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One of Major League Rugby’s oldest rivalries will add its latest chapter in Houston on Saturday evening. The SaberCats take on the Seattle Seawolves in a clash between one team gunning for ultimate glory and another seeking to rebound from the worst season opener in franchise history.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
1-1-0 (W1) West 2nd
0-1-0 (L1) West 5th
| STARTING LINEUP CHANGES |
|
IN | OUT |
| 10 | AJ Alatimu | Davy Coetzer |
| 11 | Max Schumacher | Jeremy Misailegalu |
| 13 | Tautalatasi Tasi | Sam Hill |
| 15 | Davy Coetzer | Max Schumacher |
|
IN | OUT |
| 2 | Kerron van Vuuren | Dewald Kotze |
| 5 | Siaosi Mahoni | Malembe Mpofu |
| 10 | Eddie Fouché | Rodney Iona |
| 11 | Mika Kruse | Jeremiah Sio |
| 13 | Divan Rossouw | Mika Kruse |
| 14 | Lauina Futi | Jade Stighling |
| 15 | Duncan Matthews | Divan Rossouw |
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(3) – Davis (USA), Alatimu (Samoa), McLean (Scotland)
(11) – Zeiss (Argentina), Mahoni, Smith, Kruse, Futi, Wenglewski (USA), Noa, Iona (Samoa), Rossouw (Namibia), Kotze, Gallagher (Canada)
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(1) – Oliver
(2) – van Vuuren*, Esdale
* – MLR debut
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Ezekiel Lindenmuth (LH), Sam Hill (CE)
– Charles Elton (FL), Riekert Hattingh (N8), Toni Pulu (WI)
| PREDICTION |
Weather conditions won’t play any part in the result, but the dominant SaberCats pack certainly will. LA scrumbled under the pressure and a Seawolves side absent two key forwards has its work cut out for it. Both teams have shuffled their backlines with Seattle uncertain of their ideal configuration. Former Seawolves star AJ Alatimu will be influential. Houston are clear favorites at home.
| LINEUPS |
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Valdemar Lee-Lo, 2 Pita Anae-Ah Sue, 3 Pono Davis, 4 Johan Momsen, 5 Nathan Den Hoedt (capt.), 6 Emmanuel Albert, 7 Marno Redelinghuys, 8 Sam Tuifua, 9 André Warner, 10 AJ Alatimu, 11 Max Schumacher, 12 Dom Akina, 13 Tautalatasi Tasi, 14 Rufus McLean, 15 Davy Coetzer
Replacements: 16 Seth Smith, 17 LaRome White, 18 Michael Scott, 19 Justin Basson, 20 Keni Nasoqeqe, 21 Ronan Murphy, 22 Juan-Dee Oliver, 23 Jeremy Misailegalu
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Cameron Orr, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Rhyno Herbst (capt.), 5 Siaosi Mahoni, 6 Huw Taylor, 7 Devin Short, 8 OJ Noa, 9 JP Smith, 10 Eddie Fouché, 11 Mika Kruse, 12 Dan Kriel, 13 Divan Rossouw, 14 Lauina Futi, 15 Duncan Matthews
Replacements: 16 Dewald Kotze, 17 Chance Wenglewski, 18 Njabulo Gumede, 19 Isaia Lotawa, 20 Pago Haini, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Rodney Iona, 23 Malacchi Esdale
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, March 1
Venue: SaberCats Stadium, Houston
Kickoff: 19:00 local (17:00 Pacific, 20:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 70°F (21°C), wind S 6-9mph (10-14km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, CW39, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Kat Roche (USA) & Juan Pablo Parra (Colombia)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (13) – Seattle 9, Houston 4
2024-06-15 – Houston SaberCats 28, Seattle Seawolves 25 (SaberCats Stadium)
2024-03-22 – Seattle Seawolves 40, Houston SaberCats 42 (Starfire Stadium)
2023-06-24 – Seattle Seawolves 37, Houston SaberCats 26 (Starfire Stadium)
2023-05-13 – Houston SaberCats 17, Seattle Seawolves 34 (SaberCats Stadium)
2023-03-11 – Seattle Seawolves 24, Houston SaberCats 12 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-06-18 – Houston SaberCats 27, Seattle Seawolves 46 (SaberCats Stadium)
2022-05-27 – Seattle Seawolves 43, Houston SaberCats 36 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-03-12 – Houston SaberCats 21, Seattle Seawolves 19 (SaberCats Stadium)
2021-07-15 – Seattle Seawolves 40, Houston SaberCats 21 (Starfire Stadium)
2021-03-20 – Houston SaberCats 30, Seattle Seawolves 24 (SaberCats Stadium)
2019-04-13 – Houston SaberCats 10, Seattle Seawolves 52 (SaberCats Stadium)
2019-03-10 – Seattle Seawolves 27, Houston SaberCats 14 (Starfire Stadium)
2018-06-02 – Houston SaberCats 7, Seattle Seawolves 20 (Dyer Stadium)
