Rugby

MLR 2024: Dallas Jackals vs Houston SaberCats – ARN Guide

March 30, 2024

It’s the first Texas derby of the 2024 Major League Rugby season on Friday night as the Jackals play host to the league-leading Houston SaberCats. Dallas are looking to redeem their disappointing home defeat to NOLA last weekend, but will have to contend with a team they have never beaten.

CURRENT STANDINGS

2-2-0 (L1) West 4th

4-0-0 (W4) West 1st

LINEUP CHANGES

7 Makeen Alikhan replaces Ben Fry
8 Sam Tuifua replaces Jerónimo Gómez Vara (injury, wore 6 vs NOLA)
12 Connor Winchester replaces Marcell Muller
14 Marcell Muller replaces Joeli Tikoisuva
20 Ronnie McElligott replaces Makeen Alikhan

10 Davy Coetzer replaces AJ Alatimu
15 Drew Wild replaces Davy Coetzer
20 Tomi Agbongbon replaces Asa Carter

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

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

(2) – Lindenmuth (Samoa), Dyer (USA)

CLUB DEBUTS

(1) – Sam Tuifua*

(0) – n/a

* – MLR debut

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Jerónimo Gómez Vara (FL), Ben Fry (FL), Tomás Cubilla (CE)

– Maks van Dyk (TH), AJ Alatimu (FH/CE), Sam Hill (CE)

NOTES

Dallas will be without star flanker and vice-captain Jerónimo Gómez Vara due to an elbow injury suffered against NOLA last week… the blow is softened somewhat by the arrival of New Zealander Sam Tuifua who has been a regular with North Harbour in the NPC for the past two years
Sam Golla starts his 21st consecutive match for the Jackals since his 1st overall selection in the 2022 Collegiate Draft… he played 99% of all possible minutes for Dallas last season
former USA u20 select Makeen Alikhan gets his first MLR start, replacing Ben Fry on the Dallas flank… he is on loan from London-based Harlequins and made his Premiership Rugby Cup debut in 2021
after one game filling in at fullback, Davy Coetzer returns to his preferred No10 shirt for Houston… Drew Wild returns at No15 which leaves no room for AJ Alatimu in the match day 23
US-eligible flanker Tomi Agbongbon has returned to the SaberCats… he made just one appearance last season, as a replacement against Dallas before heading back to England to play for Loughborough University… he was previously part of the Leicester Tigers academy program
the SaberCats remain without top tighthead prop Maks van Dyk… Rob Cobb will again deputise in the No3 shirt despite enduring a torrid outing in the scrum against Seattle last week

PREDICTION

The absence of van Dyk creates an opportunity for Dallas in the scrum, but the Jackals will miss the talismanic Gómez Vara in the loose. Houston are on a roll and are showing respect to their Texan rivals with a first choice lineup, with the likes of Alatimu and Sam Hill unlucky to miss out. The edge in the lineout goes to Houston though both sides are effective at the maul. The SaberCats are yet to taste defeat this since and are clear favorites.

LINEUPS

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

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

HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2 Pita Anae-Ah Sue, 3 Rob Cobb, 4 Justin Basson, 5 Johan Momsen (capt.), 6 Marno Redelinghuys, 7 Emmanuel Albert, 8 Ronan Murphy, 9 Andre Warner, 10 Davy Coetzer, 11 Jeremy Misailegalu, 12 Dom Akina, 13 Tautalatasi Tasi, 14 Christian Dyer, 15 Drew Wild

Replacements: 16 Tiaan Erasmus, 17 LaRome White, 18 Pono Davis, 19 Keni Nasoqeqe, 20 Tomi Agbongbon, 21 Carlo de Nysschen, 22 Max Schumacher, 23 Line Latu

MATCH INFO

Date: Friday, March 29
Venue: Choctaw Stadium, Arlington
Kickoff: 19:30 local (17:30 Pacific, 20:30 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 73°F (23°C), wind W 18-27mph (29-43km/h)
Broadcasts: Space City, The Rugby Network