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The top team in Major League Rugby plays host to the last-placed team in the Western Conference on Saturday evening. Houston are looking to extend their club record six-game winning steak, while LA desperately need points to close the gap on Dallas for the final playoff spot in the West.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
11-1-0 (W6) West 1st
4-7-1 (W1) West 6th
| STARTING LINEUP CHANGES |
3 Maks van Dyk replaces Rob Cobb
12 Louritz van der Schyff replaces Sam Hill
6 Bruce Kauika-Petersen replaces Max Katjijeko
12 Brooklyn Hardaker replaces Niall Saunders (HIA, No9 vs Miami)
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(1) – Lindenmuth (Samoa)
(10) – Maughan, Damm (USA), O’Gorman, Heaton, Coe, Young (Canada), Kunatani (Fiji), Rebolo (Brazil), Katjijeko (Namibia), Speight (Australia)
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(3) – Alessandro Heaney*, Cristian Rodriguez, Henry Speight*
* – MLR debut
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Christian Dyer (WI), Drew Wild (FB)
– Theo Vukasinovic (LO), Ben Mitchell (LO), Michael Amiras (FL), Niall Saunders (SH), Dan Hollinshead (FH), Jordan Chait (FH)
| NOTES |
- Houston have made minimal changes with Maks van Dyk fit again to take up the starting tighthead prop role from Rob Cobb
- Sam Hill gets the week off with Louritz van der Schyff handed the No12 shirt… it’s the first time he has played inside center this season with his three previous starts at No13
- injuries continue to play a major role in LA’s selections… they will start hooker Bruce Kauika-Petersen on the flank this week with Max Katjijeko covering lock from the bench
- Niall Saunders is ruled out after failing an HIA against Miami… Tas Smith and Jason Emery continue where they left off against the Sharks… Brooklyn Hardaker fills the gap in the midfield, his first start at center with all previous MLR appearances on the wing
- Wilton Rebolo will wear No16 on the bench but can cover all three front row spots for LA… loosehead prop Alessandro Heaney is finally set for his MLR debut… the 21-year-old is US-born but raised in England and was long-listed for the Ireland u20s in 2021
- there are two further debutants on LA’s bench… scrumhalf Cristian Rodriguez has joined up having previously played for the Giltinis and Ironworkers… ex-Wallabies winger Henry Speight has arrived after receiving visa clearance… meanwhile Rory van Vugt is back from injury
| PREDICTION |
LA come into the game fresh from their biggest win of the season, though it wasn’t until the final quarter when they ran up the score against Miami. Despite the result their makeshift lineup this week does not inspire confidence against the best team in MLR. The SaberCats were comfortable winners in their match earlier this season. Houston are clear favorites at home.
| LINEUPS |
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2 Pita Anae-Ah Sue, 3 Maks van Dyk, 4 Justin Basson, 5 Nathan Den Hoedt (capt.), 6 Johan Momsen, 7 Keni Nasoqeqe, 8 Ronan Murphy, 9 André Warner, 10 Davy Coetzer, 11 Jeremy Misailegalu, 12 Louritz van der Schyff, 13 Dom Akina, 14 Seimou Smith, 15 Drew Wild
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Erasmus, 17 LaRome White, 18 Pono Davis, 19 Emmanuel Albert, 20 Asa Carter, 21 Carlo de Nysschen, 22 Max Schumacher, 23 Line Latu
RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Dane Zander, 2 Ben Strang, 3 Alex Maughan, 4 Reegan O’Gorman, 5 Jason Damm, 6 Bruce Kauika-Petersen, 7 Matt Heaton (capt.), 8 Semi Kunatani, 9 Tas Smith, 10 Jason Emery, 11 Jack Shaw, 12 Brooklyn Hardaker, 13 Will Leonard, 14 Andrew Coe, 15 James Stokes
Replacements: 16 Wilton Rebolo, 17 Alessandro Heaney, 18 Conor Young, 19 Bruce Yun, 20 Max Katjijeko, 21 Cristian Rodriguez, 22 Henry Speight, 23 Rory van Vugt
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, June 8
Venue: SaberCats Stadium, Houston
Kickoff: 19:00 local (17:00 Pacific, 20:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 86°F (30°C), wind SE 12-18mph (19-29km/h)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 2, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Moe Chaudhry (Canada) & Blair McClure (USA)
TMO: Mike Kelly (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (4) – Houston 2, ATL/LA 2, STREAK Houston +2
2024-03-10 – RFC Los Angeles 12, Houston SaberCats 27 (Dignity Health Track Field)
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)
