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A lack of discipline cost RFC Los Angeles a win at home against Dallas last weekend. More of the same won’t be good enough against the ‘other’ Texan side, the Houston SaberCats. Utah felt their bite last week, particularly in the scrum, and LA will have to front up against another menacing pack.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
0-1-0 (L1) West 4th
1-0-0 (W1) West 2nd
| LINEUP CHANGES |
3 Conor Young replaces Alex Maughan
18 Alex Maughan replaces Conor Young
19 Reegan O’Gorman replaces Bruce Yun
17 Frikkie de Beer replaces Val Lee-Lo
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(1) – O’Gorman
(0) – n/a
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(8) – Young, Heaton, Coe, O’Gorman (Canada), Katjijeko (Namibia), Damm, Maughan (USA), Kunatani (Fiji)
(2) – Lindenmuth (Samoa), Dyer (USA)
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Theo Vukasinovic (LO), Will Leonard (CE)
– Sam Hill (CE)
| NOTES |
- the two sides have made almost no changes to their lineups, with LA swapping just one starter and Houston running out the exact same starting XV
- Lincoln Si’i and Austin White did not play in the match against Dallas and have yet to make their LA debut… but both have played for the franchise’s previous incarnation, Rugby ATL
- Frikkie de Beer was announced as re-signing with the SaberCats during the week… it’s the fifth MLR campaign and third with Houston for the loosehead prop
- the home side was the winner in all three previous meetings between the two franchises… ATL winning both games in Georgia and Houston the victor last time out at SaberCats Stadium
| PREDICTION |
Discipline issues aside, LA showed some attacking flair against Dallas and their backline has the ability to cause problems for their guests. Where the SaberCats shine, however, is the scrum and tight-loose and they will be the bigger pack. The set piece is where the Jackals found success and it’s up to LA to prove they can defend against an even bigger challenge on Sunday. Houston are slight favorites.
| LINEUPS |
RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Dane Zander, 2 Ben Strang, 3 Conor Young, 4 Jurie van Vuuren, 5 Max Katjijeko, 6 Michael Amiras, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Niall Saunders (capt.), 10 Dan Hollinshead, 11 Jack Shaw, 12 Jason Emery, 13 James Stokes, 14 Andrew Coe, 15 Rory van Vugt
Replacements: 16 Bruce Kauika-Petersen, 17 Lincoln Si’i, 18 Alex Maughan, 19 Reegan O’Gorman, 20 Semi Kunatani, 21 Tas Smith, 22 Sam Walsh, 23 Austin White
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2 Pita Anae-Ah Sue, 3 Maks van Dyk, 4 Justin Basson, 5 Johan Momsen (capt.), 6 Marno Redelinghuys, 7 Keni Nasoqeqe, 8 Ronan Murphy, 9 Andre Warner, 10 Davy Coetzer, 11 Jeremy Misailegalu, 12 Dom Akina, 13 Tautalatasi Tasi, 14 Christian Dyer, 15 Drew Wild
Replacements: 16 Seth Smith, 17 Frikkie de Beer, 18 Pono Davis, 19 Emmanuel Albert, 20 Asa Carter, 21 Carlo de Nysschen, 22 Max Schumacher, 23 Line Latu
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Sunday, March 10
Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson
Kickoff: 15:00 local (17:00 Central, 18:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sun and cloud, 68°F (20°C), wind W 10-16mph (16-25km/h)
Broadcasts: Space City, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Derek Summers (USA)
Assistants: Marquise Goodwin (USA) & Kirk Swanner (USA)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Canada)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (3) – Los Angeles (as ATL) 2, Houston 1 – STREAK Houston +1
2023-03-25 – Houston SaberCats 40, Rugby ATL 28 (SaberCats Stadium)
2022-03-05 – Rugby ATL 29, Houston SaberCats 22 (Silverbacks Park)
2021-06-19 – Rugby ATL 33, Houston SaberCats 15 (Lupo Family Field)
