Glendale Raptors & San Diego Legion

The undefeated Glendale Raptors will face the 2-1 San Diego Legion on Sunday, March 13 at 6 pm MDT (8 pm EDT) at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado. The match will be broadcast in San Diego on Channel 4, locally on AT&T SportsNet, nationally on ESPN+, and internationally on the Major League Rugby Facebook page.

Glendale Raptors

Glendale Raptors Head Coach David Williams has made three changes in his starting XV. Kody O’Neil is at lock, Shaun Davies at scrumhalf, and Ata Malifa is at inside center. John Quill and Nic Johnson also join the reserves.

The Raptors Ben Landry and Connor Cook will complete their three game suspension this week for red cards received during the opening week. Casey Rock also needed medical attention last week and is not is the squad.

The Raptors forwards are in tack, except for the addition of O’Neil, who is getting his first start for Rock. Davies is back after a week at his familiar scrumhalf position and the always dangerous Ata Malifa gets his first start at inside center.

The Raptors play a patient game with the forwards contesting the set peices and at the breakdown. Will Magie often uses directional kicks for territory or cross-kciks in the attack. Maximo De Achaval uses the high ball to place the opposing team under pressure. The team has scoring threats in both the centers and in the wings when they attack wide.

San Diego Legion

San Diego Legion Head Coach Rob Hoadley has made three changes in his starters as lance Lamprecht is a lock, and the halfbacks are Nick Boyer and Ben Cima at scrumhalf and flyhlaf, respectively. Captain Nate Augspurger shifts to wing.

In the reserves, former Eagle Andrew Durutalo has joined the team and Brett Thompson, another Eagle XVs and 7s player, is available. Drew Gaffney and Faitala Talapusi also are in the reserves.

The Legion have improved in the scrums using a front row of Sione Tu’ihalamake, Pat Blair, and Dolph Botha. Thre is a change at lock with Lamprecht in for Mahoni, while Albert Harmon remains. Completing the back three, is Chris Tuori, Devin Short and Cam Dolan. Last week, Cam Dolan was an impact player disrupting the lineouts and being otherwise stellar in defense.

It will be interesting to see the combination of Nick Boyer and Ben Cima at the halfbacks as they take on an important leadership role. The team looks to get the ball in the hands of the backs in playing a game of expansive rugby.

Glendale Raptors & San Diego Legion Squads

Glendale Raptors: 1 Blake Rogers 2 Dylan Fawsitt 3 Kelepi Fifita 4 Dakota ‘Kody’ O’Neil 5 Luke White 6 Zach Fenoglio 7 Peter Dahl 8 Samuel Figg 9 Shaun Davies 10 Will Magie 11 Seth Halliman 12 Ata Malifa 13 Bryce Campbell 14 Mika Kruse 15 Maximo De Achaval 16 Devin Vaughter 17 Nick Kwasniewski 18 James DelBozque19 John Quill 20 Brain Wanless 21 Kevin Lynch 22 Chad London 23 Nic Johnson + Head Coach David Williams

San Diego Legion: 1 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 2 Pat Blair 3 Rudolph Botha 4 Lance Lamprecht 5 Albert ‘Jay’ Harmon 6 Chris Turori 7 Devin Short 8 Cam Dolan (VC) 9 Nick Boyer 10 Ben Cima 11 Ryan Matyas 12 JP du Plessis 13 Anthony Salaber 14 Nate Augspurger (C) 15 Dylan Audsley 16 Gil Covey 17 Tony Purpura 18 Nathan Sylvia 19 Andrew Durutalo 20 Drew Gaffney 21 Tadhg Leader 22 Brett Thompson 23 Faitala Talapusi + Head Coach Rob Hoadley

Glendale Raptors Exhibition Season

March 10 vs. New Orleans Gold (W 38-14) Preview
March 30 at Utah Warriors (W 42-15) Preview
April 7 at New York Athletic Club (W 35-22) Preview with March 30 recap against Utah Warriors

Glendale Raptors 2018 Major League Rugby Season

April 21 vs. Austin Elite (W 41-26) Preview CBSSN (GAME OF THE WEEK)
April 28 at Seattle Seawolves (W 19-15) Preview CBSSN (GAME OF THE WEEK)
May 5 at Utah Warriors (W 36-29) Preview 1:30 MT Network: AT&T SportsNet
May 13 vs. San Diego Legion Preview 7 pm MST Network: Cox/AT&T SportsNet
May 26 at San Diego Legion 6 pm MST Broadcast: AT&T Sports Net
June 3 at New Orleans Gold 2 pm MDT Network: Cox/AT&T SportsNet
June 8 vs. Houston SaberCats 7 pm MST Network: AT&T SportsNet
June 16 vs. Seattle Seawolves 7 pm MST Network: AT&T SportsNet

San Diego Legion Pre-season Record (1-1)

March 25 at. Austin Elite (W 32-24) Preview
April 7 vs. Houston SaberCats (L 33-17) Preview

San Diego Legion 2018 Major League Rugby Schedule

April 22 at Seattle Seawolves (L 39-23) Preview Cox/AT&T
April 29 vs. Utah Warriors (W 31-24) Preview Cox/AT&T
May 4 vs. Houston SaberCats (W 35-32) Preview CBSSN (GAME OF THE WEEK)
May 13 at Glendale Raptors Preview 5 pm PDT Network: Cox/AT&T
May 26 at Austin Elite 6 pm PDT Network: CBSSN (GAME OF THE WEEK)
June 9 at New Orleans Gold 1 pm PDT Network: COX
June 17 vs. Austin Elite 5 pm PDT Network: Cox/AT&T
June 23 vs. Glendale Raptors 7 pm PDT
Network: CBSSN (GAME OF THE WEEK)
June 30 MLR Semi-Finals at Glendale Sat, 5-10 pm PDT Network: CBSSN
July 7 MLR Championship at San Diego 7-9:45 pm PDT Network: CBSSN (GAME OF THE WEEK)