This weekend’s clash between the San Diego Legion and the Seattle Seawolves for the 2019 Major League Rugby championship is a classic faceoff of the league’s top defense versus the league’s top offense.  

D vs O

No team has been as stingy on the defensive side of the ball as the Legion. The men from San Diego lay down punishing tackles, but it's more than that. Excellent work at the breakdown means they have forced more turnovers than anyone else in MLR.

However, they will face perhaps their stiffest test of the year on Sunday against a Seawolves outfit that scored more points than anyone else in the league, averaging more than 31 points a contest. 

Having run to a 2018 MLR championship thanks to its impenetrable 'Seawall' defense, the 2019 Seattle Seawolves hang their hat on their ability to put points on the board. 

And if San Diego wants to keep this Seattle attack in check, it will have to do it for a full 80 minutes. Nobody scored as much as the Seawolves in the last 20 minutes of games; in fact, more than a third of all Seattle’s points this season have come in the final quarter. 

For the Legion, then, fresh bodies towards the end of the contest will be vital.

You just can’t beat Championship rugby. ?⁰⁰#TBT to last year’s inaugural @USMLR Championship with a tough @GlendaleRaptors side. Get ready for incredible scenes at this year’s title match as we take on @SDLegion back in SoCal this Sunday.#SDLvSEA ?: https://t.co/2oax0OAABb pic.twitter.com/pltBARO3OY

— Seattle Seawolves (@Seawolves_Rugby) June 13, 2019

Depth And Versatility

Both teams have strong benches. Notable for the Legion is that players have adapted extremely well to changing circumstance. Injuries, national team callups, and shuffled lineups have meant players have had to cover multiple different positions. 

Many players—Jasa Veremalua, Mikey Te'o, and Ryan Matyas just to name three—have filled in at three or more positions and yet the consistency remains.

It's a recipe for success reminiscent of the system Saracens used to win the European Championship and the Gallagher Premiership in England. The Legion’s forward pack has seen a bit less shuffling around, but the depth has been just as impressive. While veteran stalwarts Paddy Ryan, Jasa Veremalua, and Lou Stanfill have provided quality and leadership, younger players like Psalm Wooching, Drew Gaffney, Devin Short, the Pifeleti brothers, and Jordan Manihera have bolstered the San Diego front as well. 

Simply earning a spot in the matchday 23 will be an enormous challenge for all the San Diego players.

Threats All Over

For the Seawolves, depth has been a competitive advantage. Their ability to take over games in the final 20 minutes is a testament to the talent throughout their 23. 

A veteran-heavy side—they signed 34-year-old Samu Manoa mid-season—they don't get flustered.

Your @VirginiaMason mason Leader of the Forward Pack is Samu Manoa!

The flanker left it all on the field against Toronto. Manoa carried 7 times for 49 m & went 10/11 on tackles - including some monstrous hits with honorable forward mention and fellow bash bro, Api! ? #SEAvTOR pic.twitter.com/ErdDWJYseN

— Seattle Seawolves (@Seawolves_Rugby) June 12, 2019

Whether it's crushing hits from Manoa, Apisai Naikatini, Riekert Hattingh and the others up front, or the quick feet of Shalom Suniula, Mat Turner, Jeff Hasler and company out wide, the Seawolves are a handful to maintain across the pitch. 

Eric “The Beast” Duechele, Vili Toluta’u (2018 MLR Championship MVP and back from injury), and Canadian legend Phil Mack off the bench don't hurt, either.

The Kicking Game

No team kicks more than the San Diego Legion, who love using the gifted boot of Joe Pietersen to play in the right areas of the field and rely on its defense to generate turnovers and play on short fields. On the other hand, Seattle boasts a lethal counterattack through its back three of Turner, Hasler, and Brock Staller. Can Pietersen continue to find grass with his long bombs, or will the Seawolves use the Legion’s propensity to kick deep as a weapon? 

The Penalty Count

San Diego committed more penalties and received more cards than any other team this year. Perhaps this is a byproduct of playing a lot of defense, and playing it aggressively, but they will have to on their best behavior on Sunday. 

Lining up across from them will be MLR leading point-scorer and goalkicking ace Staller; any ill-discipline within their own half could yield three points. Seattle, meanwhile, was the least penalized team in 2019 and has proven it’s a squad that’s not going to beat itself. The Seawolves make few mistakes and do a very good job of capitalizing on the ones made by their opponents.

The Halfbacks

What could prove to be the most pivotal battle of all in this tightly contested matchup will be the halfback pairings. On the San Diego side is the highly experienced duo of Nate Augsberger and Joe Pietersen. Augsberger has captained the USA several times and his electricity and his leadership have been critical to San Diego’s run.

Pietersen has been arguably the best first-receiver in the MLR. A player with a wealth of Super Rugby caps to his name, his kicking, communication, and distribution are at the heart of the Legion's attack.

Verified
Check out the “Match in a Minute” from last Sunday’s last-minute thriller as the Legion score the final try with less than a minute to play and the coolest guy on the turf nails an extremely difficult conversion to take the win.https://t.co/6spEGzBE2q pic.twitter.com/lCOTGwJNlS

— San Diego Legion (@SDLegion) June 13, 2019

On the other side, Seattle is marshaled by a much younger 9-10 combination. At scrumhalf is the 24-year-old JP Smith, a well-rounded former South African U20 Springbok who keeps his team on the front foot. 

Providing cover for Smith is the 43 cap Canadian Mack, who has seen his fair share of big games. Flyhalf Ben Cima has, too, but is still young. He is a calm and wise distributor with a rocket of a right leg. He is also no stranger to big time moments, such as landing a 50 meter penalty with no time remaining on the clock to lead the USA U20s to victory over the Canada U20s in 2016. 

Prediction

The good news for Major League Rugby is that this game is tough to call. San Diego has seemed to have Seattle’s number this season, sweeping their two games and handing the Seawolves their first-ever loss at their home field. Furthermore, San Diego will be playing at home in front of more than 6,000 fans. 

Can a home field and defense bring the title to SoCal? Maybe. But never underestimate the heart of a champion, and the Seawolves are the defending MLR title-holders. The margins in this game will be razor thin, but in the end it will be discipline that makes the difference. 

Seattle Seawolves pull it out 25-24.