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Two of Major League Rugby’s founding members will clash once again in Houston’s home opener at AVEVA Stadium on Saturday night. The SaberCats roll out the red carpet for the NOLA Gold for what will be the sixth meeting between the two.
Remarkably they have faced each other just once in regular season action since the 2019 campaign. A preseason match intended to be played in Houston a month ago was scrapped on account of a COVID-19 outbreak in the New Orleans camp.
The Gold performed well below their potential in their home opener against New England last weekend. Kane Thompson has nonetheless kept the faith with his lineup, with just two changes coming to the starting lineup from the 24-point defeat.
Dino Waldren steps up into the No3 shirt with Jarred Adams swapping to the bench, the latter deputising at tighthead prop last week while the team awaits the arrival of Sean Paranihi. There is good news with Dougie Fife passed fit to make his club debut on the left wing, though flanker Devin Short needs another week to recovery from a shoulder knock.
It was a much better showing from SaberCats, who put in a disciplined shift against an improved Dallas Jackals in Arlington. There are two personnel changes to Pote Human’s run-on side, one required due to injury, and three positional shifts.
Louritz van der Schyff is ruled out so Dom Akina and Christian Dyer will pair in the midfield. Houston fans will get a first look at Vereniki Tikoisolomone on the wing. Up front it’s Wynand Grassmann who makes way, with Gideon van Wyk starting at No8 and Hanco Germishuys moving to the flank.
Warm weather will greet what should be a strong crowd, and will be most welcome after last weekend’s chilly temperatures. NOLA can’t afford another off-day and will be desperate to correct their mistakes of a week ago. Houston, however, looked formidable against Dallas and enter with slightly more confidence. It’s a close call, but the favorites tag goes to the home side.
Kickoff is set for 8pm local time, 6pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern. Fox Sports 2 will broadcast nationwide with The Rugby Network streaming for viewers located elsewhere.
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Rob Cobb, 2 Axel Zapata, 3 Morgan Mitchell, 4 Siaosi Mahoni, 5 Nathan Den Hoedt, 6 Hanco Germishuys, 7 Danny Barrett (capt.), 8 Gideon van Wyk, 9 Carlo de Nysschen, 10 Davy Coetzer, 11 Vereniki Tikoisolomone, 12 Dom Akina, 13 Christian Dyer, 14 Gerrie Labuschagne, 15 Drew Wild
Replacements: 16 Andrew Tuala, 17 Alec McDonnell, 18 Pono Davis, 19 Keni Nasoqeqe, 20 Marno Redelinghuys, 21 Nick Boyer, 22 Robbie Povey, 23 Zach Pangelinan
NOLA GOLD
1 Kevin Sullivan, 2 Pat O’Toole, 3 Dino Waldren, 4 Billy Stewart, 5 Liam Hallam-Eames, 6 Moni Tonga’uiha, 7 Tom Florence, 8 Cam Dolan (capt.), 9 Damian Stevens, 10 Rodney Iona, 11 Dougie Fife, 12 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13 JP du Plessis, 14 Harley Wheeler, 15 Jordan Trainor
Replacements: 16 Eric Howard, 17 Matt Harmon, 18 Jarred Adams, 19 Malcolm May, 20 Maciu Koroi, 21 Luke Campbell, 22 Ross Depperschmidt, 23 Jack Webster
Date: Saturday, February 25
Venue: AVEVA Stadium, Houston
Kickoff: 20:00 local (18:00 Pacific, 21:00 Eastern)
Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
Assistants: Brian Dusablon (USA) & Blair McClure (USA)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Canada)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 2, The Rugby Network
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2021-05-08 – NOLA Gold 28, Houston SaberCats 26 (The Gold Mine)
2019-05-18 – NOLA Gold 20, Houston SaberCats 27 (Archbishop Shaw Stadium)
2019-03-16 – Houston SaberCats 11, NOLA Gold 49 (Constellation Field)
2018-05-19 – NOLA Gold 24, Houston SaberCats 20 (Archbishop Shaw Stadium)
2018-04-21 – Houston SaberCats 26, NOLA Gold 35 (Dyer Stadium)
