Raptors Look to Open Super Rugby Americas Season Saturday

02.17.2023Int'l News

The American Raptors are set to face off with Selknam in the Super Rugby Americas opening weekend Saturday in Chile.

Selknam is very close to the Chilean national rugby team, and so this will be a massive challenge for the Glendale, Colo.-based team made up of crossover athletes mixed with some former college standouts and a few South Americans.

Here's the lineup:

1. Ma'ake Muti; 2. Sione Finefeuiaki; 3. Juan Echeverria; 4. Mike Grandy (c); 5. William Crawford; 6. Shawn Clark; 7. Ronan Murphy; 8. Diego Magno; 9. Martin Landajo; 10. Lucas Gonzales; 11. Seimou Smith; 12. Cassh Maluia; 13. Dominick Iacovino; 14. Ryan James; 15. Ramiro Moyano

16. Franco Palillo; 17. Payton Telea-Ilalio; 18. Sebastien Otero; 19. Max Dacey; 20. Tommy Clark; 21. Ethan McVeigh; 22. Line Latu; 23. Watson Filikitonga

The game is going to be shown on ESPN+ and kickoff if 4PM Eastern Time.

Who are These Guys-The Forwards

Muti played rugby in his native Hawai'i as well as football, wrestling, and shot put. He played football for four years at Azusa Pacific University and was Defensive Lineman of the Year for his conference in 2018. He was part of the LA Giltinis when they won Major League Rugby's championship in 2021.

Finefeuiaki played fullback in football for College of San Mateo and later Oklahoma State. There is a heavy College of San Mateo influence on this American Raptors team.

Echeverria is from Florida, Uruguay and played with Austin in Major League Rugby. He has been capped 64 times by Los Teros.

From San Jose, Calif., Grandy played with Finefeuiaki at College of San Mateo football before transferring to the University of Texas Austin. He joined the Raptors program in 2021, first playing in the RugbyTown Sevens.

Crawford is from Louisiana and played football and rugby at Culver Academy in Indiana and was president of the rugby club his senior year in high school. He played rugby at Arkansas and later Louisiana Tech and coached at La. Tech after that.

At 6-9 Shawn Clark is a special asset to the team. He played tight end at Monmouth University and has played with the USA U23s. He has also gotten a few USA HP looks.

Murphy is an experienced rugby player who was an All American at Saint Mary's and a 2020 Rudy Scholz Award nominee.

Magno is from Montevideo, Uruguay, and has played 103 times for his country.

Who are These Guys-The Backs

Landajo is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He played with the Jaguares in Super Rugby and has suited up 83 times for the Pumas. At 34 he is an experienced head at scrumhalf.

Gonzales has played professionally all over the world, was a star on the Argentina 7s team, and has been capped 52 times by Argentina in 15s. At 37 he is another experienced playmaker and clearly the selection choices by Head Coach Srah Chobot are partly based on experience at key positions.

Smith played football at Southern Connecticut State and then switched to rugby. He was recognized for his talent at rugby but took time away from the sport to serve in the US Army. He helped NAV 7s win a national club 7s championships and is now settled with the Raptors.

Maluia is from California and was a linebacker at the University of Wyoming for four years. He was drafted by the New England Patriots and played for them in 2020. After a short stint with the Tennessee Titans he joined the Raptors in 2021.

Iacovino played rugby at Oceanside HS in Southern California and then went on to be a standout at Grand Canyon University. He has played with the San Diego Legion and the USA Falcons.

Speedy wing Ryan James was a HS All American while at Cathedral Catholic in Southern California and has been capped by the USA. He played on the LA Giltinis team that won the MLR Championship. He has been circling the USA program for a while.

Argentinian Moyano has been capped by Argentina in 15s and 7s, and played professionally for Edinburgh, Toulon, and the Jaguares.

Who are These Guys-The Bench

Palillo is an experienced Argentinian hooker.

Telea-Ilalio won the 2020 Rudy Scholz Award. He was a standout prop for Archbishop Riordan HS and then for Saint Mary's. He is very close to being capped by the USA.

Otero is from Chile and actually played with Selknam in 2022. He has been capped eight times by Chile.

A 6-8 lock, Dacey is from Virginia and played for the USA South U19s and then for Mary Washington before joining the Raptors Academy. A back injury sidelined him for three years, but he's back.

Clark was a Scholz Award finalist. He started playing at Budd Bay Rugby in Olympia, Wash., and then in college at AIC. He played with the Seattle Seawolves and can line up anywhere from #4 to #8.

Scrumhalf McVeigh was a start for St. Augustine HS and the OMBAC youth program and was a HS All American before attending Cardiff Met in Wales. He has played with the USA Falcons and San Diego Legion.

Latu has been with the Raptors for three years. The San Mateo native played football at Eastern Michigan and rugby with the LA Giltinis and USA Falcons.

Filikitonga was another College of San Mateo football player and then transferred to Iona College for rugby, where he was a Scholz Award nominee.

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