MLR 2024: Dallas Jackals vs NOLA Gold – ARN Guide

NOLA had west to Texas for a Saturday night fixture against Dallas, the third meeting between the two sides. Both teams have started strongly with two wins from three. The Jackals set new franchise marks in points and tries scored against Anthem last week, while the Gold suffered their first defeat of the season against the FreeJacks in Boston.

CURRENT STANDINGS

  2-1-0 (W1) West 3rd

  2-1-0 (L1) East 2nd

LINEUP CHANGES

5 Lucas Bur replaces Daemon Torres
18 Kyle Steeves replaces Franco Palillo
 19 Daemon Torres replaces Ronnie McElligott

11 Ed Fidow replaces Harley Wheeler
15 Reece Botha replaces Dougie Fife
18 James Irey replaces Sam Klimkowski
22 Ross Depperschmidt replaces Reece Botha

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(5) – Murray, Richardson, Steeves (Canada), Zeiss (Argentina), Golla (USA)

(6) – Böhme (Chile), Botchar (Canada), M Tonga’uiha, Harmon (USA), Iona, Fidow (Samoa)

CLUB DEBUTS

(0) – n/a

(1) – Ed Fidow

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Pedro Imhoff (SH), Tomás Cubilla (CE)

– Cam Dolan (LO/N8), OJ Noa (N8)

NOTES

• this is the third match between the two sides and both previous encounters have been at the same venue in Arlington… NOLA won each by close scores
• the Jackals have kept the faith following their strong outing last week with only one change to their starting lineup… Lucas Bur returns at lock after getting the week off
• Dallas winger Joeli Tikoisuva will face off against the team he started his pro career with… ‘JoJo’ was part of the inaugural Gold roster in 2018 and made his last appearance with the club in 2022… he spent the 2023 campaign on the books for San Diego but did not make any match day appearances
• former New York winger Teofilo ‘Ed’ Fidow makes his anticipated debut after being acquired in the dispersal draft… the 30-year-old powerhouse played for Samoa at last year’s World Cup in France
• Reece Botha will start at fullback for the first time… his previous starts for the Gold have all come at flyhalf… Dougie Fife misses out to make room for Fidow under NOLA’s match day import limit

PREDICTION

Both teams should be comfortable in the conditions on the forecast. Dallas are flying high right now and with a virtually full-strength squad will fancy their chances for a first win against the Gold. Opening minute aside, NOLA had a strong first half against the Free Jacks but struggled to get going in the second half. They will be boosted by Fidow’s arrival, who looms as a significant threat if they can get him the ball. This is another very tight call that could go either way.

LINEUPS

DALLAS JACKALS
1 Liam Murray, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Sam Golla (capt.), 5 Lucas Bur, 6 Jerónimo Gómez Vara, 7 Ben Fry, 8 Ronan Foley, 9 Juan-Dee Oliver, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Joeli Tikoisuva, 12 Marcell Muller, 13 Mitch Richardson, 14 Nic Benn, 15 Vaughen Isaacs

Replacements: 16 Joaquín Horcada, 17 Tomás Bekerman, 18 Kyle Steeves, 19 Daemon Torres, 20 Makeen Alikhan, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Marques Fuala’au, 23 Jason Tidwell

NOLA GOLD
1 Jarred Adams, 2 Augusto Böhme, 3 Isaac Salmon, 4 Callum Botchar, 5 William Waguespack, 6 Malcolm May, 7 Moni Tonga’uiha (capt.), 8 Jonah Mau’u, 9 Luke Campbell, 10 Rodney Iona, 11 Ed Fidow, 12 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13 JP du Plessis, 14 Taniela Filimone, 15 Reece Botha

Replacements: 16 Ale Lopeti, 17 Matt Harmon, 18 James Irey, 19 Fintan Coleman, 20 Maciu Koroi, 21 Osaiasi Tonga’uiha, 22 Ross Depperschmidt, 23 Julian Roberts

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, March 23
Venue: Choctaw Stadium, Arlington
Kickoff: 19:30 local (17:30 Pacific, 20:30 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sun and cloud, 64°F (18°C), wind SE 5-7mph (11-17km/h)
Broadcasts: YurView Louisiana, The Rugby Network

OFFICIALS

Referee: Marquise Goodwin (USA)
Assistants: Aaron Davis (USA) & Jono Cooper (USA)
TMO: Scott Green (USA)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (2) – NOLA 2, Dallas 0
2023-06-10 – Dallas Jackals 10, NOLA Gold 15 (Choctaw Stadium)
2022-03-12 – Dallas Jackals 26, NOLA Gold 32 (Choctaw Stadium)