Austin Gilgronis hosts Rugby ATL on Saturday, April 17 at Bold Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 pm local (8 pm ET) and will be broadcast on KBVO, and streamed on The Rugby Network.
Austin enters the match with a 2-2 record and is in second place in the Western Conference with 12 points, with only point-differential separating Utah who also has 12. The LA Giltinis are in first-place with a 3-0 record and have 15 points.
Rugby ATL entered the weekend leading the Eastern Conference with a 2-2 record and has 10 points, with Rugby United New York with a game in hand at 2-1 with 10 points. New York meets Old Glory to conclude the weekend matches on Sunday.
The conference race is a tight one with NOLA Gold beating New England earlier in the day to temporarily move into first-place with 14 points, while New England has 11 in third place. Toronto also had a bonus-point win over Seattle and has 11 points for second-place based on point differential.
Rugby ATL will need a bonus-point win to maintain first place in the Conference or win by 13 points without scoring four tries. Then they will wait for the outcome of Rugby United New York’s match tomorrow against Old Glory DC.
Austin Gilgronis Head Coach has become one of the league’s best defensive teams, with the team’s two losses to begin the season totally five points. The team has had some injuries to locks with Sebastian De Chaves, Christian Ostberg exiting the match early and Reegan O’Gorman not included in the matchday 23 this week.
Austin has made four changes in the tight five with a front-row of former All Black Jamie Mackintosh, Robbie Coetzee, and Mason Pedersen, and newly acquired former All Black lock, Isaac Ross. Coetzee just returned to the starting Xv after missing the last few matches.
Reserve changes include LaRome White (prop), Cam Dodson (lock), Moe Abdelmonem (back-row), and Ned Hodson a center.
Rugby ATL Head Coach Scott Lawrence has made eight starter changes with Chance Wenglewski (loosehead prop) and recent South African tighthead prop arrival, Wilkus Groenewald. Conor Keys is at lock, with a new back-row of Vili Helu, Connor Cook, and Ross Deacon.
Back changes include Cheetah’s fullback Adriaan Carelse, who showed his blazing speed as a reserve last week against New York, as well as Jeremy Misailegalu at right-wing. Duncan Van Schalkwyk also returns as a reserve flyhalf.
Squads with Player Article Links
Austin Gilgronis: 1 Jamie Mackintosh 2 Robbie Coetzee 3 Mason Pedersen 4 Isaac Ross 5 Michael de Waal 6 Dom Bailey 7 Maclean Jones 8 Dom Akina 9 Pele Cowley 10 Mack Mason 11 Conner Mooneyham 12 Kurt Morath 13 Bryce Campbell (C) 14 Rodrick Waters 15 Will Magie 16 Mason Koch 17 Jake Turnbull 18 LaRome White 19 Cam Dodson 20 Moe Abdelmonem 21 Marcelo Torrealba 22 Ned Hodson 23 Cole Davis
Rugby ATL: 1 Chance Wenglewski 2 Marko Janse Van Rensburg 3 Wikus Groenewald 4 Marno Redinghuys 5 Conor Keys 6 Vili Helu 7 Connor Cook 8 Ross Deacon 9 Rowan Gouws 10 Bautista Ezcurra 11 Rory van Vugt 12 Robbie Petzer13 Mark O’Keeffe 14 Jeremy Misailegalu 15 Adriaan Carelse 16 Alex Maughan 17 Jonas Petrakopoulos 18 Manasa Saulo 19 Johan Momsen 20 Jason Damm 21 Ryan Rees 22 Duncan van Schalkwyk 23 Martini Talapusi
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