MLR 2024: Miami Sharks – ARN Season Guide

Until a few weeks ago Miami were meant to be the only truly new franchise, but now they share the newcomers tag with Carolina. The Sharks are the first Floridian team in Major League Rugby and arrive just as would-be neighbors Atlanta ship across to the opposite coastline.

Long-time Argentina scrumhalf Tomás Cubelli was the first and highest profile addition but other notable internationals have followed, among them Uruguay star Manuel Ardao and former Wales prop Rob Evans. The bulk of the domestic talent has only been revealed recently.

 

TEAM HISTORY

Miami are not a replacement for any departing franchise. Had Toronto and New York continued the Sharks would have been a 13th team. They are owned primarily by a trio of Argentine businessmen, one of them being Marcos Galperin. According to Forbes Magazine he is the wealthiest man in his home country. The team trains and plays in Fort Lauderdale and shares training facilities with Inter Miami, the club of soccer superstar Lionel Messi.

 

 

COACHING STAFF

There is considerable South American presence on the staff which is led by former Argentina u20 coach José Pellicena. He has also worked with the senior Pumas and Jaguares sides. Uruguay assistant Oscar Durán, a former Teros test prop, will run the rule over the forwards. Ex-Eagles fullback Tui Osborne combines his role with St. Bonaventure to complete the primary coaching group.

 

 

FRONT ROW

MLR 2023	POS	MLR 2024
n/a	LH	Rob Evans (I) Alec McDonnell (D) Jonas Petrakopoulos (D)
n/a	HO	Alex Glover (D) Sean McNulty (D) Kirby Myhill (I)
n/a	TH	Reinaldo Piussi (I) Alex Tucci (D) Setu Vole (D)

Evans will be joined by countryman Kirby Myhill in the front row, with Uruguayan man-mountain Reinaldo Piussi rounding out the first choice trio. Alec McDonnell and Jonas Petrakopoulos reunite having broken into the league in New York four years ago, and Alex Tucci looks to be switching back to tighthead prop from loosehead, where he was primarily utilised by Dallas.

Miami’s depth could be tested here and Piussi looms as a vital figure in the scrum. Setu Vole was acquired in the Collegiate Draft and Alex Glover has just a few minutes of pro game time. Former ATL hooker Isaac Bales was also signed on a two-year deal but will miss the entire campaign with a knee injury.

1	2	3
Rob Evans	Kirby Myhill	Reinaldo Piussi
31 yrs	32 yrs	24 yrs
6’1″ / 1.86m	6′ / 1.82m	6’4″ / 1.92m
260lbs / 118kg	235lbs / 106kg	300lbs / 136kg
WAL 39 caps	WAL 1 cap	URU 6 caps

 

 

SECOND ROW

MLR 2023	POS	MLR 2024
n/a	LO	David Beach (D) Michael Etete (I) Rick Rose (D) Stan van den Hoven (I)

Again there is a significant disparity in experience between the presumed starters and their understudies. Former Free Jacks lineout disrupter Stan van den Hoven is joined by ex-Bath strongman Michael Etete. Behind them are first overall draft selection Rick Rose and former DC reserve David Beach. Both are imposing figures who stand at 6’7″ (2.01m) tall.

4	5
Stan van den Hoven	Michael Etete
25 yrs	26 yrs
6’8″ / 2.03m	6’7″ / 2.01m
255lbs / 115kg	265lbs / 120kg
NET u20

 

 

BACK ROW

MLR 2023	POS	MLR 2024
n/a	FL	Manuel Ardao (I) Dan Pryor (I) Chase Schor-Haskin (D) Roelof Smit (I)
n/a	N8	Ben Bonasso (D) Tomás Casares (D)

Ardao is a first class breakdown operator who would not look out of place in a European pro outfit. Roelof Smit played for the Springboks against the Barbarians before injury stifled his test hopes. Similarly Ben Bonasso would have added to his Eagles cap total last year were it not for a bad shoulder.

While that’s the likely starting loose forward trio, the configuration isn’t so certain. Ardao is physically suited to openside flanker but has sometimes been used as a No8 in scrums to take advantage of his speed off the mark. Dan Pryor offers a veteran alternate for the two imports, but behind Bonasso the only domestic options are Eagles 7s cap Chase Schor-Haskin and untested Free Jacks No8 Tomás Casares.

6	7	8
Roelof Smit	Manuel Ardao	Ben Bonasso
31 yrs	25 yrs	26 yrs
6’3″ / 1.90m	5’9″ / 1.76m	6’4″ / 1.93m
240lbs / 109kg	210lbs / 95kg	235lbs / 106kg
RSA XV	URU 26 caps	USA 5 caps

 

 

HALFBACKS

MLR 2023	POS	MLR 2024
n/a	SH	Tomás Cubelli (I) Damian Morley (D)
n/a	FH	Felipe Etcheverry (I) Shane O’Leary (D)

Cubelli seems a near-certainty to captain the side and is certainly their most important player. USA age-grade rep Damian Morley has returned from a stint in France but may not be the preferred starter at No9 if Cubelli needs a day off. Tomás Inciarte was signed primarily as a center but began his test career as a scrumhalf and has considerable experience at the position.

The two main options at flyhalf are both internationals. Felipe Etcheverry leapfrogged Felipe Berchesi as Uruguay’s preferred No10 and was last year named the top player in Super Rugby Americas. Canada’s Shane O’Leary is next in line and could also be an option to start at center or even fullback.

While another Canadian, Guiseppe du Toit, also has experience at flyhalf, the most likely third option is Chile’s Santiago Videla. At the World Cup he was used as an outside back for Los Cóndores but previously started several tests at No10. Videla is also a deadly accurate mid-range goal-kicker, as the Eagles can attest.

9	10
Tomás Cubelli	Felipe Etcheverry
34 yrs	27 yrs
5’9″ / 1.76m	5’10” / 1.78m
180lbs / 81kg	170lbs/ 79kg
ARG 92 caps	URU 23 caps

 

 

MIDFIELD

MLR 2023	POS	MLR 2024
n/a	IC	Guiseppe du Toit (D) Nick Grigg (I) Josh McAdam (D)
n/a	OC	Connor Burns (D) Tomás Inciarte (I)

Midfield is a bit of a mixed bag for the Sharks. On paper the preferred pairing would likely be Inciarte at outside center and former Scotland cap Nick Grigg at inside. Given their import restrictions and needs at other positions, however, it seems only one of the two will be able to start at a time.

The most experienced domestic option is du Toit, who has focused mainly at No12 at the pro and international level. Connor Burns was primarily a wing or fullback with Utah but now looks to be sliding into the midfield. He looks to have all the tools to make it a successful move. Josh McAdam was a loose forward in college rugby but last year played in the midfield for the USA Hawks.

Grigg has the ability to play both center spots and he was a regular starter with Hawke’s Bay in the NPC. It remains to be seen what combination is employed and this will certainly be an area of intrigue during the early weeks of the season.

12	13
Nick Grigg	Connor Burns
31 yrs	26 yrs
5’9″ / 1.75m	6’3″ / 1.91m
200lbs / 90kg	210lbs / 96kg
SCO 9 caps

 

 

OUTSIDE BACKS

MLR 2023	POS	MLR 2024
n/a	WI	Nicolás Elewaut (I) Avery Oitomen (D) Santiago Videla (I) Marcos Young (D)
n/a	FB	Matías Freyre (D) Eric Naposki (D)

As with the midfield, game time for internationals out wide will require some mathematics to solve. Videla would be a certain starter but it would come at the expense of Grigg or one of the forwards identified above. Injuries will likely dictate how the Chilean is deployed, and his ability to play across the backline will be highly valuable even if he finds himself squeezed out initially due to the import limit.

A fit-again Eric Naposki is one of the most exciting domestic wings in MLR, and Marcos Young certainly turned in some eye-catching performances with Old Glory last year. Matías Freyre is an experienced head with a strong left boot who can also play on the wing. Ex-Arrows flyer Avery Oitomen could also force his way into the side if he can regain his pre-hiatus form.

11	14	15
Marcos Young	Eric Naposki	Matías Freyre
25 yrs	24 yrs	29 yrs
5’11” / 1.80m	6′ / 1.83m	6’1″ / 1.85m
190lbs / 86kg	190lbs / 87kg	205lbs / 93kg
USA HSAA	USA Falcons	ARG Sevens

 

 

2024 OUTLOOK

The roster probably didn’t turn out to be quite as stacked as rumors suggested, with Pumas star Nicolás Sánchez eventually choosing Japan instead of Florida. Results-wise there’s no real preseason to judge them on aside from an underwhelming draw with Life University.

In terms of numbers and experience this is a barebones roster that looks vulnerable to injury at key positions. While there is plenty of footballing talent, there is a shortage of dominant ball carriers to bend the gain line when it won’t break. This team has enough class to cause problems and is in the running for a playoff spot, but don’t expect any title challenges in year one.

 

A detailed squad list can be seen here.