The 2020 Major League Rugby season at long last gets underway in Houston on Saturday morning as the SaberCats play host to the Colorado Raptors at AVEVA Stadium. It’s a fresh start for each side, with new coaches, new players, and new hopes looking to start the season on the front foot.

Houston will throw new arrival Diego Fortuny straight into the front row though fellow Argentine Nicolás Solveyra waits his turn on the bench. Fortuny is the only fit and available hooker to the squad with Norfolk Blues prop CJ Burke drafted in on the bench.

There is no sign of Charlie Hewitt at lock with Kyle Breytenbach getting the start alongside Victor Comptat and Robert Meeson making an unexpected return among the reserves. The back row sees Adriaan Booysen swapped to his preferred No8 spot with vice-captain Diego Magno on the flank.

It’s a more familiar backline for SaberCats fans though three players will make their MLR debuts. De Wet Roos captains the side at scrumhalf with a new midfield pairing in Tiaan Loots and Matías Freyre. Among the replacements is Jake Christmann, who could make his first league appearance since 2018 against his former team.

The Raptors start two Samoa representatives in the front row with Zak Taulafo making his debut. Michael Curry moves up into the second row with newcomers Mike Stewart and Sam Slade in the loose forwards. Notably absent is Hanco Germishuys. The US Eagles star has left the team following a contract dispute.

Carlo de Nysschen is given the first crack at the starting scrumhalf spot with Irish recruit Tomás Quinlan at flyhalf. The only other new starter in the backline is New Zealander Mason Emerson at fullback. Former All Blacks standout Rene Ranger awaits his debut on the bench having only arrived during the week.

The biggest question to be asked of the Raptors is whether their scrum can hold out against an aggressive SaberCats tight five. If Colorado can at least secure their own put-in, the backline has a potent look though their opposites are no pushovers. It makes for a tight contest with the pundits virtually split down the middle. Give Houston the edge on home field advantage but only by a whisker.

Kickoff is set for 11am local time, 9am Pacific, 10am Mountain, and noon Eastern. Live broadcasts will be available on ESPN News in the USA. Those located elsewhere can access the stream on the official MLR Facebook page.

HOUSTON SABERCATS

1 Valdemar Lee-Lo, 2 Diego Fortuny, 3 Charlie Connolly, 4 Kyle Breytenbach, 5 Victor Comptat, 6 Cecil Garber, 7 Diego Magno, 8 Adriaan Booysen, 9 De Wet Roos (capt.), 10 Sam Windsor, 11 Malacchi Esdale, 12 Tiaan Loots, 13 Matías Freyre, 14 Zach Pangelinan, 15 Osea Kolinisau

Replacements: 16 CJ Burke, 17 Boyd Wiggins, 18 Nicolás Solveyra, 19 Robert Meeson, 20 Luke Beauchamp, 21 Jake Christmann, 22 Taylor Howden, 23 Kieran Farmer

COLORADO RAPTORS

1 Zak Taulafo, 2 Chad Gough, 3 Marco Fepulea’i, 4 Michael Curry, 5 Luke White (capt.), 6 Brendan Daly, 7 Mike Stewart, 8 Sam Slade, 9 Carlo de Nysschen, 10 Tomás Quinlan, 11 John Ryberg, 12 Robbie Petzer, 13 Chad London, 14 Mika Kruse, 15 Mason Emerson

Replacements: 16 Jay Finau, 17 Xendy Tatibouët, 18 Kelepi Fifita, 19 Kody O’Neil, 20 Connor Cook, 21 Ata Malifa, 22 Rene Ranger, 23 Nick Boyer

Date: Saturday, February 8

Venue: AVEVA Stadium, Houston

Kickoff: 11:00 local (09:00 Pacific, 10:00 Mountain, 12:00 Eastern)

Referee: Scott Green (USA)

Assistants: Joey Swatzell (USA) & Greg Varnell (USA)

Broadcasts: ESPN News, Facebook