Game Preview: Warriors face San Diego in California

Herriman, Utah — The Utah Warriors will travel to Carson, California this weekend to match up with the San Diego Legion. The teams will meet on the pitch in Dignity Health Sports Park with a 5:00 p.m. MDT kickoff. Both teams are coming off of a tough loss last weekend and will be looking for a win.

“San Diego is a great squad, and we’re really looking forward to the challenge this week with defending a team that has such an expansive attack,” said Utah Warriors head coach Shawn Pittman. “We’ve selected a very physical pack to challenge San Diego’s dominant ball carriers.  The last two weeks have been tough with getting the players’ recovery and prep balance right. I think we hit the mark this week, and I’m excited to see the team in action.”

Utah Warriors assistant coach Shaun Davies mimicked Pittman’s sentiments for tomorrow’s match.

“San Diego is a really good squad and is in a similar position, looking to rebound after a disappointing loss,” Davies said. “They have a few strong ball carriers, who will be looking to get into the game early, with the likes of Psalm Wooching, Tevita Tameilau and Save Totovosau.”

The Warriors fell to the Seattle Seawolves last Saturday at home, coming up short by one try, 20-15. The Legion fell to the Houston Sabercats in Houston by just two points, 34-32.

Utah currently sits in third place in the Major League Rugby (MLR) 2021 standings. 

San Diego, the 2020 MLR league leader with a 5-0 record, currently sits in ninth place, with a 1-3 record.

“As a squad, I am excited to see how the boys react after a couple of disappointing losses that could have gone either way,” Davies said. “We’ve been working hard on changing habits and behaviors this week, which we believe will make a big difference on the field in terms of giving us options.”

Vice-captain for the Warriors and USA Eagle XV and 7s player, Mikey Te’o, signed with Utah for the 2021 season after previously playing for San Diego. Te’o signed with the Legion for the 2018 MLR season but did not see the field due to an injury. He played for them in the 2019 season and one match in 2020, but he spent the rest of last year contracted with the USA 7s team. 

This weekend will be Te’o’s first matchup against his old teammates. He said he is excited to play them and to play on a field close to home, as Te’o is a Long Beach, California native.

“I am excited to go back to play my old team and teammates,” Te’o said. “It’s going to be a great battle on the field for precious points in the western conference. I hope both teams play their best. It’s special to be playing in Los Angeles as well, as I grew up not too far from the field we are playing at.”

Utah Warriors’ first-year wing Joe Mano had an impressive showing last weekend. His breakaway run was the key to reignite Utah’s momentum early in the second half and give them the advantage to score. Cliven Loubser evaded the Seattle defense after Mano’s run and scored the Warriors’ second try of the match.

This weekend, Mano,  a product of the Warriors’ Pathway system and who has functioned as a reserve thus far in the season, will move up to the right-wing slot as a starter.

“Joe Mano is coming into the starting line-up after a couple of strong performances off the bench,” Davies said. “I am excited to see how he performs with an extended amount of time and coming up against an experienced backline.”

The Utah Warriors’ match against San Diego will broadcast live nationally on the CBS Sports Network. Viewers will be able to watch internationally on The Rugby Network, the MLR’s OTT platform. 

All Utah Warriors games broadcast on The Rugby Network can be accessed live by both domestic and international viewers. 

Utah Warriors fans will also be able to tune into ESPN 700 and ESPN 960 for this weekend’s game.

UTAH WARRIORS VS. SAN DIEGO LEGION

Date: April 17, 2021

Time: 5:00 p.m. MDT

Where: Dignity Health Sports Park (Carson, CA)

Broadcast: CBS Sports Network (National Broadcast) & The Rugby Network (Internationally)

Radio: ESPN 700 and ESPN 960

Utah Warriors Gameday Roster:

1. Franco van den Berg
2. Tuvere Vugakoto
3. Angus Maclellan
4. Jurie Van Vuuren
5. Aston Fortuin
6. Thomas Tu’avao
7. Bailey Wilson (C)
8. Lance Williams
9. Michael Baska
10. Hagen Schulte
11. Josh Whippy
12. Tyler Fisher
13. Mika Kruse
14. Joe Mano
15. Mikey Te’o (VC)
16. Chad Gough
17. Olive Kilifi
18. Paul Mullen
19. Mike Gieselman
20. Saia Uhila
21. Fraser Hurst
22. Calvin Whiting
23. Derek Ellingson

*Roster is subject to change without notice up to the start of the match