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The next challenger looking to put a stop to San Diego’s perfect start are the Miami Sharks. It’s a tall order for a team on a two-game losing streak, whose only victories thus far are against the two bottom teams in the Eastern Conference. The high-flying Legion are coming off a bye week and will be further boosted by the raucous Torero cohort.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
4-0-0 (W4) West 1st
2-3-0 (L2) East 3rd
| STARTING LINEUP CHANGES |
|
IN | OUT |
| 3 | Brook To’omalatai | Darcy Breen |
| 9 | Connor Tupai | Richard Judd |
| 13 | Ethan Grayson | Tiaan Loots |
| 15 | Rhian Stowers | Ethan Grayson |
|
IN | OUT |
| 1 | Alec McDonnell | Ma’ake Muti |
| 2 | Sean McNulty | Kirby Myhill |
| 4 | Mauro Rebussone | Tomás Casares |
| 7 | Tomás Casares | Marques Fuala’au |
| 10 | Shane O’Leary | Martín Elías |
| 13 | Tomás Inciarte | Tomás Cubilla |
| 14 | Tomás Malanos | Connor Burns |
| 15 | Marcos Eliçagaray | Santiago Videla |
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(10) – Telea-Ilalio, Helu, James, Lopeti, Klein, Sylvia, Ryan, Brache (USA), To’omalatai (Samoa), Holloway (Australia)
(9) – McNulty, Casares (USA), Koloamatangi (Tonga), Ardao, Inciarte (Uruguay), Cubelli, Orlando (Argentina), O’Leary, du Toit (Canada)
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Darcy Breen (TH), Richard Judd (SH)
– Reinaldo Piussi (TH), Ben Bonasso (FL/N8), Santiago Videla (FH/FB)
| PREDICTION |
Simply put, it would be a complete flip of recent fortunes for the Sharks to overturn the Legion on their home turf. San Diego are the class outfit in the league at the moment and even with some minor tinkering to the lineup look primed for another strong performance. Miami have talent but are yet to put together an 80-minute effort and have shaken up their starters once again in search of their missing mojo. San Diego are clear favorites at home.
| LINEUPS |
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Payton Telea-Ilalio, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Brook To’omalatai, 4 Jed Holloway, 5 Vili Helu, 6 Christian Poidevin, 7 Brad Wilkin (capt.), 8 Jimmy Hokafonu, 9 Connor Tupai, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 11 Ryan James, 12 Tavite Lopeti, 13 Ethan Grayson, 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Rhian Stowers
Replacements: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 Nathan Sylvia, 18 Oliver Kane, 19 Charlie Hewitt, 20 Paddy Ryan, 21 Inoke Waqavesi, 22 Tiaan Loots, 23 Marcel Brache
MIAMI SHARKS
1 Alec McDonnell, 2 Sean McNulty, 3 Tau Koloamatangi, 4 Mauro Rebussone, 5 Federico Gutiérrez, 6 Manuel Ardao, 7 Tomás Casares, 8 Ronan Foley, 9 Tomás Cubelli (capt.), 10 Shane O’Leary, 11 Marcos Young, 12 Matías Orlando, 13 Tomás Inciarte, 14 Tomás Malanos, 15 Marcos Eliçagaray
Replacements: 16 Tomás Bekerman, 17 Ma’ake Muti, 18 Alex Tucci, 19 Marques Fuala’au, 20 Chase Schor-Haskin, 21 Damian Morley, 22 Guiseppe du Toit, 23 Lautaro Soto Ansay
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, March 22
Venue: Torero Stadium, San Diego
Kickoff: 19:00 local (22:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: clear, 61°F (16°C), wind S 5-7mph (8-11km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Fan Duel Florida, YurView California, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Derek Summers (USA)
Assistants: Will Nelson (USA) & Fernando García (Mexico)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (1) – San Diego 1, Miami 0
2024-03-31 – Miami Sharks 21, San Diego Legion 22 (AutoNation Field)
