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Major League Rugby returns to Torero Stadium for the first time since 2021 on Sunday, when San Diego and Seattle renew their classic West Coast rivalry. It was the Seawolves who took bragging rights last year in the post-season, through ultimately falling just short in the final. The Legion however have a formidable lineup to start their campaign featuring former Wallabies lock Jed Holloway.
| 2024 RECORD |
11-5-0, West 3rd
11-5-0, West 2nd (MLR Finalists)
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(4) – Holloway*, Wilkin*, Hokafonu*, Lopeti
(11) – Kotze, Zeiss, Mpofu*, Noa, Iona, Kruse, Mackail*, Gumede*, Mahoni, Gallagher, Fouché*
*MLR debut
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(9) – Telea-Ilalio, James, Lopeti, Klein, Sylvia, Helu, Ryan, Brache (USA), Holloway (Australia)
(11) – Kotze, Mackail, Gallagher (Canada), Zeiss (Argentina), Smith, Kruse, Wenglewski, Mahoni (USA), Noa, Iona (Samoa), Rossouw (Namibia)
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– none
– Charles Elton (FL), Riekert Hattingh (N8), Toni Pulu (WI)
| PREDICTION |
With Charles Elton and regular skipper Riekert Hattingh still working their way back from long-term injury, the Seawolves aren’t quite at full strength for their first road trip of the year. The Legion might well be fielding their top lineup, and the return to the more intimate surroundings at Torero should provide an emotional boost for the men in red. San Diego are slight favorites at home.
| LINEUPS |
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Payton Telea-Ilalio, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Darcy Breen, 4 Jed Holloway, 5 Brandon Harvey, 6 Christian Poidevin, 7 Brad Wilkin (capt.), 8 Jimmy Hokafonu, 9 Richard Judd, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 11 Ryan James, 12 Tiaan Loots, 13 Tavite Lopeti, 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Ethan Grayson
Replacements: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 Nathan Sylvia, 18 Oliver Kane, 19 Vili Helu, 20 Paddy Ryan, 21 Connor Tupai, 22 Marcel Brache, 23 James Vaifale
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Cameron Orr, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Rhyno Herbst (capt.), 5 Malembe Mpofu, 6 Huw Taylor, 7 Devin Short, 8 OJ Noa, 9 JP Smith, 10 Rodney Iona, 11 Jade Stighling, 12 Dan Kriel, 13 Mika Kruse, 14 Jeremiah Sio, 15 Divan Rossouw
Replacements: 16 Jesse Mackail, 17 Chance Wenglewski, 18 Njabulo Gumede, 19 Isaia Lotawa, 20 Siaosi Mahoni, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Eddie Fouché, 23 David Busby
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Sunday, February 16
Venue: Torero Stadium, San Diego
Kickoff: 14:00 local (17:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 64°F (18°C), wind W 6-10mph (8-16km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, KUSI, Fox 13+ Seattle, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Lex Weiner (USA)
Assistants: Mike Lawrenson (USA) & Will Nelson (USA)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Canada)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (17) – Seattle 9, San Diego 8
2024-07-21 – Seattle Seawolves 30, San Diego Legion 28 (Starfire Stadium)
2024-06-29 – San Diego Legion 45, Seattle Seawolves 33 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2024-03-02 – Seattle Seawolves 25, San Diego Legion 19 (Starfire Stadium)
2023-07-02 – San Diego Legion 32, Seattle Seawolves 10 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2023-06-18 – San Diego Legion 40, Seattle Seawolves 19 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2023-04-08 – Seattle Seawolves 20, San Diego Legion 23 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-06-12 – Seattle Seawolves 43, San Diego Legion 19 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-04-16 – Seattle Seawolves 34, San Diego Legion 32 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-02-20 – San Diego Legion 28, Seattle Seawolves 31 (SDSU Sports Deck)
2021-07-03 – San Diego Legion 34, Seattle Seawolves 21 (Elite Athlete Training Center)
2021-05-09 – Seattle Seawolves 21, San Diego Legion 15 (Starfire Stadium)
2020-02-09 – San Diego Legion 33, Seattle Seawolves 24 (Torero Stadium)
2019-06-16 – San Diego Legion 23, Seattle Seawolves 26 (Torero Stadium)
2019-03-31 – Seattle Seawolves 22, San Diego Legion 28 (Starfire Stadium)
2019-02-02 – San Diego Legion 17, Seattle Seawolves 13 (Torero Stadium)
2018-06-30 – Seattle Seawolves 38, San Diego Legion 24 (Infinity Park)
2018-04-22 – Seattle Seawolves 39, San Diego Legion 23 (Starfire Stadium)
