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Ex-MLR ROTY among host of Chicago Hounds debutants for season opener

Tavite Lopeti of United States takes on Caleb Muntz of Fiji during the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup Semi-Final between Fiji and United States at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)

2022 Major League Rugby Rookie of the Year Tavite Lopeti joins a host of other Chicago Hounds debutants in the run-on side for their 2026 opener against Anthem Rugby Carolina, who kicked off the season with a historic win last weekend.

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Anthem RC had never won an MLR game before but ended that drought with a 39-26 win over California Legion. Conner Mooneyham, who was the first-ever number one pick in MLR Draft history, is among the starters for Saturday’s clash with Chicago in Charlotte.

Wallabies great Chris Latham, who is the Chicago Hounds Head Coach, has named the 23-man squad for that match at American Legion Memorial Stadium. There are multiple debutants in the First XV alone, including Lopeti at outside centre.

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Lopeti was initially drafted by the Seattle Seawolves and made an immediate impact in the league, earning Second-Team All-Pro honours and ROTY. The midfielder has since been capped by the USA national team, suiting up late last year against Scotland, Georgia and Romania.

Front-rowers Jake Turnbull and rookie Theo Fourie will both debut for the Hounds, joining highly experienced tighthead prop Charlie Abel in the starting side. Capped USA Eagle Tomas Casares joins Nathan Den Hoedt in a new Hounds second row.

There are four debutants in the forward pack, with the backrow seeing the return of a familiar trio, including captain Lucas Rumball at No. 8. Mason Flesh will line up at blindside flanker, while Maclean Jones has been selected at openside.

Ruben De Haas will make his first appearance for the club at scrum-half, linking up with Chris Hilsenbeck in the halves. With Bryce Campbell retiring, Ollie Devoto shifts to inside centre this season, partnering Lopeti in the midfield.

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2025 Championship game MVP Brock Webster headlines the electrifying outside backs selected by Latham for this fixture, with the Canadian international starting at fullback. Noah Brown and Mark O’Keeffe are the two wingers.

This match is scheduled to kick off at 3:00 pm CT on Saturday afternoon.

Head-to-Head

Last 4 Meetings

Wins
0
Draws
0
Wins
4
Average Points scored
24
40
First try wins
50%
Home team wins
50%

Chicago Hounds to face Anthem Rugby Carolina

1. Jake Turnbull

2. Theo Fourie

3. Charlie Abel

4. Tomas Casares

5. Nathan Den Hoedt

6. Mason Flesch

7. Mac Jones

8. Lucas Rumball (C)

9. Ruben De Haas

10. Chris Hilsenbeck

11. Noah Brown

12. Oliver Devoto

13. Tavite Lopeti

14. Mark O’Keeffe

15. Brock Webster

Replacements

16. Jackson Zabierek

17. Luke White

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18. Koby Baker

19. Brandon Harvey

20. Jake Kinneeveauk

21. Michael Baska

22. Reece Botha

23. Santiago Videla

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J
JW 5 hours ago
New report details source of Ardie Savea's All Blacks frustrations

Yeah it’s hard to be critical of Razor but of choices in his first year of the loosies he constantly played Ardie at 8. It would seem that was always the plan and that Hoskins was surplas to requirements (7, with Dalton then Cane, as was fairly happy with but understand the calls to drop Cane for his last test, along with TJ, and 6 was shared around nicely I thought) and he didn’t have the alround game of Ardie to simply overtake him at 8 (and use Ardie elsewhere). Of course he did that exact thing next year, too late for HS. Then last year 7 was fine if though the same problem was brought about by using Ardie (always leaves a component of a back three missing) there so often stopping Dalton from getting opportunities. At 6 Parker just had one or two too many games for me but 8 was shuffled around nicely, even if I don’t know why Lakai was thought to be the key there.

Of course a lot of rotation was brought about by, you guesed it, injury, still. Now to be fair to Razor, in reality we have no idea if he had to manage Ardie this way, based on NZRs desires with his contract (we have seen them move heaven and earth to retain him), and if he benched him often whether that would have caused him to leave or not. Or even that Hoskins would have accepted a jersey unless it was with a single digit on it, and a regular pick, as he had had to work his way back to the team without a big bump in his contract (of loosing AB selection early on) of other people his standing, so he also might have still put his family and therefor more over the jersey.



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