New Orleans Gold Rugby Hosts Austin Elite Rugby

The New Orleans Gold Rugby Club will face Austin Elite Rugby at 2 pm CT at Archbishop Shaw Sports Complex on Saturday, March 31. The field is located at 1000 Salesian Lane, Marrero, LA.

The match will be live-streamed on Gift-Time Rugby Network if you can’t attend.

New Orleans Gold Rugby Club

New Orleans Gold Head Coach Nate Osborne has made three changes from the March 24 match draw against the Houston SaberCats. Derrek Van Klein gets his second start of the season at loosehead prop, with Hubert Buydens moving to the reserves. Matt Wirken will start for the first time at lock with Myles McQuone a reserve.

In the backs, Ratu Rinakama replaces Tesimoni Tongauiha at wing, as the Moni is rested.

In the reserves, Amro Gouda, a prop who played previously for Charlotte RFC and for the USA Rugby South, is in the lineup for the first time. Other reserves include props Ben Tarr and Hubert Buydens, locks Myles McQuone and Nikola Bursic, scrumhalf/fullback John Stapleton, center Zach Stryffeler, and wing Melvin Desouza.

Last week NOLA Gold Rugby Club drew with the Houston SaberCats, keeping their undefeated record at home. JP Eloff, Holden Yungert, Tim Maupin, and Sebastian Kalm scored tries and Taylor Howden added three conversions and two penalty kicks.

Austin Elite Rugby

Head Coach Alain Hyardet has made two changes and three positional changes from last week’s 32-24 loss to the San Diego Legion. Knute O’Donnell and Zinzan Elan-Puttick start at scrumhalf and fullback, respectively. Positional changes have Sani Taylor moving from outside center to wing, Sione Fangaiuiha from fullback to outside center, and Reece Czarnecki switching sides of the pitch at wing.

The team has not made any changes in the forward reserves as David LeMasters is a hooker, props Siaosi Finau and Robert Drummond, and back row Dylan Goulding. There is an expanded number of backs with Michael Reid a scrumhalf, Allan Hanson a fullback, Pat Sullivan and Joedee Reyes at center, Alex Faison-Donahoe and Vetekina Malafu at wing, and Zac Mizell at flyhalf.

Last week against the San Diego Legion, captain Mason Petersen had an outstanding day, scoring the team’s first try and adding another to begin the second half. Deon Minnaar and Pat Sullivan also added tries. Timothée Guillimin added two conversions and a penalty kick.

New Orleans Gold & Austin Elite Rugby Squads

New Orleans Gold: 1 Derrek Van Klein2 Eric Howard (VC) 3 Cameron Falcon 4 Matt Wirken 5 John Sullivan 6 Vince Jobo 7 Matt Hughston 8 Sebastian Kalm 9 Holden Yungert 10 Taylor Howden (C) 11 Ratu Rinakama 12 JP Eloff 13 Tim Maupin 14 Bobby Johns 15 Michael Baska 16 Ben Tarr 17 Hubert Buydens 18 Myles McQuone19 Nikola Bursic 20 John Stapleton 21 Zack Stryffler 22 Melvin Desouza 23 Amro Gouda + Head Coach Nate Osborne

Austin Elite: 1 Tim Fitzgerald 2 Chris Scade 3 Mason Pedersen (C) 4 Ben Mitchell (VC) 5 Kyle Breytenbach 6 Pita Naruma 7 Hanco Germishuys 8 Deon Minnaar 9 Knute O’Donnell10 Timothée Guillimin 11 Sani Taylor12 Andrew Suniula 13 Sione Fangaiuha14 Reece Czarnecki 15 Zinzan Elan-Puttick 16 David LeMasters 17 Siaosi Finau 18 Robert Drummond 19 Dylan Goulding 20 Michael Reid 21 Allan Hanson 22 Alex Faison-Donahoe 23 Pat Sullivan 24 Joedee Reyes 25 Vetekina Malafu 26 Zac Mizell + Head Coach Alain Hyardet (Reserve # not specified in release)