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Closing out the weekend is a West Conference match-up in Texas between the Austin Gilgronis and Seattle Seawolves. It’s another match that didn’t come to fruition in 2020, and it’s been close to two years since they faced off against each other.
Unsurprisingly Seattle have won all three matches to date, with the Seawolves eventually lifting the MLR Shield in each of 2018 and 2019. Austin were still the Elite at the time and came closest to success in a one-point loss at Round Rock in their first ever meeting during the inaugural 2018 season.
Those results have little meeting this time around. The Seawolves are in a tail-spin after their crushing loss to the Arrows in Atlanta. In response there were sweeping changes made to the staff with Pate Tuilevuka taking over as Head Coach and Irish pair Allen Clarke and Rory Best brought in to help.
There are also significant changes to Seattle’s lineup, eight alone in the starting lineup. The entire front row swaps out with Huluholo Mo’ungaloa, Obert Nortjé, and Tim Metcher getting the start with Les Soloai replacing Rhyno Herbst at lock. It’s a first MLR start for Tommy Clark at openside flanker and former Eagles star Samu Manoa returns on the blindside for his first game since the 2019 season.
In the backs there is no sign of Ben Cima, with Mat Turner reverting to fullback and Ross Neal moving to the wing. It’s a veteran midfield pairing in Shalom Suniula and Seta Tuilevuka. On the bench there are three uncapped players in lock Conor McGill, flanker Jacob Flores, and scrumhalf Ronald Dwyer.
It’s almost the exact opposite for Austin, who are enjoying a best-ever run of success. The win over ATL last weekend was the first time in franchise history that they have won three in a row. This is a team growing more confident by the day, and doing so despite suffering a number of injuries particularly felt in the second row.
There is better news on that front, however, with Isaac Ross making a quick recovery from the ankle injury suffered against ATL. He packs down beside Cam Dodson with Michael de Waal switching to No8 and Dominic Akina dropping to the bench. Christian Ostberg also returns to provide second row cover as a replacement.
In the backs there are three changes. Marcelo Torrealba and Ned Hodson tag in at scrumhalf and inside center respectively. Frank Halai gets his first start of the season on the right wing as Rodrick Waters misses out, and Zinzan Elan-Puttick returns from injury to take up a spot among the reserves.
Such a major shift in direction is unlikely to be able to turn the ride for Seattle immediately. The AG’s are starting to look like the playoff contenders many expected and on form there’s simply no comparison between the two. Look for Austin to stretch their streak to four games at home.
Kickoff is set for 6pm local, 4pm Pacific, 7pm Eastern. Local broadcasts will be available on KBVO in Austin and Root Sports in Seattle with The Rugby Network streaming worldwide.
AUSTIN GILGRONIS
1 Jamie Mackintosh, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 3 Mason Pedersen, 4 Isaac Ross, 5 Cam Dodson, 6 Dom Bailey, 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Michael de Waal, 9 Marcelo Torrealba, 10 Mack Mason, 11 Conner Mooneyham, 12 Ned Hodson, 13 Bryce Campbell (capt.), 14 Frank Halai, 15 Will Magie
Replacements: 16 Mason Koch, 17 Jake Turnbull, 18 LaRome White, 19 Christian Ostberg, 20 Dominic Akina, 21 Pele Cowley, 22 Kurt Morath, 23 Zinzan Elan-Puttick
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Huluholo Mo’ungaloa, 2 Obert Nortjé, 3 Tim Metcher, 4 Les Soloai, 5 FP Pelser, 6 Samu Manoa, 7 Tommy Clark, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 Devereaux Ferris, 10 Kieran Joyce, 11 Ross Neal, 12 Shalom Suniula, 13 Seta Tuilevuka, 14 Sitiveni Tamaivena, 15 Mat Turner
Replacements: 16 Mike Shepherd, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Jake Ilnicki, 19 Jacob Flores, 20 Conor McGill, 21 Ronald Dwyer, 22 Juan Pablo Aguirre, 23 Aaron Matthews
Date: Sunday, April 25
Venue: Bold Stadium, Austin
Kickoff: 18:00 local (16:00 Pacific, 19:00 Eastern)
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Kat Roche (USA) & Butch Neuenschwander (USA)
Broadcasts: KBVO, Root Sports, The Rugby Network
Historical Results
2019-06-02 Seattle Seawolves 38, Austin Elite 26 (Starfire Stadium)
2019-03-16 Austin Elite 17, Seattle Seawolves 29 (Dell Diamond)
2018-06-08 Austin Elite 19, Seattle Seawolves 20 (Round Rock Multipurpose Complex)
