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The San Diego Legion will look to make it three straight wins when they host Old Glory on Sunday. It’s a long trip for the visitors and after playing at the Sports Deck last season, DC will experience the vastly different Snapdragon Stadium for the first time.
Old Glory signed Kyle Baillie during the week but the Canadian international won’t appear in the lineup just yet. Josh Syms will have a depleted squad with six personnel changes to the starting team that came up short against NOLA last week.
Ramiro Herrera, Tevita Naqali, and Cory Daniel are all missing from the forward pack. Kyle Stewart checks in at tighthead prop, with Fintan Coleman asked to lock down the scrum alongside Collin Grosse. Both are optimally loose forwards. Alejo Daireaux gets his first start at openside flanker in the absence of Daniel.
There is some good news with the return of Peni Lasaqa on the left wing. A change in the midfield sees Thretton Palamo starting in place of Fermín Martínez, and Gradyn Bowd is named at fullback with no Owen Sheehy in the match day squad. Doug Fraser is named in the match day squad for the first time this season as midfield cover, with John Rizzo the backup in the outside backs.
San Diego’s only slip-up this season was a five-point loss in Houston a month ago. Since then they scored convincing wins over Dallas and ATL, and a bonus point result could see them jump to the top of the Western Conference pending the result of Seattle’s trip to New Orleans.
The only change to the pack is at hooker where Sama Malolo returns, with Shilo Klein dropping to the bench. It’s a conventional 5/3 split this week which features the notable first appearance of the season for second row Tom Franklin, with Tevita Tameilau an impact option in the back row.
Out wide there is a shift with Marcel Brache missing. It’s Tomas Aoake who starts at outside center with Mikey Te’o moving to the right wing and Josh Henderson slotting in at fullback. Thomas Morani is set to make his return from a long-term knee injury as a replacement.
Weather won’t be a factor, but Old Glory’s missing men will be. DC’s lineout will be put to the test against the towering twosome of Ben Grant and Isaac Ross, and with no Herrera the scrum might also be under pressure. Across the board San Diego are simply a better team. Expect the Legion to dominate at home.
Kickoff is set for 1pm local time, 4pm Eastern. Local broadcasts will be available on MASN in the nation’s capital and Fox 5 San Diego, with The Rugby Network streaming worldwide.
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 2 Sama Malolo, 3 Chris Baumann, 4 Ben Grant, 5 Isaac Ross, 6 Christian Poidevin, 7 Blair Cowan (capt.), 8 Tupou Afungia, 9 Richard Judd, 10 Will Hooley, 11 Nate Augspurger, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 13 Tomas Aoake, 14 Mikey Te’o, 15 Josh Henderson
Replacements: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Nathan Sylvia, 19 Tom Franklin, 20 Tevita Tameilau, 21 Jason Higgins, 22 Thomas Morani, 23 Ryan Matyas
OLD GLORY DC
1 Jack Iscaro, 2 Nic Souchon, 3 Kyle Stewart, 4 Collin Grosse, 5 Fintan Coleman, 6 Lautaro Bavaro, 7 Alejo Daireaux, 8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (capt.), 9 Danny Tusitala, 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 11 Peni Lasaqa, 12 Thretton Palamo, 13 William Talataina, 14 Mike Dabulas, 15 Gradyn Bowd
Replacements: 16 Facundo Gattas, 17 Quentin Newcomer, 18 Cali Martinez, 19 Brady Daniel, 20 Api Naikatini, 21 John LeFevre, 22 Doug Fraser, 23 John Rizzo
Date: Sunday, April 2
Venue: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego
Kickoff: 13:00 local (16:00 Eastern)
Broadcasts: Fox 5 San Diego, MASN, The Rugby Network
Referee: Jack Gohl (USA)
Assistants: Jacob Gonzalez (USA) & Will Nelson (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2022-03-06 – San Diego Legion 24, Old Glory DC 12 (SDSU Sports Deck)
2021-07-10 – Old Glory DC 38, San Diego Legion 29 (Segra Field)
