San Diego Legion hosts the Rugby New York Ironworkers on Sunday, May 28 at 1 pm local (4 pm ET) at Snapdragon Stadium with both teams coming off bye weeks. The match will be broadcast on Channel 6 on Spectrum Cable and Channel 9 on DirecTV in the San Diego area, the Madison Square Garden Network in New York, and being steamed domestically and internationally on The Rugby Network.
San Diego Legion enters the match with an opportunity to tie the Major League Rugby record should they gain their tenth win in a row against Rugby New York. After last night’s Seattle Seawolves win over Old Glory DC, the Seawolves moved into first place in the Western Conference, however, with a win, draw, or bonus point, the Legion would retain first place from last week.
Rugby New York is in third place in the Eastern Conference and would move into second place with a win, draw, or obtaining a bonus point.
San Diego Legion
Head Coach and Director of Rugby Danny Lee has made wholesale changes from the team’s 26-12 win over NOLA Gold two weeks ago. Ten changes have been made in the starters and another two in the reserves.
Forward changes include Fak’osi Pifeleti, Sama Malolo, Tupou Afungia, Blair Cowan, and Tevita Tameilau at loosehead prop, hooker, blindside flanker, openside flanker, and eight-man, respectively.
Backs changes include Richard Judd, Will Hooley, Ma’a Nomu, Tomas Aoake, and Mikey Te’o at scrum-half, flyhalf, inside center, right-wing, and fullback, respectively.
In the reserves, Luke Burton and Ryan Matyas cover flyhalf/fullback and wing/center.
Rugby New York Ironworkers
After a bye week, Rugby New York enters the match in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 6-6 record and in third place with 32 points, one point behind Old Glory DC. The second and third playoff spots are hotly contested with Rugby ATL with 27 points and NOLA Gold with 26.
The MLR defending champion Ironworkers have had a season where injuries have had Head Coach James Semple juggling his matchday squad. This week the team had three changes in the starters and another four in the reserves after the team defeated the Chicago Hounds two weeks ago.
Starter changes include Pago Haini at eight-man, Tei Walden at the inside center, and Brooklyn Hardaker at right wing with Andrew Coe moving to fullback.
Reserve changes have Nic Mayhew returning to the match-day squad at loosehead prop after dealing with back issues. Joe Basser, Eamonn Matthews, and Kieran Joyce will provide coverage in the back row, at scrum-half, and at center/ wing, respectively. Joyce could also make his first appearance as an Ironworker.
Squads with Player Profile Links
San Diego Legion: 1 Faka’osi Pifeleti 2 Sama Malolo 3 Luke Green 4 Ben Grant 5 Isaac Ross 6 Tupou Afungia 7 Blair Cowan (C) 8 Tevita Tameilau 9 Richard Judd 10 Will Hooley 11 Nate Augspurger 12 Ma’a Nonu 13 Marcel Brache (C) 14 Tomas Aoake 15 Mikey Te’o 16 Shilo Klein 17 Djustice Sears-Duru 18 Nathan Sylvia 19 Chris Turori 20 Michael Smith 21 Jason Higgins 22 Luke Burton 23 Ryan Matyas
Rugby New York Ironworkers: 1 Chance Wenglewskii 2 Dylan Fawsitt 3 Kaleb Geiger 4 Nate Brakeley (C) 5 Hamish Dalzell 6 Brad Tucker7 Monate Akuei 8 Pago Haini 9 Connor Buckley10 Jason Emery 11 Ed Fidow 12 Teihorangi Walden 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai 14 Brooklyn Hardaker 15 Andrew Coe 16 Daquan Perry 17 Nic Mayhew 18 Sam Davies 19 Charlie Hewitt 20 Joe Basser 21 Eamonn Matthews 22 Sam Windsor 23 Kieran Joyce
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