By Aaron Wilson
For the Houston SaberCats, qualifying for the playoffs isn’t being taken for granted.
It hasn’t been easy shifting into the role of the hunted after earning the top seed in the Major League Rugby playoffs a year ago.
The SaberCats don’t fly under the radar. At all. They get every opponent’s best shot.
Nonetheless, the 9-5 SaberCats have already punched their ticket to the postseason for the fourth consecutive year and winning season.
Now, they’re determined to finish strong as they prepare for a Wednesday night road match against the Chicago Hounds.
The SaberCats still have an opportunity to earn home-field advantage in the playoffs should they win their final two matches of the regular season.
“It feels great to be a playoff squad again,” veteran prop LaRome White said. “It’s cool seeing the boys come back and we’re close to the same result as last year. Going to the playoffs is always a big deal because the last two teams in the divisions don’t make it.“We’ve had another good season. It’s another good showing, but the job isn’t done. Even though we get to go to the playoffs again, we’ve got to make it to the championship. We’re going for the Shield.”
The elusive Shield of Major League Rugby is difficult to achieve.
It’s the stated goal of the SaberCats, and it’s been their singular focus for years as they’ve built a consistent winning culture.
The SaberCats, who will hold a watch party for fans at Platypus Brewing for this match, host Anthem RC on Sunday at 7 p.m. for the final home regular-season match of the season.
“We’re absolutely very aare that we’ve got two tough games coming up,” team captain Nathan Den Hoedt said. “It’s very important.”The SaberCats are hopeful of getting back some key players for injuries heading into the playoffs.“We have quite a few guys injured, but getting them back for the playoffs is huge,” White said. ‘We’ve taken some injuries, but we have so much depth it doesn’t matter. The next guy steps up and is just as good.”
Depth has certainly been tested, but the SaberCats built their roster for moments like this one.
Should the SaberCats earn home-field advantage in the playoffs they can enjoy the support they receive at their home stadium for ‘Experience it Live’ moments.
“It’s a big focus trying to get that No. 1 spot,” White said. “The crowd makes a huge difference. We get teams that aren’t used to playing in the weather we train in. A lot of teams aren’t used to the humidity and heat. This is where we live. We use the city of Houston to our advantage.”
