Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Two teams currently on the outside looking in to the playoff race will duel for the first time in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday. Miami have work to do if they are to make a late push for the postseason in their inaugural campaign, while Utah are only slightly off the pace set by Dallas.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
2-7-0 (L2) East 5th
4-5-0 (L1) West 5th
| LINEUP CHANGES |
1 Rob Evans rotates with 17 Jonas Petrakopoulos
6 Benjamín Bonasso replaces Michele Etete (No4 vs DC)
11 Avery Oitomen replaces Marcos Young
19 Tomás Casares replaces David Beach
21 Tomás Cubelli replaces Nicolás Elewaut
23 Matías Freyre replaces Avery Oitomen
6 Bailey Wilson rotates with 19 Saia Uhila
14 Isaia Kruse replaces Michael Manson (injury)
16 Tyler Wong replaces Phil Bradford (injury)
17 Fatongia Paea replaces Franco van den Berg
22 Kalisi Moli replaces Isaia Kruse
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(9) – Evans (Wales), Bonasso (USA), Ardao, Inciarte, Etcheverry (Uruguay), Videla (Chile), Grigg (Scotland), du Toit (Canada), Cubelli (Argentina)
(9) – Mullen, Jensen, Wilson, Tu’avao, Mano, M. Kruse, MacLellan (USA), Havili (Tonga), Povey (Canada)
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(1) – Fatongia Paea*
* – MLR debut
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Reinaldo Piussi (TH), Shane O’Leary (FH/FB)
– Paul Lasike (CE), Spencer Jones (CE), Michael Manson (WI)
| NOTES |
- star Miami prop Reinaldo Piussi remains out of action due to suspension for another month… Tevita Sole continues to deputise in the No3 shirt
- Ben Bonasso returns to the Sharks back row after a week off due to a failed HIA against Dallas… Rick Rose moves back to lock with Michael Etete the odd man out
- Miami club captain Tomás Cubelli is back in the squad after a three-game absence, but he will bide his time on the bench with Tomás Inciarte continuing in the No9 shirt
- Utah have lost star winger Michael Manson to a leg injury… Isaia Kruse joins brother Mika in the starting backline for the second time this season
- new signing Fatongia Paea is set to make his MLR debut as a replacement for the Warriors… the loosehead prop signed for Houston last season but visa complications meant he did not make a regular season appearance… Paea has played for North Harbour in New Zealand since 2021
- the Warriors have opted for a 6/2 split on the bench this week… loose forward Kalisi Moli fills the vacancy left by Isaia Kruse’s promotion… with Onehunga Havili the other back row sub
| PREDICTION |
Miami have a stronger forward pack this week but without Piussi remain vulnerable in the scrum. The hottest temperatures of the MLR season to date are on the forecast, which could favor Utah’s decision to name an extra forward on the bench. The Warriors will miss Manson’s finishing ability but on paper look the better side and have more firepower in reserve. Utah are slight favorites on the road.
| LINEUPS |
MIAMI SHARKS
1 Rob Evans, 2 Sean McNulty, 3 Tevita Sole, 4 Rick Rose, 5 Stan van den Hoven, 6 Benjamín Bonasso, 7 Dan Pryor (capt.), 8 Manuel Ardao, 9 Tomás Inciarte, 10 Santiago Videla, 11 Avery Oitomen, 12 Nick Grigg, 13 Guiseppe du Toit, 14 Michael Hand, 15 Felipe Etcheverry
Replacements: 16 Alex Glover, 17 Jonas Petrakopoulos, 18 Alec McDonnell, 19 Tomás Casares, 20 Chase Schor-Haskin, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Eric Naposki, 23 Matías Freyre
UTAH WARRIORS
1 Emerson Prior, 2 Nic Souchon, 3 Paul Mullen, 4 Frank Lochore, 5 Matt Jensen, 6 Bailey Wilson, 7 Dylan Nel, 8 Thomas Tu’avao, 9 Kieran McClea, 10 Joel Hodgson (capt.), 11 Joe Mano, 12 Lopeti Aisea, 13 Mika Kruse, 14 Isaia Kruse, 15 Caleb Makene
Replacements: 16 Tyler Wong, 17 Fatongia Paea, 18 Angus MacLellan, 19 Saia Uhila, 20 Onehunga Havili, 21 Zion Going, 22 Kalisi Moli, 23 Robbie Povey
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, May 11
Venue: AutoNation Field, Fort Lauderdale
Kickoff: 19:30 local (16:30 Pacific, 17:30 Mountain)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 90°F (32°C), wind W 10-16mph (16-26km/h)
Broadcasts: Bally Sports Florida, KMYU, KSL Sports, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Cisco Lopez (USA) & Tom Ciampa (USA)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (0) – first match
