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A much-changed Anthem lineup starts their second Major League Rugby campaign against a similarly revamped NOLA side at The Gold Mine on Saturday. The Carolina outfit welcomes capped Eagles Sam Golla, Erich Storti, and Mitch Wilson among others, but the Gold feature a pair of French internationals in Kélian Galletier and Xavier Mignot and have high hopes for 2025.
| 2024 RECORD |
10-6-0, East 2nd
0-16-0, East 6th
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(8) – Mullen, Galletier*, Te Tamaki*, Mignot*, Coats*, King*, de Haas, Foliaki*
(14) – Howard*, Clark, Golla, Alikhan, Keane, Latu, Tidwell, Storti*, Staples*, Wilson, Martinez Tapia*, Turner*, Filikitonga, Freeman*
*MLR debut
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(12) – Harmon, Mullen, Dolan, Tonga’uiha, de Haas (USA), Botchar, Coats (Canada), Galletier, Mignot (France), Mau’u, Fidow (Samoa), Foliaki (Tonga)
(5) – Turnbull, Golla, Storti, Wilson (USA), Apikotoa (Tonga)
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Isaac Salmon (TH), Kaden Duguid (LO)
– Alex Maughan (TH), Cliven Loubser (FH/FB), Conner Mooneyham (WI)
| PREDICTION |
Anthem fans should expect much closer scorelines this season and surely the franchise’s first victory isn’t far away. Some of the newcomers suited up for Charlotte Rugby Club during the offseason, which should help the early-season continuity. It’s a new coach and several new faces for the Gold, but in terms of experience they are well above their Carolina counterparts. NOLA are clear favorites at home.
| LINEUPS |
NOLA GOLD
1 Matt Harmon, 2 Pat O’Toole, 3 Paul Mullen, 4 Callum Botchar, 5 Cam Dolan, 6 Moni Tonga’uiha (capt.), 7 Kélian Galletier, 8 Jonah Mau’u, 9 Luke Campbell, 10 Dorian Jones, 11 Ed Fidow, 12 JP du Plessis, 13 Isaac Te Tamaki, 14 Xavier Mignot, 15 Cooper Coats
Replacements: 16 Ale Lopeti, 17 Bart Vermeulen, 18 Jarred Adams, 19 William Waguespack, 20 Aidan King, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Reece Botha, 23 Nikolai Foliaki
ANTHEM CAROLINA
1 Jake Turnbull (co-capt.), 2 Ethan Howard, 3 Joe Apikotoa, 4 Shawn Clark, 5 Sam Golla (co-capt.), 6 Alby O’Shannessey, 7 Makeen Alikhan, 8 Dylan Fortune, 9 Karl Keane, 10 Line Latu, 11 Jason Tidwell, 12 Junior Gafa, 13 Erich Storti, 14 Ashawnty Staples, 15 Mitch Wilson
Replacements: 16 Declan Moore, 17 Dan Hanson, 18 Stephan Bernal-Wendt, 19 Alejandro Martinez Tapia, 20 Colin Turner, 21 Carlo de Nysschen, 22 Watson Filikitonga, 23 EJ Freeman
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, February 15
Venue: The Gold Mine, Metairie
Kickoff: 18:00 local (16:00 Pacific, 19:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 75°F (25°C), wind S 14-21mph (22-34km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Gulf Coast Sports, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Marquise Goodwin (USA)
Assistants: Jacob Gonzales (USA) & Allen Alongi (USA)
TMO: Cam Russell (Canada)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (2) – NOLA 2, Carolina 0
2024-04-27 – Anthem Carolina 5, NOLA Gold 40 (Truist Point)
2024-03-09 – NOLA Gold 34, Anthem Carolina 19 (The Gold Mine)
