cheetahs while Isaacs represented his country at the 2019 World Rugby u20 Championship… Isaacs was most recently playing for Tel Aviv Heat in the Rugby Europe Super Cup
- San Diego scrumhalf Connor Tupai is the son of former Samoa flanker Paul Tupai… reserve center Ethan Grayson’s father, Paul Grayson, played 32 tests and scored 400 points for England… not playing but also on the team roster are Christian Poidevin, Finn Kearns, and Alex Horan, whose fathers Simon Poidevin, Phil Kearns, and Tim Horan started for Australia in the 1991 World Cup Final win over England
- with Matt Giteau likely to be away for several weeks, Lincoln McClutchie takes over the No10 shirt for San Diego… he has played two seasons of Super Rugby with Moana Pasifika and led the NPC in scoring this past year… that’s the highest level of domestic rugby in New Zealand
- Payton Telea-Ilalio received a red card during last week’s match against Seattle for what was deemed a dangerous tackle on Joe Taufete’e… but the judiciary did not agree it met the red card threshold and no suspension was handed out
| PREDICTION |
Conditions look to be ideal for running rugby, which may not by ideal for Dallas’ game plan. Their forwards won the day against LA and the Jackals have a new-look backline this week. Josh Henderson can feel aggrieved to be on the bench but McClutchie is a potential match-winner for the Legion. The Jackals have never beaten this adversary and despite their improvement, the task still seems just out of reach. San Diego should be considered strong favorites.
| LINEUPS |
DALLAS JACKALS
1 Liam Murray, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Sam Golla (co-capt.), 5 Lucas Bur, 6 Jerónimo Gómez Vara (co-capt.), 7 Daemon Torres, 8 Ronan Foley, 9 Juan-Dee Oliver, 10 Vaughen Isaacs, 11 Nic Benn, 12 Connor Winchester, 13 Mitch Richardson, 14 Manuel Covella, 14 Nazareno Valentini
Replacements: 16 Joaquín Horcada, 17 Tomas Bekerman, 18 Kyle Steeves, 19 Ronnie McElligott, 20 Makeen Alikhan, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Jason Tidwell, 23 Marques Fuala’au
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Payton Telea-Ilalio, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Luke Green, 4 Isaac Ross, 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Vili Helu, 7 Blair Cowan (capt.), 8 Tupou Afungia, 9 Connor Tupai, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 11 Matai Leuta, 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 Tevita Tameilau, 21 Nick Boyer, 22 Josh Henderson, 23 Ethan Grayson
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Sunday, March 10
Venue: Choctaw Stadium, Arlington
Kickoff: 15:00 local (13:00 Pacific, 16:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 61°F (16°C), wind E 4-6mph (6-9km/h)
Broadcasts: YurView California, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Lex Weiner (USA)
Assistants: Kat Roche (USA) & Fernando García (Mexico)
TMO: Greg Gilliam (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (4) – San Diego 4, Dallas 0
2023-04-22 – Dallas Jackals 38, San Diego Legion 47 (Choctaw Stadium)
2023-03-11 – San Diego Legion 22, Dallas Jackals 0 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2022-04-30 – Dallas Jackals 14, San Diego Legion 53 (Choctaw Stadium)
2022-02-12 – San Diego Legion 37, Dallas Jackals 29 (SDSU Sports Deck)
