MLR 2025: San Diego Legion vs NOLA Gold – ARN Guide

San Diego return to Torero Stadium on Sunday where fellow founding franchise NOLA will be waiting. The Gold have been dance partners for the Legion on eight previous occasions since their first in 2018, and each time have fallen short. Breaking that streak will prove challenging once again.

CURRENT STANDINGS

6-5-0 (L1) West 3rd

4-6-0 (W1) East 3rd

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

	IN	OUT
1	Payton Telea-Ilalio	Nathan Sylvia
2	Hugh Roach	Shilo Klein
3	Darcy Breen	Brook To’omalatai
4	Jed Holloway	Charlie Hewitt
6	Christian Poidevin	James Rivers
7	Brad Wilkin	Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi
8	Jimmy Hokafonu	Tevita Tameilau
9	Connor Tupai	Richard Judd
10	Lincoln McClutchie	Harris Rutherford
11	Ryan James	Rhian Stowers
12	Cassh Maluia	Tiaan Loots
13	Marcel Brache	Tavite Lopeti

	IN	OUT
1	Bart Vermeulen	Matt Harmon
2	Joe Taufete’e	Ale Lopeti
3	Tyler Matchem	Paul Mullen
4	Callum Botchar	Jay Tuivaiti
5	William Waguespack	Cam Dolan
6	Osaiasi Tonga’uiha	Jonah Mau’u
7	Cian Darling	Aidan King
9	Damian Stevens	Ruben de Haas
10	Reece Botha	Dorian Jones
11	Harley Wheeler	JP du Plessis
13	Ross Depperschmidt	Isaac Te Tamaki
14	Jack Webster	Xavier Mignot
15	Cooper Coats	Julian Roberts

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(10) – Telea-Ilalio, Helu, James, Brache, Klein, Sylvia, Tameilau, Lopeti (USA), Holloway (Australia), To’omalatai (Samoa)

(11) – Taufete’e, M Tonga’uiha, Harmon, Mullen (USA), Matchem, Botchar, Coats, Duguid (Canada), Stevens (Namibia), Foliaki (Tonga), Galletier (France)

CLUB DEBUTS

(0) – none

(2) – Koroi*, Musselman*

* – MLR debut

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Zak Farrance (LO), Ethan Grayson (CE/FB)

– Cam Dolan (LO), Jonah Mau’u (FL/N8), Xavier Mignot (WI)

PREDICTION

John Manenti has restored his favored lineup with few exceptions after the mid-week loss to the Warriors. The Legion should feel rested and ready to put on a show for their home faithful. Danny Lee, meanwhile, appears to have his eyes set on Friday’s clash against Miami. It’s a Gold lineup that features few first choice players and two debutants on the bench. San Diego are heavy favorites at home.

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 Connor Tupai, 10 Lincoln McClutchie, 11 Ryan James, 12 Cassh Maluia, 13 Marcel Brache, 14 Tomas Aoake, 15 Steffan Crimp

Replacements: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 Nathan Sylvia, 18 Brook To’omalatai, 19 James Rivers, 20 Tevita Tameilau, 21 Richard Judd, 22 Tavite Lopeti, 23 Rhian Stowers

NOLA GOLD
1 Bart Vermeulen, 2 Joe Taufete’e, 3 Tyler Matchem, 4 Callum Botchar, 5 William Waguespack, 6 Osaiasi Tonga’uiha, 7 Cian Darling, 8 Moni Tonga’uiha (capt.), 9 Damian Stevens, 10 Reece Botha, 11 Harley Wheeler, 12 Nikolai Foliaki, 13 Ross Depperschmidt, 14 Jack Webster, 15 Cooper Coats

Replacements: 16 Abe Turpen, 17 Matt Harmon, 18 Paul Mullen, 19 Kaden Duguid, 20 Kélian Galletier, 21 Luke Campbell, 22 Vilimoni Koroi, 23 Dalton Musselman

MATCH INFO

Date: Sunday, May 4
Venue: Torero Stadium, San Diego
Kickoff: 14:00 local (17:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: cloudy, 63°F (17°C), SW 12-17mph (19-27km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Gulf Coast Sports, KUSI, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network

OFFICIALS

Referee: David Vosalevu (Fiji)
Assistants: Jacob Gonzales (USA) & Kirk Swanner (USA)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (8) – San Diego 8, NOLA 0
2024-04-14 – San Diego Legion 33, NOLA Gold 20 (Snapdragon Stadium)
2023-05-13 – NOLA Gold 12, San Diego Legion 26 (The Gold Mine)
2022-05-21 – NOLA Gold 12, San Diego Legion 42 (The Gold Mine)
2021-05-15 – San Diego Legion 43, NOLA Gold 17 (Elite Athlete Training Center)
2020-02-29 – NOLA Gold 21, San Diego Legion 25 (The Gold Mine)
2019-06-02 – San Diego Legion 22, NOLA Gold 10 (Torero Stadium)
2019-05-11 – NOLA Gold 19, San Diego Legion 26 (Archbishop Shaw Stadium)
2018-06-09 – NOLA Gold 22, San Diego Legion 39 (Archbishop Shaw Stadium)