MLR Round 3 Notes: Scrums, Sanctions, Debuts, and Injuries

A rare occurrence happened near the tail end of the Legion’s win over Old Glory on Saturday – an uncontested scrum. The situation became a possibility when San Diego’s reserve hooker Shilo Klein received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in the 78th minute. Early in the game starting No2 Hugh Roach had been forced off with a head injury, meaning in the event of a scrum the Legion had no hookers left… or did they?

As it turns out, Payton Telea-Ilalio had been nominated as an emergency hooker on the team sheet, and was prepared to pack down at a scrum if needed. It became a moot point a minute later when loosehead prop Dustice Sears-Duru joined Klein in the bin for his own high tackle, meaning Telea-Ilalio was now needed to cover prop… only he wasn’t.

With two hookers and one prop out, and San Diego now unable to field a complete front row, the scrums were declared uncontested. Telea-Ilalio had been trotted out to replace Paddy Ryan, but he was immediately recalled to the bench before play resumed. Once the dust settled the Legion had 12 men on the pitch but DC ran the ball into touch and the game ended at the next lineout.

 

ODD NUMBERS AND COLOR CLASHES

Speaking of odd numbers of players on the pitch, Anthem managed to have one too many for a short spell against Miami on Friday night. Sam Golla received a yellow card in the second half but three minutes before he returned to the pitch, Michael Ma’afu ran out to give Anthem a full compliment in the pack. How did it happen?

It seems neither the sideline officials in charge of substitutions or the team manager were paying attention. Jason Tidwell was standing on the sideline preparing to return to the pitch from an earlier blood injury, but he was then informed he wouldn’t be going back on as Ma’afu ran out instead. The problem was EJ Freeman was already on covering Tidwell and wasn’t taken off the pitch.

For three minutes when Anthem should have had only 14, they had a full compliment of 15. Miami scored from a driving maul anyway and when Golla made has way back on the pitch, the mistake was realised and Ma’afu left the field… later replacing Dylan Fortune with a minute to play.

The substitution wasn’t the only thing evidently missed by officials. Both teams walked out onto the pitch at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex bizarrely wearing the same color – blue. The pink half of Miami’s kit at least gave the officials something to look for but it made for awkward viewing and certainly contributed to at least one pass going to the wrong team.

 

FIRST-TIMERS

One week removed from Dylan Fawsitt’s historic century achievement, the league saw a half-dozen debuts over the weekend. Four players, one venue, and one referee made their first appearances in Major League Rugby. The aforementioned Mecklenburg County Sportsplex nearly inspired Anthem to their first ever franchise win, and the facility in Matthews will host a second game next month when Seattle arrives.

Speaking of the Seawolves, they got a first look at Kerron van Vuuren against Houston. The South African hooker promptly scored a try on debut. Another South African, Anthem scrumhalf Ishy Safodien, came on as a replacement against Miami. The former Life Running Eagle will qualify for the US on five-year registration later this year.

NOLA saw two players making their pro bows. Chase Jones started the game at lock, and Abe Turpen was a replacement hooker late in the game. For Jones the occasion was particularly memorable. Drafted back in 2022, he was due to play in late February of 2023 only to suffer a ruptured Achilles tendon in the captain’s run ahead of the game. Four surgeries and 22 months of rehabilitation later, he was finally cleared to resume full contact training in December.

There was also a first MLR appearance for Ben Connor, who was the man in the middle for Utah’s blowout win over NOLA. In doing so Connor became the youngest referee in league history, a feat he also recently achieved in the United Rugby Championship when he took charge of Zebre’s match against Parma in October at the age of just 21. The Welshman is the son of former Wales 7s and Ospreys flyhalf Shaun Connor.

 

DISCIPLINARY

Two red cards were handed out this week, amazingly both coming against Seawolves forwards within a few minutes of each late in Saturday’s loss to the SaberCats. Pago Haini was the first to go, the loose forward sent off when the TMO decided he had targeted the knee of LaRome White in a chop tackle. World Rugby has been cracking down on dangerous play regarding the lower limbs, with the ‘croc roll’ now illegal at the ruck.

The second red card went to replacement tighthead prop Njabulo ‘Juice’ Gumede, who was dispatched for delivering a forearm to the face of Johan Momsen during a ruck. Seattle were forced to finish the match with only 13 men as a result of the two send-offs.

Haini’s offense was determined to be low range, and he will miss Seattle’s upcoming game against the Free Jacks as a result. It’s a two-game suspension for Gumede, whose mid-range sanction also includes the March 15 game against RFC Los Angeles.

 

INJURY NOTES

Head knocks accounted for almost every injury replacement over the weekend. Hugh Roach left the field just 8 minutes into San Diego’s game against DC and did not return. Old Glory winger Perry Humphreys was forced off mid-way through the first half, with Owen Sheehy playing the rest of the game.

The match in Chicago was particularly brutal. Dylan Fawsitt, Julian Dominguez, and Adriaan Carelse all left the field early after taking blows to the head. Michael Hand limped off with a bad hamstring. On the other side of the pitch Wian Conradie took the worst of a collision 28 minutes into his return from long-term knee injury, and Isaac Olson left at halftime after bouncing his head off the turf in a tackle.

 

NEW SIGNING

One new arrival showed up on team sheets this past weekend. Cassh Maluia’s move from Chicago to San Diego became official, and he made his Legion debut as a replacement against Old Glory. The 26-year-old midfielder played 7 games for the Hounds last season, including two starts, after joining from the American Raptors. Maluia had previously spent the 2020-21 NFL season as a linebacker and special teams player for the New England Patriots.

 

WEEKLY XVs – ROUND 3

 

	Cameron Orr	1	Jake Turnbull
	Liam Coltman	2	Shilo Klein
	Tonga Kofe	3	Tonga Kofe
	Rhyno Herbst	4	Matt Jensen
	Gavin Thornbury	5	Sam Golla
	Sam Golla	6	Ben Bonasso
	Brad Wilkin	7	Devin Short
	Lucas Rumball	8	Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz
	Mitch Short	9	JP Smith
	Lincoln McClutchie	10	Luke Carty
	Joe Mano	11	Joe Mano
	Ollie Devoto	12	Tiaan Loots
	Erich Storti	13	Erich Storti
	Noah Brown	14	Noah Brown
	Cooper Coats	15	Line Latu