By Aaron Wilson
A showdown awaits.
Two of the top teams in Major League Rugby and rivals in the Western Conference division square off Saturday night at Houston SaberCats Stadium.
With an International Night game theme, the SaberCats face the undefeated San Diego Legion in a home match.
Currently in second place in the Western Conference division, the SaberCats have won four matches in a row after losing their season-opener.
The Legion are 5-0 and lead the Western Conference. They are led by Tomas Aoake, who had seven tackles and a try last week in a bonus point win over the Miami Sharks.
A year ago, the SaberCats’ eight-match winning streak was halted by the Legion in a 37-24 defeat.
The SaberCats are coming off a dramatic 46-45 road win over Anthem RC.
“San Diego has been really good,” said SaberCats veteran Davy Coetzer, who scored a dozen points and made the game-winning penalty kick in Carolina last week. “Going into this game, we want to focus on ourselves and get everything right. Our main priority is to focus and execute our plan.”
The SaberCats are looking forward to this home match in front of their fans.
“It’s been good support, especially the new people coming out and watching rugby for the first time,” Coetzer said. “It’s an exciting game. At the end of the day, the more support and the more people following rugby, the better off we’ll be as a sport and a league.”
Against Carolina, Emmanuel Albert recorded 19 tackles to lead the SaberCats. He forced two turnovers and had 11 carries.
The SaberCats already beat a previously undefeated opponent this season with their road win over the Utah Warriors.
“I think it will come from having no mercy, being ruthless, doing the same thing we did against Utah,” Albert said. “They were undefeated and the talk of the town in the league. Being underdogs or favored to win, we’ve just got to perform. We know that San Diego is good on both sides of the ball. We have more fuel to prove we can play, whether it’s the top team or not, and put together a full 80-minute match.”
Coetzer emphasized that the SaberCats didn’t play up to their standards against Anthem RC. He said crucial lessons were learned about a need for improved discipline and consistency.
“We got a bit lax thinking we had the win in the bag,” Albert said. “We have to have that fight and determination.”
The SaberCats had a bye prior to the road match in Charlotte, N.C., and benefited from the rest.
“The bye week helped us a lot,” Albert said. “We got that rest in and had some training. I was able to decompress with family and loved ones and a good mental reset.”
This shapes up as a big match for the SaberCats. They need their home-field advantage.
“Definitely having our fans out and supporting us is always great, always heartwarming,” Albert said. “Playing in front of crowds and little ones and meeting the people who support us and let you do your dream for a living, it helps us a lot. That gives us that extra edge. We always know what we’re playing for.”
