The Utah Warriors host Austin Elite Rugby on Saturday, April 27 at Zions Bank Stadium. Tickets are available for the 6 pm kickoff MT (8 pm ET) and the match will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
The match is important for both teams, who would like to end the season with the momentum generated from a win.
Match Comments
Utah Warriors head Coach Alf Daniels has made one change in the starters as Fets Vainikolo returns at wing. Lance Williams and Arthur Bergo swap positions with Williams at flanker and Bergo at No.8. John Cullen and Les Soloai join the roster in the reserves.
Austin Elite Rugby Head Coach Alain Hyardet has made six changes in the starters with Juan Echeverria at loosehead prop, Peter Malcolm at hooker, and Ben Michell returning at lock and as captain of the team. In the backs, Marcelo Torrealba is at scrumhalf, Sione Fangaiuiha at wing, and JP Aquirre at outside center. Makeli Mudu Navomitoga rejoins the roster in the reserves.
The teams met on February 1 with the Warriors winning 17-9. Expect the Warriors to try to maintain possession, to take penalty goals when opportunities exist and to use counterattacks to place them within their opponents 22-meters and use that as a platform for scoring tries.
Austin Elite Rugby has an improved team since the teams met early in the season. They have added several international players and have contended in many matches until the final 8-10 minutes. Will this be the week for the teams’ first win?
Squads with Player Article Links
Utah Warriors: 1 Franco Van den Berg 2 Jeremy Leber 3 Angus Maclellan 4 Saia Uhila (VC) 5 Matt Jensen 6 Lance Williams 7 Ara Elkington 8 Arthur Bergo 9 Johnny Ika 10 Josh Reeves 11 Fetu’u Vanikolo 12 Tim O’Malley (C) 13 Gannon Moore 14 Don Pati 15 James Semple 16 Metai Tuimoala 17 Frederik De Beer 18 John Cullen 19 Les Soloai 20 Alex Tucci 21 Nolan Tuamoheloa 22 Josh Whippy 23 Ian Luciano + Head Coach Alf Daniels
Austin Elite Rugby: 1 Juan Echeverria 2 Peter Malcolm 3 Mason Pedersen 4 Ben Mitchell (C) 5 Josh Larsen (C) 6 Dominique Bailey 7 Moe Abdelmonem 8 Travis Larsen 9 Marcelo Torrealba 10 Rodrigo Sliva 11 Sione Fangaiuiha 12 Andres Vilaseca 13 Juan Pablo “JP’ Aguirre 14 Doug Fraser 15 Zinzan Elan-Puttick 16 Tiaan Strauss Erasmus 17 LaRome White 18 Chris Schade19 Maikeli Mudu Naromaitoga 20 Rikus Zwart 21 Mickaël Romera 22 Reece Czarnecki 23 Soheyl Jaoudat + Head Coach Alain Hyardet
Other Articles
DJCoil Rugby articles by Doug Coil are also available on Facebook. Other Social Media sites to follow or subscribe include Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for interviews.
