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Week 11 of the 2023 Major League Rugby season begins at Starfire Stadium on Friday night. It’s a Western Conference clash between the Seattle Seawolves and Dallas Jackals. The visitors will be looking for an improved showing on their 25-point loss when the two sides met in early March.
After back-to-back losses the Jackals are on the hunt for their second victory. They scored a franchise-high 38 points against San Diego last week but it still wasn’t enough. Defense will have been a talking point during the week for Agustín Cavalieri and his staff.
Nicolás Revol is recalled in the No1 shirt with Liam Murray dropping to the bench. Moving the other way is Dewald Kotze, who starts at hooker in place of Tomás Baravalle. The rest of the forwards are unchanged though there is a notable return from injury for second row Maikeli Naromaitoga among the reserves after a seven-game absence.
There are two more changes in the backs. Alejandro Torres is out this week, with Juan Pablo Aguirre named as a replacement. Marcos Moroni moves to fullback with James Vaifale coming in on the left wing. After moonlighting as a winger in three games Lui Sitama is given an opportunity to start at his preferred midfield spot. Patrick Media joins Aguirre on the bench as extra backline cover.
Seattle picked up a bonus point win at Toronto last weekend and yet somehow it wasn’t quite convincing. It did put the back-to-back losses behind them though Allen Clarke will be asking his side to deliver a performance more fitting the side that enjoyed a red-hot start to the campaign.
It’s an ominous lineup that awaits the Jackals as the Seawolves are nearly back at full strength. Peter Malcolm comes back in at hooker with Samu Manoa partnering Ben Landry in the second row. Ronan Foley starts on the flank with Andrew Durutalo and Nakai Penny both named on a 6/2 bench.
Jordan Chait is fit to resume duties at flyhalf so AJ Alatimu moves to the midfield. Martin Iosefo returns to the wing and Conner Mooneyham is the odd one out. Duncan Matthews remains sidelined but Tavite Lopeti is back in the lineup albeit as a back reserve. Adriaan Carelse gets the nod at fullback having worn the same shirt for the Jackals opposite the Seawolves in March.
Near-perfect conditions are expected at kickoff which almost certainly means a packed house will take in the spectacle. Dallas are an improved side who will make their opponents earn victory, but Seattle boasts far greater depth on the bench and are only a couple bodies short of their full complement. This is an opportunity for the Seawolves to send a statement to the other Western Conference contenders. Look for the home side to show their quality.
Kickoff is set for 7pm local time, 9pm Central, 10pm Eastern. Fox Sports 1 will broadcast nationwide with The Rugby Network streaming for viewers abroad.
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Jake Turnbull, 2 Peter Malcolm, 3 Sam Matenga, 4 Ben Landry, 5 Samu Manoa, 6 Charles Elton, 7 Ronan Foley, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 Jordan Chait, 11 Martin Iosefo, 12 AJ Alatimu, 13 Dan Kriel, 14 Lauina Futi, 15 Adriaan Carelse
Replacements: 16 James Malcolm, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 Mason Pedersen, 19 Isaia Lotawa, 20 Andrew Durutalo, 21 Nakai Penny, 22 Karl Keane, 23 Tavite Lopeti
DALLAS JACKALS
1 Nicolás Revol, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Sam Golla, 5 Lucas Bur, 6 Jerónimo Gómez Vara (capt.), 7 Conrado Roura, 8 Adriaan Booysen, 9 Pedro Imhoff, 10 Martín Elías, 11 James Vaifale, 12 Lui Sitama, 13 Tomás Malanos, 14 Campbell Johnstone, 15 Marcos Moroni
Replacements: 16 Liam Murray, 17 Connor Robinson, 18 Kyle Steeves, 19 Maikeli Naromaitoga, 20 Carson Shoemaker, 21 Danny Christensen, 22 Patrick Medina, 23 Juan Pablo Aguirre
Date: Friday, April 28
Venue: Starfire Stadium, Tukwila
Kickoff: 19:00 local (21:00 Central, 22:00 Eastern)
Broadcasts: Fox Sports 1, The Rugby Network
Referee: Cisco Lopez (USA)
Assistants: Brad Schwalger (Canada) & Saro Turner (Canada)
TMO: Mike Lash (New Zealand)
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2023-03-03 – Dallas Jackals 10, Seattle Seawolves 35 (Choctaw Stadium)
2022-05-08 – Seattle Seawolves 74, Dallas Jackals 7 (Starfire Stadium)
2022-03-19 – Dallas Jackals 12, Seattle Seawolves 34 (Choctaw Stadium)
