MLR 2022 Preview – Old Glory DC

Old Glory DC’s sophomore campaign was more challenging than their freshman run in Major League Rugby. After seeing a significant portion of their top players depart – names like Mikey Sosene-Feagai, Mungo Mason, and Jason Robertson – this year could be even tougher.

There is room for positivity. Continuity in their home venue and coaching staff is helpful and they maintain a decent core of returning American talent. Having two preseason games as opposed to zero in 2021 should prove beneficial. Still, there are questions to be answered from this mixed group.

A detailed squad list can be seen here.

 

TEAM HISTORY

YEAR	SEASON	RANK	FINALS
2020	4-1	3 of 12	–
2021	6-9-1	8 of 12	–

After a short exhibition campaign in 2019, Old Glory were the surprise package of the 2020 season. They turned heads with the upset win over the defending champion Seawolves in their home opener. We’ll never know how the rest of that year would have turned out, but 2021 proved a bit of a reality check. They won five games at home but just once on the road and were 5th in the Eastern Conference.

 

COACHING STAFF

Andrew Douglas remains Head Coach for a fourth year and third MLR campaign. Former Eagles 7s rep Toshi Palamo – brother of Thretton – has been his assistant throughout and last year’s player-coach Callum Gibbins will this season put the boots aside to focus strictly on coaching.

 

FRONT ROW

MLR 2021	POS	MLR 2022
Jamie Dever Jack Iscaro Hannibal Vaivao	LH Prop	Jack Iscaro Hannibal Vaivao Will Vakalahi
Mo Katz James King Max Lum Mike Sosene-Feagai	Hooker	Thomas Capriotti Nick Hryekewicz Mo Katz Rob Irimescu
Jack Carroll Steven Longwell Dante Lopresti	TH Prop	Jack Carroll Jake Ilnicki Dante Lopresti Kyle Stewart

The outstanding front row of Jamie Dever, Sosene-Feagai, and Steven Longwell have all left for Europe, with destinations London Irish, Toulon, and Jersey Reds respectively. James King has left the team and seemingly Max Lum as well.

Bolstering the right side of the scrum are Canadian international Jake Ilnicki, who arrives from Seattle, and New Zealander Kyle Stewart. On the loosehead side there are no overseas imports but Will Vakalahi makes the switch from tighthead and is fit again after recovering from a knee injury that kept him out of the entire 2021 campaign.

Rob Irimescu, a reserve hooker for New York last year, joins Mo Katz as the primary hooking options to start the season. Katz has played just two games over the past two seasons, partly on account of injury.

Another option could be Dante Lopresti, a utility front row who covers hooker or tighthead prop. Nick Hryekewicz, who was on the Free Jacks squad last year, has been training with the team during preseason and San Diego draft pick Thomas Capriotti has moved to DC though he is currently injured.

 

SECOND ROW

MLR 2021	POS	MLR 2022
David Beach Api Naikatini Tevita Naqali Casey Renaud Stan South	Lock	David Beach Felix Kalapu Api Naikatini Tevita Naqali Stan South

It’s a nearly-identical second row group with one notable change. Casey Renaud seems to have opted out of returning while Felix Kalapu is to arrive from Auckland. This is a position of strength with former England u20 cap Stan South an abrasive figure and Api Naikatini still enjoying himself on the pitch.

 

BACK ROW

MLR 2021	POS	MLR 2022
Luke Campbell Cory Daniel Callum Gibbins Matthew Gordon Mungo Mason Dacoda Worth	Flanker	Dom Bailey Luke Campbell Fintan Coleman Cory Daniel Matthew Gordon Dacoda Worth
Josh Brown Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz	No8	Josh Brown Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz

Both starting flankers are gone with co-captain Mungo Mason off to Oxford University and Callum Gibbins shifting to the coaching staff. Dom Bailey has been signed from Austin while Fintan Coleman arrives from Young Munster in Ireland.

Matt Gordon was on the roster last season but didn’t make a single match day appearance. Luke Campbell missed the second half of the year with injury. As it stands Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz is the only nailed-on starter at No8 though flanker Cory Daniel is tipped to step up at openside flanker.

 

HALFBACKS

MLR 2021	POS	MLR 2022
Sean Hartig Danny Thomas Danny Tusitala	Scrumhalf	John LeFevre Danny Thomas Danny Tusitala
Jason Robertson Owen Sheehy	Flyhalf	Rohan Saifoloi Owen Sheehy

Jason Robertson’s departure is an enormous blow as one of the league’s most dynamic attacking players. Rohan Saifoloi has been signed but is yet to arrive from Australia. Mike Dabulas has been filling in at flyhalf in the preseason though he has been earmarked for the starting fullback slot, with Owen Sheehy covering both No10 and No15.

At scrumhalf Danny Tusitala remains the central figure of the team with Danny Thomas his primary backup. John LeFevre is a new local signing, taking the roster spot of Sean Hartig. LeFevre has been training with the USA’s u23 High Performance group during the off-season.

 

MIDFIELD

MLR 2021	POS	MLR 2022
Doug Fraser Ciaran Hearn Simi Moala Thretton Palamo	Center	Doug Fraser Labi Koi-Larbi Simi Moala Thretton Palamo Palema Roberts Junior Sa’u William Talataina

Old Glory seems to have an excess of midfield options. Ciaran Hearn’s retirement is the only departure, with William Talataina another Aucklander set to join in his place. Junior Sa’u makes the switch over from rugby league and put in some thumping tackles during the preseason.

LJ Koi-Larbi and Palema Roberts were selected in the Collegiate Draft. Koi-Larbi is a local from Penn State while Roberts arrives via Life University. Simi Moala is back and covers both center and wing. Doug Fraser could also potentially slot in on the wing.

 

OUTSIDE BACKS

MLR 2021	POS	MLR 2022
Sam Cusano D’Montae Noble Renata Roberts-Te Nana	Wing	Peni Lasaqa Jack Russell Renata Roberts-Te Nana
Mike Dabulas Dylan Taikato-Simpson	Fullback	Mike Dabulas Michah Griffin

D’Montae Noble has left for LA while Sam Cusano has not returned for unknown reasons. Dylan Taikato-Simpson has returned to Australia. Osea Kolinisau, who was a short-term signing in 2021, is now a World Rugby Hall of Famer and looks to have called time on his playing career.

Peni Lasaqa has trained with the New Zealand 7s and u20 squads and should bring a bit of x-factor while Renata Roberts-Te Nana will likely be asked to play every game again this season. Jack Russell and Michah Griffin are new local arrivals while John Rizzo is another who could join in April.

 

2022 OUTLOOK

Overall this is an inexperienced group, and there will be big pressure on the likes of home grown talent Jack Iscaro and Cory Daniel to step in for top professionals. None of Felix Kalapu, Rohan Saifoloi, William Talataina, or Peni Lasaqa featured during the preseason which is not at all ideal for preparation.

There are also imbalances. Dante Lopresti is the only player in the squad with any professional starts at hooker (he has 2) and there is no experienced alternative to Iscaro at loosehead prop. The midfield looks bloated and if Dabulas has to play flyhalf for a length of time the outside backs are thin.

With all their best players in place Old Glory could cause some upsets, but over the course of the season that lack of depth will be exposed. The bottom half of the Eastern Conference table looks a certainty and DC might do well to stay out of the basement.