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The 10th meeting between San Diego and Houston will take place at SaberCats Stadium on Saturday evening. Both sides are contending for the top of the Western Conference table, with the home side sporting just one loss on their record and the visitors just three points behind in the standings.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
6-1-0 (W1) West 2nd
5-2-0 (L1) West 3rd
| LINEUP CHANGES |
3 Rob Cobb replaces Maks van Dyk (injury)
5 Johan Momsen replaces Gideon van Wyk (No8 vs DC)
15 Drew Wild replaces AJ Alatimu (No10 vs DC)
19 Emmanuel Albert replaces Asa Carter
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti replaces Payton Telea-Ilalio
2 Cyrille Cama replaces Hugh Roach
4 Isaac Ross replaces Tevita Tameilau (No8 vs Utah)
7 Finn Kearns replaces Blair Cowan (injury)
10 Josh Henderson replaces Lincoln McClutchie
11 James Vaifale replaces Ryan James
12 Ethan Grayson replaces Ma’a Nonu
13 Marcel Brache replaces Tiaan Loots (injury)
14 Tomas Aoake replaces Matai Leuta
16 Lolenisi Veimau replaces Cyrille Cama
17 Payton Telea-Ilalio replaces Nathan Sylvia
21 Tupou Afungia replaces Ethan Grayson
22 Nick Boyer replaces Danny Christensen
23 Harris Rutherford replaces Alex Horan
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(2) – Lindenmuth (Samoa), Dyer (USA)
(7) – Pifeleti, Peterson, Helu, Brache, Te’o, Boyer (USA), Ross (New Zealand)
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(2) – Lolenisi Veimau*, Harris Rutherford*
* – MLR debut
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Pita Ahae-Ah Sue (HO), Maks van Dyk (TH), AJ Alatimu (FH/CE)
– Hugh Roach (HO), Blair Cowan (FL), Christian Poidevin (FL), Tevita Tameilau (N8), Matt Giteau (FH), Lincoln McClutchie (FH), Ma’a Nonu (CE), Ryan James (WI)
| NOTES |
- Maks van Dyk was subbed off at half against DC so Houston have opted to start Rob Cobb at tighthead prop… it’s Cobb’s third appearance at No3 this season but he is typically a loosehead and is still learning the finer arts of tighthead in the scrum
- Johan Momsen returns to skipper the SaberCats with Marno Redelinghuys switching to the back row and Gideon van Wyk dropping out of the lineup
- Drew Wild is back in at fullback for Houston with Davy Coetzer returning to flyhalf and AJ Alatimu the odd man out… Sam Hill gets back-to-back starts for the first time in MLR
- SaberCats forward Keni Nasoqeqe began his MLR with San Diego, playing three seasons with the Legion before moving to Houston in 2022… reserve scrumhalf Carlo de Nysschen played for the Legion in the 2021 season in between stints with Colorado and Dallas
- San Diego have changed almost 2/3rds of their lineup after the loss to Utah, some required due to injury and others by choice… Hugh Roach, Ma’a Nonu, and captain Blair Cowan are the most notable absentees with Matt Giteau still to make an appearance though he has reportedly returned to California after spending the last couple months in Australia
- Jay Tuivaiti makes his first appearance in the back row for San Diego… he spent last year playing amateur rugby for the Austin Blacks… reserve lock Charlie Hewitt was on the books for Houston in 2018 and 2019 before moving to New York in 2020
- Tupou Afungia returns from a four-week absence to take up a spot on the Legion’s bench… Christian Poidevin remains sidelined with an ankle injury and both Blair Cowan and Tiaan Loots were hurt in the first half of last week’s game against Utah
- Lolenisi Veimau and Harris Rutherford are set to make their MLR debuts… Veimau was previously on the training roster for the Glendale Raptors and plays his local rugby for OMBAC… Rutherford has represented Scotland at age-grade level but is Eagles-eligible through his US-born grandfather… he played semi-pro rugby with the Southern Knights in Scotland last year
| PREDICTION |
A windy day is on the forecast and while Houston may be vulnerable in the scrum without van Dyk, their lineout and driving maul should be a concern for San Diego. While the home side has selected a largely unchanged side, it’s a very different Legion outfit this week absent several leading players. San Diego were unconvincing against Utah last week while the SaberCats looked back to their best against DC. Houston are clear favorites at home.
| LINEUPS |
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2 Tiaan Erasmus, 3 Rob Cobb, 4 Justin Basson, 5 Johan Momsen (capt.), 6 Marno Redelinghuys, 7 Keni Nasoqeqe, 8 Ronan Murphy, 9 André Warner, 10 Davy Coetzer, 11 Line Latu, 12 Sam Hill, 13 Tautalatasi Tasi, 14 Christian Dyer, 15 Drew Wild
Replacements: 16 Seth Smith, 17 LaRome White, 18 Pono Davis, 19 Emmanuel Albert, 20 Tomi Agbongbon, 21 Carlo de Nysschen, 22 Max Schumacher, 23 Dom Akina
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 2 Cyrille Cama, 3 Darcy Breen, 4 Isaac Ross, 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Vili Helu, 7 Finn Kearns, 8 Jay Tuivaiti, 9 Connor Tupai, 10 Josh Henderson, 11 James Vaifale, 12 Ethan Grayson, 13 Marcel Brache (capt.), 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Mikey Te’o
Replacements: 16 Lolenisi Veimau, 17 Payton Telea-Ilalio, 18 Luke Green, 19 Charlie Hewitt, 20 Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi, 21 Tupou Afungia, 22 Nick Boyer, 23 Harris Rutherford
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, April 27
Venue: SaberCats Stadium, Houston
Kickoff: 19:00 local (17:00 Pacific, 20:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: cloudy, 79°F (26°C), wind SE 21-32mph (34-51km/h)
Broadcasts: KUSI, Space City, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Derek Summers (USA) & Allen Alongi (USA)
TMO: Mike Kelly (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (9) – San Diego 6, Houston 3, STREAK San Diego +1
2023-04-30 – San Diego Legion 29, Houston SaberCats 16 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2023-03-05 – Houston SaberCats 31, San Diego Legion 26 (SaberCats Stadium)
2022-05-08 – San Diego Legion 24, Houston SaberCats 34 (SDSU Sports Deck)
2022-02-26 – Houston SaberCats 20, San Diego Legion 31 (SaberCats Stadium)
2021-05-29 – San Diego Legion 39, Houston SaberCats 11 (Elite Athlete Training Center)
2021-04-10 – Houston SaberCats 34, San Diego Legion 32 (SaberCats Stadium)
2019-04-28 – Houston SaberCats 19, San Diego Legion 40 (Dyer Stadium)
2019-02-09 – San Diego Legion 17, Houston SaberCats 13 (Torero Stadium)
2018-05-04 – San Diego Legion 35, Houston SaberCats 32 (Torero Stadium)
