> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Seawolves Take On Utah In Western Semifinal - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seawolves-take-on-utah-in-western-semifinal/ - Published: 2025-06-15T02:04:39.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:19:55.000Z - Author: Callaghan Bluechel - Tags: Analysis, Seawolves, MLR, Riekert Hattingh, Charles Elton, Dewald Kotze, Rodney Iona \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4943"\] ![ The Seattle Seawolves and Utah Warriors battle it out on March 22, 2025 at Starfire Stadium. Though this game was a loss for Seattle, Now the two sides face in the Western Conference Semifinal. Credit: Punkus Arnett/Seattle Seawolves. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/image002--286-29-format-original-1.jpg) The Seattle Seawolves and Utah Warriors battle it out on March 22, 2025 at Starfire Stadium. Though this game was a loss for Seattle, Now the two sides face in the Western Conference Semifinal. Credit: Punkus Arnett/Seattle Seawolves. \[/caption\] The first round of the 2025 playoffs is here, and it’s the biggest game that the Seattle Seawolves have ever played against the Utah Warriors. In 14 meetings over the past eight seasons – dating back to Major League Rugby’s inaugural 2018 campaign – the Seawolves are 9-4-1 against the Utah Warriors. But for the first time, the two sides are meeting in the playoffs. This is the first home playoff match in Utah Warriors history and the first playoff game the Warriors have been in since the 2018 Semifinal, when Utah lost 34-21 to the Glendale Raptors. While the Warriors are hoping for a splash re-entry into the MLR playoffs after a long drought, Seattle is much more familiar with the end-of-season festivities. This is the sixth time the Seawolves have made it to the playoffs – and Seattle wants to make it their fifth time to the MLR Final and their third MLR Shield. But to do that, Seattle would have to win three straight. Up first is this match against Utah, and it won’t be easy. The Warriors have the best offense in major league rugby, with 529 points scored over the regular season. Some of the top scorers in the league are integral pieces of the Utah backfield, with wing Joe Mano being the try leader with 14 and D’Angelo Leuila tied for second in overall points at 89, with one try with automatic conversion, 32 conversions, and six penalty goals – though Leuila is going to be a substitute for this match. Flyhalf Joel Hodgson is not far behind, with 85 points on seven tries, 19 conversions, and four penalty goals. And fullback Jordan Trainor is one of two MLR players – the other being Duncan Matthews – with over 1000 meters on the 2025 regular season. Utah also has a powerful forward pack. Utility forward Frank Lochore led MLR in tackles with 265 – he is playing lock today. Right behind him is back rower Dylan Nel, playing eightman today, who has 198 tackles. Liam Coltman leads all hookers this year in tackles (152) and is tied for the lead in tries (10). Here is the full starting XV for Utah: 1 – Aki Seuili (**6-0, 260 pounds**; 13.2 tackles/80, 12 turnovers won) 2 – Liam Coltman (**6-1, 240 pounds**; 15.6 tackles/80, 5 turnovers won, **10 tries**) 3 – Tonga Kofe (**6-2, 310 pounds**; 10.8 tackles/80, 4 turnovers won) 4 – Frank Lochore (**6-4, 240 pounds**; 17.3 tackles/80, 6 turnovers won) 5 – Matt Jensen (**6-7, 270 pounds**; 13.8 tackles/80, 2 turnovers won) 6 – Bailey Wilson (**6-3, 220 pounds**; 12.6 tackles/80, 8 turnovers won) 7 – Lance Williams (**6-2, 230 pounds**; 7\* turnovers won) 8 – Dylan Nel (**6-1, 245 pounds**; 16.4 tackles/80, 8 turnovers won, 1.9 meters/carry, **4 tries**) 9 – Zion Going (**6-1, 185 pounds**; 632 passes, 10 turnovers won, **4 tries**, 5 try assists) 10 – Joel Hodgson (**5-10, 175 pounds**; 301 passes, 4 turnovers won, **7 tries**, 9 try assists) 11 – Joe Mano (**5-11, 200 pounds**; 8.6 meters/carry, .593 crossed gainline %, 13 turnovers won, **14 tries**) 12 – Spencer Jones (**6-1, 215 pounds**; 5.6 meters/carry, 10.0 tackles/80, 5 try assists) 13 – Kyle Brown (**5-11, 185 pounds**; 3.4 meters/carry, .519 crossed gainline %, **1 try**) 14 – Nic Benn (**6-2, 205 pounds**; 7.1 meters/carry, .422 crossed gainline %, 7 turnovers won, **7 tries**) 15 – Jordan Trainor (**6-1, 190 pounds**; 7.2 meters/carry, .287 crossed gainline %, **6 tries**, 8 try assists) *\*Incomplete statistics available for Lance Williams. He has played 450 minutes and has at least 61 tackles and 7 turnovers won, but his actual tackles amount is probably in the 75-80 range.* And the eight substitutes: 16 – Tu Vogakoto (**6-1, 255 pounds**; 10.8 tackles/80, 2 turnovers won, **3 tries**) 17 – Emerson Prior (**6-2, 255 pounds**; 16.6 tackles/80, 1 turnover won) 18 – Angus MacLellan (**6-1, 265 pounds**; 14.5 tackles/80, 2 turnovers won) 19 – Reid Davis (**6-4, 240 pounds**; 13.1 tackles/80, 3 turnovers won) 20 – Kalisi Moli (**6-2, 245 pounds**; 14.8 tackles/80, 4 turnovers won) 21 – Logan Crowley (**5-9, 175 pounds**; 328 passes, 4 turnovers won, **1 try**, 2 try assists) 22 – Paul Lasike (**5-11, 250 pounds**; 2.2 meters/carry, 10.7 meters/carry, 1 try assist) 23 – D’Angelo Leuila (**5-9, 190 pounds**; 4.8 meters/carry, 9.7 tackles/80, **1 try**) With Rhyno Herbst unavailable due to suspension and Dan Kriel out with injury, the Seawolves are making a couple unusual plays in their roster construction. The team is structured 6-2 off the bench – they usually go 5-3 – with Pago Haini available as an extra eightman, his first appearance since March 15 in Los Angeles. Eddie Fouché is getting the start at inside center for the first time since Seattle’s home match against the Warriors on March 22\. In the absence of Herbst, the engine room pair to start will be Malembe Mpofu and OJ Noa, marking the return of Noa to lock for the first time since May 2 versus RFCLA. Here is the full starting XV for Seattle: 1 – Cam Orr (**6-0, 265 pounds**; 11.8 tackles/80, 1 turnover won) 2 – Dewald Kotze (**6-1, 229 pounds**; 13.9 tackles/80, 1 turnover won, **3 tries**) 3 – Juan Pablo Zeiss (**6-0, 278 pounds**; 11.4 tackles/80, 5 turnovers won) 4 – Malembe Mpofu (**6-6, 258 pounds**; 11.1 tackles/80, 3 turnovers won) 5 – OJ Noa (**6-4, 243 pounds**; 10.7 tackles/80, 4 turnovers won) 6 – Charles Elton (**6-3, 234 pounds**; 18.2 tackles/80, 3 turnovers won) 7 – Devin Short (**6-3, 220 pounds**; 11.5 tackles/80, 11 turnovers won) 8 – Riekert Hattingh (**6-5, 234 pounds**; 11.6 tackles/80, 6 turnovers won, 3.3 meters/carry, **6 tries**) 9 – JP Smith (**6-1, 201 pounds**; 773 passes, 1 turnover won, **2 tries**, 3 try assists) 10 – Rodney Iona (**5-11, 203 pounds**; 334 passes, 9 turnovers won, **0 tries**, 10 try assists) 11 – Toni Pulu (**6-1, 205 pounds**; 6.4 meters/carry, .560 crossed gainline %, 7 turnovers won, **4 tries**) 12 – Eddie Fouché (**6-1, 207 pounds**; 3.1 meters/carry, 7.3 tackles/80, 3 try assists) 13 – Divan Rossouw (**6-0, 196 pounds**; 5.7 meters/carry, .429 crossed gainline %, **8 tries**) 14 – Jade Stighling (**6-0, 105 pounds**; 10.8 meters/carry, .629 crossed gainline %, 3 turnovers won, **3 tries**) 15 – Duncan Matthews (**5-11, 194 pounds**; 7.6 meters/carry, .414 crossed gainline %, **6 tries**, 10 try assists) And the eight substitutes: 16 – Jesse Mackail (**6-1, 240 pounds**; 8.1 tackles/80, 0 turnovers won, **3 tries**) 17 – Chance Wenglewski (**6-4, 245 pounds**; 9.8 tackles/80, 0 turnovers won) 18 – Mason Pedersen (**6-1, 258 pounds**; 13.2 tackles/80, 0 turnovers won) 19 – CC Mahoni (**6-8, 269 pounds**; 14.0 tackles/80, 1 turnover won) 20 – Huw Taylor (**6-5, 251 pounds**; 14.4 tackles/80, 2 turnovers won) 21 – Pago Haini (**6-2, 249 pounds**; 20 tackles/80\*, 2.0 meters/carry, 0 turnovers won, **0 tries**) 22 – Nick Boyer (**6-3, 220 pounds**; 307 passes, 1 turnover won, **2 tries**, 2 try assists) 23 – Ina Futi (**5-10, 205 pounds**; 7.0 meters/carry, .507 crossed gainline %, 5 turnovers won, **4 tries**) *\*Haini has played just eight minutes in 2025\. In 2024, Haini had 8.6 tackles/80, 3.4 meters/carry, 6 turnovers won, and 3 tries.* This will be captain Riekert Hattingh’s return to the eightman role, which he has taken a break from in the past few games, instead playing flanker. The Warriors are the best scrummaging unit in MLR, and it’s not hard to see why. The Warriors’ pack outweighs the Seawolf forwards, 2015 pounds (914 kilos) to 1961 pounds (889 kilos), and they are adept at using their weight both in the scrum and in open play. This will pose an extra challenge to a Seawolf side that has started to have struggles in the scrum over the past couple matches. But the two places Seattle will really have to watch out for are giveaways and line breaks. The Warriors, up and down the lineup, are excellent at taking the ball away from opposing teams, and with the Seawolves’ struggles at knocking on and suffering penalties up top, this could present a big issue. The Warriors also have a set of backs that often break free from opposing lines, as Seattle saw in their first matchup. This will present a challenge, but with Elton and Short at flanker, Utah will have a tough time going up the middle. On the sides, Futi has been excellent at preventing breakaways all year, but Stighling has had struggles outside of his star showing last week – so Seattle is going to need Stighling to keep up his strong form, especially with Joe Mano opposite. The Seawolves’ strongest asset this year is the Seawall defense, and though it will have its work cut out, it has held up well against Utah when the Warriors are driving at the posts. Seattle will need the Seawall to continue its strong work so that the team’s history of beating Utah continues in this year’s Western Conference Semifinal. The match is at 7:00 PM Pacific today, and will be aired on Fox 13 in Seattle, ESPN+ in the United States, and The Rugby Network outside of the USA and South Africa. Tonight’s winner will play in the Western Conference Final on June 21 against the winner of tomorrow’s match between Houston and RFCLA.