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The right to host at least one playoff game – and possibly more – could well be on the line when the San Diego Legion host the Houston SaberCats on Saturday night. Both teams are well-positioned to make the postseason but the final seedings in the Western Conference remain very much up for grabs.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
7-5-0 (W1) West 2nd
7-4-0 (L1) West 3rd
| STARTING LINEUP CHANGES |
|
IN | OUT |
| 9 | Richard Judd | Connor Tupai |
| 13 | Ethan Grayson | Marcel Brache |
|
IN | OUT |
| 2 | Seth Smith | Pita Anae-Ah Sue |
| 3 | Pono Davis | Michael Scott |
| 6 | Emmanuel Albert | Sam Tuifua |
| 10 | Davy Coetzer | Max Schumacher |
| 11 | Drake Davis | Jeremy Misailegalu |
| 14 | Juan-Dee Oliver | Rufus McLean |
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(10) – Telea-Ilalio, Helu, James, Klein, Sylvia, Tameilau, Lopeti, Brache (USA), Holloway (Australia), To’omalatai (Samoa)
(4) – Lindenmuth, Alatimu (Samoa), Davis (USA), Rebolo (Brazil)
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Zak Farrance (LO), Paddy Ryan (FL/N8), Rhian Stowers (WI/FB)
– Sam Tuifua (N8), André Warner (SH), Rufus McLean (WI)
| PREDICTION |
San Diego have a virtually full-strength lineup this week but their form has been inconsistent this season and they looked shaky against a second-choice NOLA side this past Sunday. Houston were similarly disappointing in their heavy road defeat to New England, but celebrate the return of star playmaker Davy Coetzer after four games out. It was Coetzer who led the Cats to a dominant win over the Legion in Texas a little over a month ago. The stakes are high, with a place at the top of the West not out of reach for whoever emerges victorious. Houston are slight favorites on the road.
| LINEUPS |
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Payton Telea-Ilalio, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Darcy Breen, 4 Jed Holloway, 5 Vili Helu, 6 Christian Poidevin, 7 Brad Wilkin (capt.), 8 Jimmy Hokafonu, 9 Richard Judd, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 11 Ryan James, 12 Cassh Maluia, 13 Ethan Grayson, 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Steffan Crimp
Replacements: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 Nathan Sylvia, 18 Brook To’omalatai, 19 James Rivers, 20 Tevita Tameilau, 21 Connor Tupai, 22 Tavite Lopeti, 23 Marcel Brache
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2 Seth Smith, 3 Pono Davis, 4 Justin Basson, 5 Nathan Den Hoedt (capt.), 6 Emmanuel Albert, 7 Johan Momsen, 8 Marno Redelinghuys, 9 Jay Renton, 10 Davy Coetzer, 11 Drake Davis, 12 Dom Akina, 13 Tautalatasi Tasi, 14 Juan-Dee Oliver, 15 Drew Wild
Replacements: 16 Pita Anae-Ah Sue, 17 Wilton Rebolo, 18 Michael Scott, 19 Javon Camp, 20 Keni Nasoqeqe, 21 Max Schumacher, 22 AJ Alatimu, 23 Jeremy Misailegalu
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, May 10
Venue: Torero Stadium, San Diego
Kickoff: 19:00 local (21:00 Central, 22:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 77°F (25°C), wind SW 2-4mph (3-6km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, CW39, YurView San Diego, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Chris Assmus (Canada) & Jacob Gonzales (USA)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (12) – San Diego 7, Houston 5
2025-03-29 – Houston SaberCats 34, San Diego Legion 14 (SaberCats Stadium)
2024-06-23 – San Diego Legion 37, Houston SaberCats 24 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2024-04-27 – Houston SaberCats 33, San Diego Legion 0 (SaberCats Stadium)
2023-04-30 – San Diego Legion 29, Houston SaberCats 16 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2023-03-05 – Houston SaberCats 31, San Diego Legion 26 (SaberCats Stadium)
2022-05-08 – San Diego Legion 24, Houston SaberCats 34 (SDSU Sports Deck)
2022-02-26 – Houston SaberCats 20, San Diego Legion 31 (SaberCats Stadium)
2021-05-29 – San Diego Legion 39, Houston SaberCats 11 (Elite Athlete Training Center)
2021-04-10 – Houston SaberCats 34, San Diego Legion 32 (SaberCats Stadium)
2019-04-28 – Houston SaberCats 19, San Diego Legion 40 (Dyer Stadium)
2019-02-09 – San Diego Legion 17, Houston SaberCats 13 (Torero Stadium)
2018-05-04 – San Diego Legion 35, Houston SaberCats 32 (Torero Stadium)
