MLR 2024: Dallas Jackals vs RFC Los Angeles – ARN Guide

Two Western Conference teams coming off a loss will square off at Choctaw Stadium on Friday night. Dallas remain confident despite a narrow loss in San Diego last weekend, while Los Angeles lost three in a row before their bye week but welcome back some key players to their lineup.

CURRENT STANDINGS

4-5-0 (L1) West 4th

1-6-1 (L3) West 6th

LINEUP CHANGES

1 Liam Murray replaces Joaquín Horcada
6 Ronan Foley replaces Lucas Bur (No5 vs San Diego)
8 Sam Tuifua replaces Ben Fry (injury)
9 Juan-Dee Oliver replaces Pedro Imhoff
11 Nic Benn rotates with 23 Jason Tidwell
12 Connor Winchester replaces Tomás Cubilla
16 Joaquín Horcada replaces Jonah Auva’a

3 Alex Maughan rotates with 18 Conor Young
5 Theo Vukasinovic replaces Semi Kunatani (suspension, No8 vs New England)
9 Niall Saunders rotates with 21 Tas Smith
12 Jason Emery replaces Matt Anticev (No10 vs New England)
14 Andrew Coe replaces Brooklyn Hardaker
17 Wilton Rebolo replaces Sam Buckley
22 Jordan Chait replaces Jason Emery
23 Seth Purdey replaces Derek Adams

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(4) – Murray, Richardson, Steeves (Canada), Zeiss (Argentina)

(7) – Maughan, Damm (USA), Heaton, Coe, Young (Canada), Rebolo (Brazil), Katjijeko (Namibia)

CLUB DEBUTS

(2) – Wilton Rebolo, Jordan Chait

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Sam Golla (LO), Lucas Bur (LO)

– Jurie van Vuuren (LO/N8), Will Leonard (CE), Rory van Vugt (FB)

NOTES

• Liam Murray and Connor Winchester return from injury to start in place of Joaquín Horcada and Tomás Cubilla respectively for Dallas… Horcada will cover hooker from the bench after starting at loosehead prop against San Diego
• the Jackals are missing both starting locks with Lucas Bur joining Sam Golla on the sidelines this week… Karl Hunger has returned to Canada leaving the club with no other specialist second rows, so it’s Jerónimo Gómez Vara and Daemon Torres who fill in… it’s one of MLR’s shortest ever lock pairings with both players standing 6’3″
• Ronan Foley and Sam Tuifua are recalled in the back row… Tuifua replaces Ben Fry who was injured early in last week’s game against the Legion
• Theo Vukasinovic has recovered from a shoulder injury to start at lock for LA… that allows Jason Damm to switch to his favored No8 shirt with Semi Kunatani serving a one-week suspension
• Andrew Coe returns from suspension to wear the No14 shirt, and Jason Emery starts in the midfield… Rory van Vugt is the only absentee from what appears to be LA’s top backline
• former New York front rower Wilton Rebolo is set to make his LA debut… curiously he appears to be selected as loosehead prop cover, having played primarily hooker or tighthead for club and country… Rebolo made his Super Rugby debut with the Western Force in 2023
• LA also welcomes Jordan Chait to their match day squad… the former Seawolves flyhalf and goal kicker missed the first half of the season with injury

PREDICTION

The Jackals continue to play well despite their somewhat deceiving losing record. They do look vulnerable at the set piece without Golla and Bur, though the selection of Winchester at center suggests a tactical approach is in store. LA have scraped together a decent enough lineup but have little form to speak of. Dallas were winners in their Round 1 meeting and are favorites at home.

LINEUPS

DALLAS JACKALS
1 Liam Murray, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Jerónimo Gómez Vara (capt.), 5 Daemon Torres, 6 Ronan Foley, 7 Makeen Alikhan, 8 Sam Tuifua, 9 Juan-Dee Oliver, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Nic Benn, 12 Connor Winchester, 13 Mitch Richardson, 14 Tomás Malanos, 15 Vaughen Isaacs

Replacements: 16 Joaquín Horcada, 17 Connor Grindal, 18 Kyle Steeves, 19 Ronnie McElligott, 20 Cameron Nelson, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Marques Fuala’au, 23 Jason Tidwell

RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Dane Zander, 2 Ben Strang, 3 Alex Maughan, 4 Ben Mitchell, 5 Theo Vukasinovic, 6 Michael Amiras, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Niall Saunders (capt.), 10 Dan Hollinshead, 11 Jack Shaw, 12 Jason Emery, 13 James Stokes, 14 Andrew Coe, 15 Austin White

Replacements: 16 Bruce Kauika-Petersen, 17 Wilton Rebolo, 18 Conor Young, 19 Max Katjijeko, 20 Bruce Yun, 21 Tas Smith, 22 Jordan Chait, 23 Seth Purdey

MATCH INFO

Date: Friday, May 10
Venue: Choctaw Stadium, Arlington
Kickoff: 19:30 local (17:30 Pacific, 20:30 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: cloudy, 80°F (26°C), wind NE 9-14mph (14-22km/h)
Broadcasts: Bally Sports SoCal, The Rugby Network

OFFICIALS

Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
Assistants: Kahlil Harrison (USA) & Juan Pablo Parra (Colombia)
TMO: Scott Green (USA)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (2) – Dallas 2, Los Angeles 0
2024-03-03 – RFC Los Angeles 29, Dallas Jackals 32 (Dignity Health Stadium)
2023-05-20 – Rugby ATL 19, Dallas Jackals 27 (Silverbacks Park)