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All Blacks, Wallabies and England stars named to start in opening weekend of Major League Rugby

Matt Giteau scores against England at the 2015 World Cup, the tournament he played in thanks to the Giterau rule (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

A number of foreign stars have been named to start in the opening round of Major League Rugby this weekend.

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All 12 teams will take to the field over the coming days to open their 2021 campaigns, and there is no shortage of test-level star power across the Western and Eastern Conferences.

Perhaps the most stacked side of the opening weekend is the newest team of the league, the LA Giltinis, who will make their MLR debut with two Wallabies centurions – flyhalf Matt Giteau and outside centre Adam Ashley-Cooper – in their starting lineup.

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Le Crunch reaction with Neil Back | Offload Episode 21

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Fellow ex-Australian international Dave Dennis is also starting at lock for the Venice Beach-based franchise, as are a raft of former Super Rugby players such as inside centre Billy Meakes, scrumhalf Harrison Goddard and blindside flanker Angus Cottrell.

Canada’s all-time top try-scorer DTH van der Merwe will also make his first appearance in the competition after shifting to the Giltinis from the Glasgow Warriors.

LA will open their account in MLR at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against the New England Free Jacks, who possess a wealth of foreign talent themselves.

Former Wallabies training squad member Sef Fa’agase will start at loosehead prop for the Boston side, while Scotland international Dougie Fife will start on the right wing.

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Further inland in Nevada, the San Diego Legion will kick their season off against Rugby United New York at Cashman Field in Las Vegas.

While the Legion – who have the likes of former England captain Chris Robshaw, Argentine playmaker Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias and Blitzboks legend Cecil Afrika in their ranks – are yet to name their team, RUNY have numerous high-profile players in their match day team.

Ex-England fullback Ben Foden returns to play his 22nd consecutive match for the Brooklyn-based franchise, while former All Blacks halfback Andy Ellis has been named to start at scrumhalf.

In the loose forwards, former Blues and Sunwolves tearaway Kara Pryor will partner with USA Eagles star Hanco Germishuys on the side of the scrum and Manu Samoa prop Sakaria Taulafo will pack down in the No 3 jersey.

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In Atlanta, Rugby ATL will field Los Pumas midfielder Bautista Ezcurra at inside centre against the Toronto Arrows atLife University.

The only Canadian franchise in the competition are missing their star recruit Joaquin Tuculet, who has joined Ezcurra in making the move from the now-defunct Jaguares to MLR for the 2021 season.

The Austin Gilgronis, meanwhile, have welcomed back one-test All Blacks prop Jamie Mackintosh into their side, as the 36-year-old will start at loosehead prop against the Utah Warriors at Bold Stadium in Austin.

Mackintosh will be accompanied by the likes of Manu Samoa scrumhalf Pele Cowley and wing Conner Mooneyham, the first pick in the inaugural MLR Draft last year, in the run-on XV, while Tongan playmaker Kurt Morath starts from the bench.

Saturday’s other match will see the Seattle Seawolves, the champions of the first two editions of MLR, travel to Texas to take on the Houston Sabercats, while NOLA Gold and Old Glory DC will close out the weekend in New Orleans on Sunday.

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Nickers 53 minutes ago
Scott Robertson names his 35-man All Blacks squad for France series

As always with Razor slightly unorthodox with a few surprises. Last year Blackadder was rushed back into the starting 15 after a long injury lay off and no game time, this year on the back of a good body of work in which he was immense in the final he doesn’t even make the squad. But Finau, who possibly wouldn’t have even been starting for the Chiefs if Parker was fit is the only specialist 6 in the squad. Likewise Havili, great season and a great final, much better than last year by all measures but doesn’t make the cut.


6 mid fielders when 4 will do, but only 5 loosies when 7 would be useful -> Maybe Lakai and Parker come in? No 3rd choice at 10 meaning if one of BB or DMac sustain a mid to long term injury there is no one they are specifically trusting to come into the team and be able to close out matches - maybe they think Love is the 3rd best 10 in NZ?


Great to see Tavatavanawai straight in on the back of a huge season - he should 100% be in the 23. There have been players before like Stevenson or Sotutu who had the season of the their lives and didn’t get picked, so this is great and a little surprising to see.


Only 4 locks and no lock cover among the loosies named. This seems like an area we need to be developing more players rather than concentrating the talent pool down further. Maybe when Darry is fit he finds his way back in, but it would be good to see Lord or whoever the 6th best lock is around the squad too.


One thing I continue to find strange about ABs selection going back many years is that they are obsessed with backs being able to cover multiple positions, but they don’t take advantage of this in any way. The fact that we have 3 players who can play 12, and 3 that can play 13, doesn’t stop them from selecting ALB to cover 12 and 13 giving them 4 options at each position - what is the point of this? Likewise Love, I really like him, especially at 10, But they have Jordan, BB, Dmac who all play 15 at test level, as well as JB who is world class at 15 to cover, so why take up another spot in the squad with yet another 15? Why do we need four options for every position in the backs except 10, which is arguably the most important one where we have not been able to develop a new test player for 8 or 9 years.


And unless there is a big change this year they also don’t use all these utility backs to enable a 6-2 bench split, and will instead pick a specialist winger on the bench to come on and play the last 10 minutes.

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