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The 2022 Major League Rugby season comes to a close on Saturday with the Championship Final taking place at Red Bull Arena. For the first time the MLR Shield will not be raised in California, and it will either be a new champion in Rugby New York or a third title for the Seattle Seawolves.
There will be other firsts for MLR on Saturday. All three Finals to date have featured the top two seeds from the regular season. This time it will be the third-ranked team in the East against the fourth-ranked team from the West, the latter benefiting from the disqualification of both Austin and LA. Whichever team is victorious will be the first to do so after winning three consecutive knockout matches, this being the first year the extra round of playoffs has been in place.
New York have twice come agonizingly close to making the Final, suffering narrow defeats at the last hurdle in both 2019 and 2021. They can become the first team from the East to claim the title with a victory on Saturday. ATL were the first from the East Coast to make a Final last season, with Glendale (now defunct) and San Diego competing against Seattle in the 2018 and 2019 Finals before the league adopted the conference format in 2020.
It’s fair to say that New York have travelled the tougher path over the past two weekends. They overcame defending Eastern Conference champions ATL and this season’s record-setting New England Free Jacks to reach the big game. Both were convincing wins away from home, leaving New York with a startling 9-1 road record for the season.
Marty Veale’s men will enjoy home field advantage to the extent that they won’t have to catch a flight to the game. The venue however remains new to the team, and indeed the league itself. Also in New York’s favor is the early kickoff time, an uncomfortable arrangement for the visitors that will leave Seattle fans feeling as if their team is overseas rather than on American soil.
There are two changes to Veale’s starting lineup, both in the pack. Club captain Nate Brakeley is recalled at lock, bumping Nick Civetta to the bench. Will Tucker returns to the squad after suspension to take up a spot on the blindside flank, with Antonio Kiri Kiri moving to No8 and Kara Pryor missing out entirely.
Tucker’s selection on the flank while vice-captain Benjamín Bonasso remains out of position at lock is unusual. Wherever they ultimately line up in the scrum, it’s a significant boost to New York’s lineout. The other intriguing aspect is the presence of Will’s older brother Brad on the Seawolves bench. Bragging rights in the Tucker household are very much up for grabs.
Allen Clarke has resisted any chance at all though there is one enforced alteration. In-form fullback Duncan Matthews is ruled out with a shoulder injury. Taking his place is Mat Turner, who played all 80 minutes in the both the 2018 and 2019 Finals but has played just two games this season and none at all since early April. The 34-year-old is now asked to turn back the clock at his club’s time of need.
The changes to New York’s lineup are tactical in nature, and though Turner is a class player there is no doubt the loss of Matthews is a blow. Tavite Lopeti remains short of full fitness and again finds himself as a replacement. Seattle’s hopes thus rest heavily on the shoulders – and feet – of outstanding halfback duo JP Smith and AJ Alatimu.
Ed Fidow again misses out for the home side but after Andrew Coe’s man-of-the-match performance against New England it feels more like a horses-for-courses choice anyway. Coe’s aerial prowess was a point of difference last weekend but Ross Neal’s height likely negates that strategy on Saturday.
While the Seawolves can claim big game experience through the likes of Turner and captain Riekert Hattingh, the All Black trio of Andy Ellis, Waisake Naholo, and Nehe Milner-Skudder certainly know a thing or two about performing under pressure. At the set piece both teams have struggled with consistency though New York’s maul appears the most potent weapon wielded by the two groups of forwards.
Hot, sunny conditions will make for fine viewing and also some tired bodies in the second half. It’s the fatigue factor that appears the most significant, and most likely to drain the Seawolves in the final quarter. When the two sides met in May it was New York’s superior tight five reserves that made the difference. As long as they can stay in touch until the hour mark, expect the home side to be a nose ahead come the final whistle.
Kickoff is set for noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Fox Sports 1 will broadcast nationwide with The Rugby Network streaming to viewers abroad.
RUGBY NEW YORK
1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Dylan Fawsitt, 3 Wilton Rebolo, 4 Benjamín Bonasso, 5 Nate Brakeley (capt.), 6 Will Tucker, 7 Brendon O’Connor, 8 Antonio Kiri Kiri, 9 Andy Ellis, 10 Jack Heighton, 11 Andrew Coe, 12 Jason Emery, 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 14 Waisake Naholo, 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder
Replacements: 16 Kaleb Geiger, 17 Nic Mayhew, 18 Kalolo Tuiloma, 19 Nick Civetta, 20 Joe Basser, 21 Conor McManus, 22 Sam Windsor, 23 Quinn Ngawati
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Mzamo Majola, 2 James Malcolm, 3 Sam Matenga, 4 Samu Manoa, 5 Rhyno Herbst, 6 Andrew Durutalo, 7 Travis Larsen, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 AJ Alatimu, 11 Martin Iosefo, 12 David Busby, 13 Dan Kriel, 14 Ross Neal, 15 Mat Turner
Replacements: 16 Sean McNulty, 17 Kellen Gordon, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Brad Tucker, 20 Tommy Clark, 21 Reid Watkins, 22 Tavite Lopeti, 23 Lauina Futi
Date: Saturday, June 25
Venue: Red Bull Arena, Harrison
Kickoff: 12:00 local (09:00 Pacific)
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Mike Lash (New Zealand) & Cisco Lopez (USA)
TMO: Nick Hannon (USA)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 1, The Rugby Network
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2022-05-15 – Rugby New York 30, Seattle Seawolves 22 (JFK Stadium)
2021-05-02 – Seattle Seawolves 21, Rugby United New York 23 (Starfire Stadium)
2019-05-11 – Rugby United New York 31, Seattle Seawolves 38 (MCU Park)
2019-02-24 – Seattle Seawolves 33, Rugby United New York 21 (Starfire Stadium)
