The inaugural Major League Rugby season is now entering its fourth week and while it has thus far delivered on all expectations in terms of excitement, the biggest challenge is yet ahead with more than 20 top players set to miss out on as many as four weeks of action during the June test window. Injury and suspension has already begun to test the strength in depth of some teams and it’s fair to say the talent pool will be stretched to its limit before season’s end.

On Tuesday Eagles fans got a surprise with an earlier-than-expected confirmation of the USA’s 30-man June roster. Included are 18 MLR players who are now certain to miss significant game time ahead of the Semi Finals with training camp set to begin on May 27. Still to come later this month is the Canadian squad, which could take further players away from Seattle and New Orleans.

Below we take a team-by-team look at who will be hit the most by call-ups, and who might step in to fill the gap. It may well alter post-season predictions given the impact on the current league leaders.

AUSTIN ELITE

Heading into the season there was some concern whether the team would be competitive but some late roster additions gave them a much-needed boost in confidence and they secured their first win against NOLA last weekend. Austin have three games games during the release period, two at home.

June 1 – vs Utah Warriors

June 8 – vs Seattle Seawolves

Jun 17 – @ San Diego Legion

Peter Malcolm has already been ruled out for the season with Paddy Ryan, Deon Minnaar, and Michael Reid currently on the shelf and Pedrie Wannenburg nursing a bad hamstring. The good news is that they will lose only one player for the test series. The bad news is that it’s their best player – Hanco Germishuys.

NAME POS COUNTRY ALTERNATIVE Hanco Germishuys FL USA Todd Clever

While losing their most dynamic ball carrier is far from ideal, there is cover within the squad even if Wannenburg is sidelined for longer than expected. Former Eagles captain Todd Clever is a high quality stand-in with Junior Naruma and Dylan Goulding waiting in the wings. Minnaar’s return would be timely and restore a ball-carrying presence.

GLENDALE RAPTORS

The Raptors were expected to be hit hard during the internationals and they certainly will be, not just in personnel but also in the schedule. They are they only team with games on all four weeks of the release period and three of those are against teams favored to reach the Semis.

June 3 – @ New Orleans Gold

June 8 – vs Houston SaberCats

June 16 – vs Seattle Seawolves

June 23 – @ San Diego Legion

With the Eagles training camp and June 9 match taking place in Denver, there is a chance players not selected for the test are released to play in the game against Houston. It would be prudent for Glendale to anticipate that not being the case with all six of their Eagles in contention for spots in the match day 23.

NAME POS COUNTRY ALTERNATIVE Dylan Fawsitt HO USA Zach Fenoglio Ben Landry LO USA Luke White John Quill FL USA Brian Wanless Shaun Davies SH USA Jake Christmann Will Magie FH USA Mika Kruse Bryce Campbell CE USA Afa Malifa

Glendale have already been challenged up front with three-week suspensions handed out to Ben Landry and Connor Cook after their red cards in the season opener. Cook will return just in time for the NOLA match and Eagles coach Gary Gold may opt to release Landry for that match as well in order to get him game time ahead of the tests.

Filling in at second row has been Luke White, normally a prop, though they have now added former Seattle Saracens forward Kody O’Neil as lock or loose forward cover. Max Dacey and Grigor Kerdikoshvili remain on the roster though neither have featured over the past two matches.

Zach Fenoglio has been playing in the back row but should return to hooker when Dylan Fawsitt is pulled away. James Del Bozque is the senior hooker alternative with Merlins prop Giorgi Tsverava and Academy hooker Lolenisi Veimau possibles as front row bench options.

The back row is less of a concern given Cook’s return. John Quill is a key player but they have a strong stable to choose from with Peter Dahl, Sam Figg, and Brian Wanless all up to speed and extra cover in Devin Vaughter and Travis Haugen.

By far the biggest blow will come in the backs, where their dominant inside trio of Shaun Davies, Will Magie, and Bryce Campbell are all set to play significant roles with the Eagles. Jake Christmann deputised for the injured Davies on the weekend and there are two new scrumhalf additions to the squad in Kevin Lynch, who debuted off the bench against Utah, and former Lindenwood starter Mickey Bateman.

Filling in at flyhalf should be either youngster Mika Kruse or former Eagles international Ata Malifa, with the other starting in the midfield. An alternative could be Max de Achaval moving to flyhalf with Seth Halliman shifting to fullback, particularly if one of John Ryberg or Dustin Croy returns to injury in the coming weeks.

HOUSTON SABERCATS

The Cats came up desperately short against San Diego but look a much better side now than they did in their disappointing season opener. They have three games during the window and will be in attendance for the Eagles match against Scotland in Houston during their bye weekend.

Seattle could be missing some leading players but the real target will be Glendale on June 8. Currently unbeaten, the Raptors will be absent a half-dozen of their best leaving a golden opportunity for the SaberCats to upset the favorites at their home turf.

June 2 – vs Seattle Seawolves

June 8 – @ Glendale Raptors

June 23 – @ Utah Warriors

Houston have arguably the deepest roster in MLR and will hardly be affected be the test window. They have recruited well with a number of top players either short of residency requirements for the Eagles or on the fringes and – for now – left out of selection. Only tighthead prop Paul Mullen has been summoned for duty in June.

NAME POS COUNTRY STATUS Paul Mullen PR USA Jake Turnbull

It’s business as usual for the Cats as Mullen has yet to see action in the regular season, with Adam Macklin playing tighthead and Jake Turnbull filling in nicely at loosehead. Jamie Dever is still to arrive from Ireland and Petey Hepburn is enjoying his new home in the front row. Rather than being a setback for the squad, Mullen will be a welcome boost to the side should they clinch a Semi Final spot.

NEW ORLEANS GOLD

There’s no question that the Gold are the thinnest team in terms of squad depth. They suffered a hammer blow when one of their best players, Vince Jobo, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in their final preseason match. NOLA will have three games during the window, the first two at home.

June 3 – vs Glendale Raptors

June 9 – vs San Diego Legion

June 16 – @ Utah Warriors

Team management would have quietly breathed a sigh of relief with no Gold players included on the 30-man Eagles roster. The loss of Sebastián Kalm, Holden Yungert, or JP Eloff would have been devastating to a team already using midfielder Moni Tonga’uiha as a makeshift flanker and Tim Maupin temporarily sidelined. They aren’t completely out of the woods yet with a couple Canadians still in the shop window.

NAME POS COUNTRY ALTERNATIVE Hubert Buydens PR Canada Derrek van Klein Eric Howard HO Canada Cam Falcon

With Kingsley Jones unlikely to name his final squad until after the second domestic ‘trial’ match against the Ontario Arrows, NOLA will play the waiting game for now but as things stand they could yet be completely in the clear. Both Hubert Buydens and Eric Howard were left out of Canada’s Americas Rugby Championship plans and appear to be on the outside looking in. If both were selected the Gold would need to bring in a new front row player with only Alec Janotka outside of their usual match day squad.

The second row continues to be a problem spot but it looks as though Nikola Bursic will stay with the team throughout the season. He has opted out of the South American Championship and Chile do not currently have any matches scheduled during the June window.

SAN DIEGO LEGION

The Legion had a rough opening to their campaign against Seattle but have got their high-powered offense up and running and now look serious contenders moving forward. They have received a favorable draw in terms of the June window with two home matches, one against a weakened Glendale side directly ahead of the Semi Finals

June 9 – @ New Orleans Gold

June 17 – vs Austin Elite

June 23 – vs Glendale Raptors

Losing a number of players was always on the menu for the Legion with so many high profile Eagles internationals on the squad. They had the most called for the June matches with seven in all named though it could have been more with Anthony Salaber in top form but left out for now.

NAME POS COUNTRY ALTERNATIVE Siaosi Mahoni LO USA Lance Lamprecht Tony Lamborn FL USA Mungo Mason Cam Dolan N8 USA Malon Al-Jiboori Nate Augspurger SH USA Nick Boyer Ben Cima FH USA Faitala Talapusi Ryan Matyas WI USA Nick Evans Dylan Audsley FB USA Naima Fua’alau

The tight five remains a real concern but Legion fans will be thankful that Tony Purpura was not selected. Siaosi Mahoni was, however, which leaves a giant-sized hole in the second row likely to be filled by South African youngster Lance Lamprecht unless a new name comes to light.

Tony Lamborn is yet to play for the franchise and like Mullen with Houston will feel more like a boost rather than a takeaway, but the experience of Cam Dolan is a significant loss. Mungo Mason is another yet to appear but should be available soon to fill the gap in the back row, with a number of others already on file including new Eagles cap Malon Al-Jiboori. Mason also looks the most likely candidate to take over the captaincy for the short-term.

In the absence of Nate Augspurger it will be Nick Boyer moving into the starting scrumhalf role with San Diego State’s Austin Switzer a possible as bench cover. Switzer’s ability to cover both halfback positions could allow for Sione Letoi to fill Cima’s bench spot with Faitala Talapusi a more conventional option.

An injury to Mike Te’o and call-ups for Ryan Matyas and Dylan Audsley leaves the outside backs a little thin but there are still sufficient numbers to cover. Nick Evans should jump in on the wing with exciting youngster Naima Fuala’au or the more experienced Garrett Brewer both in the frame at fullback.

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES

Two games into the season we are still to get the full picture of Seattle’s capabilities. What we do know is that they can scrum, and have plenty of front row talent to call on. The Seawolves have a rough schedule in the June window with all three matches on the road.

June 2 – @ Houston SaberCats

June 8 – @ Austin Elite

June 16 – @ Glendale Raptors

Only one player – prop Olive Kilifi – has been summoned by the Eagles, but with seven Canadians on the roster there are certain to be a few more call-ups on the way. Five in particular look to have decent odds or better of being involved.

NAME POS COUNTRY ALTERNATIVE Olive Kilifi PR USA Louie Henson Ray Barkwill HO Canada Mike Shepherd Cam Polson LO Canada Eric Duechle Phil Mack SH Canada Shalom Suniula George Barton CE Canada Mozac Samson Brock Staller WI Canada Peter Tiberio

Ray Barkwill is certain to be involved with Canada but if there’s any spot that the Seawolves have cover it’s the front row. Mike Shepherd fills the starting hooker role with Louie Henson and Vili Toluta’u both able to provide backup. Henson should also be in the loosehead prop picture along with Kellen Gordon in the absence of Kilifi, with John Hayden another option though he typically plays tighthead.

Second row stocks could be very scarce if Cam Polson is taken, which seems a better bet now that Kyle Baillie has been ruled out with injury. Jérémy Lenaerts and Taylor Krumrei will remain the starters with Eric Duechle likely the emergency option and a possible starter on the blindside flank.

George Barton and Brock Staller are both possibles but neither guarantees with Nick Blevins and Ben LeSage incumbents in the midfield and star trio DTH van der Merwe, Taylor Paris, and Jeff Hassler on the wing. Seattle are well-covered at both spots with the likes of Mozac Samson, Mike Garrity, Peter Tiberio, and new signing Sequoyah Burke-Combs all happy to step in.

The obvious problem is at scrumhalf, or is that coach? Phil Mack has been acting head coach as well as the starting No9 and is also the incumbent Canadian captain. Should he depart as expected it leaves a major leadership gap at a vital time on the calendar. Shalom Suniula should move into scrumhalf, with cover up in the air. Mat Turner could be an emergency option or perhaps Isaiah Chinen from Saracens.

UTAH WARRIORS

Last but not least, the Warriors are the only team yet to get a win but will fancy their chances at home against Austin this weekend. They have three games during the June window, all crucial if they hope to earn a spot in the Semi Finals.

June 1 – @ Austin Elite

June 16 – vs New Orleans Gold

June 23 – vs Houston SaberCats

Losing two key players to the Eagles will be a blow but the team has at least been spared in the front row where the loss of Angus MacLellan would have been near-catastrophic. MacLellan is unlucky to by omitted and is likely on standby. There is no obvious replacement at tighthead prop should he receive a late call.

NAME POS COUNTRY ALTERNATIVE David Tameilau N8 USA Saia Uhila Paul Lasike CE USA Paki Afu

David Tameilau has been recalled to the Eagles which deprives the Warriors of one of their big hitters but there are plenty of loose forwards available to get the job done. Saia Uhila should move back to No8 and will take over the captaincy. Lance Williams, Kenny Scott, and the Elkington brothers will man the flanks with Jackson Kaka another strong option should he recover from his shoulder injury in time.

The midfield loses a massive presence – literally and figuratively – in Paul Lasike. There is at least another big hitter ready to start in Paki Afu with regulars like Jared Whippy and AJ Tu’ineau also available.

Tonga have three tests lined up but are unlikely to call any players from Utah. Kurt Morath has not played test rugby since the 2015 World Cup and Fetu’u Vainikolo since November 2016. Having already qualified for the 2019 World Cup, younger players are expected to feature for the Ikale Tahi in June.