By Aaron Wilson
An all-Texas rugby battle is set for Friday night as the undefeated and 4-0 Houston SaberCats face the Dallas Jackals.
The match, set for 7:30 p.m. at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, follows the SaberCats’ 42-40 victory over previously unbeaten Seattle last week.
The SaberCats were named the Team of the Week by Major League Rugby. And right lock Johan Momsen and outside center Tautalatasi Tasi were recognized with weekly individual leaguewide honors.
Meanwhile, AJ Alatimu is coming off a 15-point performance and had nine tackles, and 70 carry meters on nine carries as he was named Man of the Match while Ronan Murphy recorded 18 tackles and 10 ruck entries.
And the SaberCats are holding a Watch Party at Platypus Brewing, an official partner of the Western Conference division leader and lone undefeated team in Major League Rugby. The match can be watched on The Rugby Network.
The 2-2 Jackals are coming off a 34-22 loss to NOLA Gold.
“We’re the only two Texas teams, so it’s going to be a good Texas rivalry game,” SaberCats wing Jeremy Misailegalu said. “You never want to look past a team. Going into Dallas, it’s going to be a real challenge. I think they have definitely made a big step this year. I’m looking forward to the game.”
The SaberCats want to deliver a more consistent performance after nearly losing their 28-13 halftime lead against the Seawolves.
“We had it under control,” Alatimu said. “Silly penalties let them back in the game.”
The SaberCats are continuing to build chemistry with several newcomers providing key contributions. It’s arguably a deeper, more talented team than a year ago when they won a franchise-record 10 matches and made their second consecutive playoff appearance.
Emmanuel Albert made his first start of the season against Seattle.
“It was definitely a big opportunity for the coaches to give me a start against a big team like Seattle,” Albert said. “It was a big game for us with both teams being undefeated. It’s pretty surreal. It’s a good feeling realizing the trust the coaching staff has in me. It made me feel a little bit more excited, but also prepared and gave me more encouragement going into the match. It felt good.”
The SaberCats had some practice sessions this week to prepare for the Jackals after their breakthrough win, the first in franchise history, over Seattle.
“Yeah, it’s a short turnaround,” Alatimu said. “It’s going to be a tough one. Dallas is never easy, especially at their stadium. We have to put the Seattle game behind us and get focused on Dallas. We’re playing well. We need to keep it going.”
