MLR 2024: Chicago Hounds vs RFC Los Angeles – ARN Guide

It’s another home game for the Chicago Hounds on Sunday, who are looking to build on back-to-back victories that have rocketed them up to 2nd spot in the Eastern Conference. RFC Los Angeles are their guests, arriving on the back of a one-sided loss to Seattle that leaves them last in the West.

CURRENT STANDINGS

3-3-1 (W2) East 2nd

1-4-1 (L1) West 6th

LINEUP CHANGES

3 Ignacio Péculo rotates with 18 Paddy Ryan
4 Mason Flesch replaces Lucas Rumball (No6 vs ARC)
5 James Scott replaces George Merrick
8 Conall Boomer replaces Luke White
14 Noah Brown replaces Julián Domínguez (injury)
15 Luke Carty replaces Dave Kearney (injury)
19 George Merrick replaces Brad Tucker
20 Luke White replaces Mike Matarazzo
21 Nick McCarthy replaces Noah Brown

2 Ben Strang rotates with 16 Bruce Kauika-Petersen
10 Matt Anticev replaces Jason Emery (injury, No12 vs Seattle)
14 Brooklyn Hardaker replaces Jack Shaw
15 Sam Walsh rotates with 23 Austin White
18 Alex Maughan replaces Sam Buckley
22 Jack Shaw replaces Matt Anticev

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(12) – Fawsitt, Landry, Augspurger, Campbell, Carty, Ryan, White, McCarthy, Baska (USA), Péculo (Uruguay), Flesch, Higgins (Canada)

(6) – Young, O’Gorman (Canada), Kunatani (Fiji), Katjijeko (Namibia), Damm, Maughan (USA)

CLUB DEBUTS

(0) – n/a

(1) – Brooklyn Hardaker

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Zura Zhvania (LH), Lucas Rumball (FL), Mark O’Keeffe (CE/WI), Julián Domínguez (WI), Dave Kearney (FB)

– Wilton Rebolo (TH), Jurie van Vuuren (LO/N8), Matt Heaton (FL), Jason Emery (CE), Will Leonard (CE), James Stokes (CE), Andrew Coe (WI)

NOTES

• the Hounds continue to rotate their pack with Conall Boomer this week given his first shot at the No8 shirt… his previous starts were on the blindside flank
• incumbent Eagles starter Nick McCarthy is among the reserves for the first time, with Canada’s Jason Higgins retaining the No9 jersey after his hat trick performance against Anthem
• injuries to Julián Domínguez and Dave Kearney see Noah Brown recalled on the right wing with Nate Augspurger moving to the left, and Luke Carty coming back in at fullback
• LA have handed Matt Anticev his first pro start at flyhalf… the 5th overall selection in the 2023 Collegiate Draft debuted off the bench last week… he is the first US-born player to wear the No10 shirt in MLR this season… Seattle’s Sam Windsor and NOLA’s Reece Botha are the only other US-eligible players to start at flyhalf, both qualifying on residency
• with Jason Emery, James Stokes, and Will Leonard all ruled out due to injury, Dan Hollinshead is asked to play in the midfield for the first time in his MLR career
• Brooklyn Hardaker is set to make his LA debut… he was on the Giltinis roster in 2022 but did not make an appearance due to a knee injury… the Australian winger played 9 games including 5 starts for the New York Ironworkers last season

PREDICTION

The Hounds are on the upswing after a slow start to the season. While they have yet to settle on a preferred lineup, they have a formidable match day squad loaded with internationals. LA were decidedly second-best against Seattle and are missing a big chunk of their starting backline and vice-captain Matt Heaton. Chicago are favorites at home.

LINEUPS

CHICAGO HOUNDS
1 Charlie Abel, 2 Dylan Fawsitt, 3 Ignacio Péculo, 4 Mason Flesch, 5 James Scott, 6 Ben Landry, 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Conall Boomer, 9 Jason Higgins, 10 Adriaan Carelse, 11 Nate Augspurger, 12 Billy Meakes (capt.), 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Noah Brown, 15 Luke Carty

Replacements: 16 Janus Venter, 17 Fred Apulu, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 George Merrick, 20 Luke White, 21 Nick McCarthy, 22 Caolan Dooley, 23 Michael Baska

RFC LOS ANGELES
1 Dane Zander, 2 Ben Strang, 3 Conor Young, 4 Reegan O’Gorman, 5 Theo Vukasinovic, 6 Semi Kunatani, 7 Max Katjijeko, 8 Jason Damm, 9 Niall Saunders (capt.), 10 Matt Anticev, 11 Rory van Vugt, 12 Dan Hollinshead, 13 Seth Purdey, 14 Brooklyn Hardaker, 15 Sam Walsh

Replacements: 16 Bruce Kauika-Petersen, 17 Lincoln Si’i, 18 Alex Maughan, 19 Liam Antrobus, 20 Michael Amiras, 21 Tas Smith, 22 Jack Shaw, 23 Austin White

MATCH INFO

Date: Sunday, April 21
Venue: SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview
Kickoff: 17:00 local (15:00 Pacific, 18:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 57°F (14°C), wind NW 12-18mph (19-29km/h)
Broadcasts: Bally Sports SoCal, Marquee Sports Plus, The Rugby Network

OFFICIALS

Referee: Marquise Goodwin (USA)
Assistants: Cisco Lopez (USA) & Shawn Bastic (USA)
TMO: Cam Russell (Canada)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (1) – ATL 1, Chicago 0
2023-05-06 – Rugby ATL 27, Chicago Hounds 12 (Silverbacks Park)