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The Cali Cup is on the line when RFC Los Angeles rolls out the red carpet for the San Diego Legion on Sunday afternoon. LA lost by a single point in the first leg played in March but enter the game with two wins in a row, while their guests fell just short against the Free Jacks last week.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
3-6-1 (W2) West 6th
6-4-0 (L1) West 4th
| STARTING LINEUP CHANGES |
3 Alex Maughan replaces Conor Young (injury)
7 Max Katjijeko replaces Matt Heaton (HIA)
10 Tas Smith replaces Jordan Chait
13 Will Leonard replaces Seth Purdey
12 Tiaan Loots replaces Ma’a Nonu
13 Ethan Grayson replaces Marcel Brache
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(7) – Maughan, Damm (USA), O’Gorman, Coe (Canada), Katjijeko (Namibia), Rebolo (Brazil), Kunatani (Fiji)
(9) – Peterson, James, Helu, Ryan, Tameilau, Brache (USA), Cowan (Scotland), Giteau (Australia), Sears-Duru (Canada)
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(1) – Paddy Ryan
* – MLR debut
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Jurie van Vuuren (LO), Ben Mitchell (LO), Matt Heaton (FL), Dan Hollinshead (FH), Jordan Chait (FH), Jason Emery (CE), Rory van Vugt (FB)
– Faka’osi Pifeleti (LH), Isaac Ross (LO), Ma’a Nonu (CE)
| NOTES |
- LA vice-captain Matt Heaton sits out after being concussed against Anthem… Conor Young is recovering from a nasty gash above the eye… Max Katjijeko comes in at openside flanker with Alex Maughan starting at tighthead prop
- Dan Hollinshead’s season is over due to a knee injury, and Jordan Chait was a late scratch so Tas Smith will step in at flyhalf for LA… the former USA u20 select is typically a scrumhalf… Sam Walsh provides cover from the bench with no sign of Matt Anticev
- Jason Emery serves the second of his three-game suspension but LA’s midfield gets a boost with the return of Will Leonard from a broken finger
- San Diego lock Jay Tuivaiti has escaped suspension after his red card early in last week’s game against New England… the judiciary did not agree that the collision merited a send-off
- the only changes to the Legion’s lineup are in the midfield where Tiaan Loots and Ethan Grayson replace Ma’a Nonu and Marcel Brache… Loots had been sidelined for the last month with injury
- Eagles flanker Paddy Ryan has arrived from Coventry and is set to make his MLR debut from the bench… he is the third player of the same name to play in the league, with all appearing for San Diego… the Australian international propped up the Legion’s scrum in 2019 and 2021, with the USA prop, currently playing for Chicago, spent the 2022 campaign in California
| PREDICTION |
Danny Lee has stuck with the majority of his lineup despite the disappointment against the Free Jacks, but will be asking more from his men after the vote of confidence. LA have some confidence after two narrow victories but are short several leading men and have a makeshift flyhalf. The loss of Heaton is a big blow with no legitimate openside flanker to replace him. San Diego are favorites on the road.
| LINEUPS |
RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Dane Zander, 2 Ben Strang, 3 Alex Maughan, 4 Theo Vukasinovic, 5 Reegan O’Gorman, 6 Michael Amiras, 7 Max Katjijeko, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Niall Saunders (capt.), 10 Tas Smith, 11 Jack Shaw, 12 James Stokes, 13 Will Leonard, 14 Brooklyn Hardaker, 15 Andrew Coe
Replacements: 16 Bruce Kauika-Petersen, 17 Sam Buckley, 18 Wilton Rebolo, 19 Liam Antrobus, 20 Semi Kunatani, 21 Sam Walsh, 22 Seth Purdey, 23 Austin White
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Payton Telea-Ilalio, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Darcy Breen, 4 Jay Tuivaiti, 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Christian Poidevin, 7 Blair Cowan (capt.), 8 Tupou Afungia, 9 Connor Tupai, 10 Matt Giteau, 11 Ryan James, 12 Tiaan Loots, 13 Ethan Grayson, 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Alex Horan
Replacements: 16 Cyrille Cama, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Luke Green, 19 Vili Helu, 20 Paddy Ryan, 21 Tevita Tameilau, 22 Danny Christensen, 23 Marcel Brache
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Sunday, May 26
Venue: Dignity Health Track Field, Carson
Kickoff: 15:00 local (18:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 70°F (21°C), wind SW 12-18mph (19-29km/h)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 1, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Mike Lawrenson (USA) & Will Nelson (USA)
TMO: Mike Kelly (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (4) – San Diego 2, LA/ATL 2, STREAK San Diego +2
2024-03-16 – San Diego Legion 19, RFC Los Angeles 18 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2023-03-18 – Rugby ATL 10, San Diego Legion 35 (Silverbacks Park)
2022-04-24 – San Diego Legion 17, Rugby ATL 30 (SDSU Sports Deck)
2021-04-03 – Rugby ATL 41, San Diego Legion 22 (Lupo Family Field)
