It's playoff time for Americans in Europe. Four teams with Americans on them are fighting it out in the Aviva Premiership and the RaboDirectPro 12. Also, the regular season finishes up in France this weekend, and Americans fight it out int the RFU Championship. Check out this week's action:
British Isles/Ireland:
Chris Wyles and Saracens play Leicester on Saturday in their big Aviva Premiership semi-final.
Aviva Premiership
In the other semi-final, Samu Manoa, Chris Biller, and Northampton take on top team Harlequins.
Paul Emerick and Wasps have finished their season.
RFU Championship
Andrew Suniula is set to start for the Cornish Pirates in the last leg of the semi-final series against Bristol on Sunday. The Pirates carry a 21 point advantage heading into the match.
Shawn Pittman and London Welsh have a 10 point advantage heading into the second leg of their semi-final series with Bedford on Sunday. Reports have recently indicated that Welsh are eligible for promotion is they win the playoffs.
Robbie Shaw, Mike MacDonald and Leeds have finished with their season.
RaboDirect Pro 12
Tommy Seymour and the Glasgow Warriors travel to Leinster to take on the top regular season team in the RaboDirectPro12 semi-finals.
Hanno Dirksen is in the starting lineup for the Ospreys as they host Munster on Friday in the other semi-final.
Callum Black and Ulster are not in the RaboDirectPro12 playoffs but are in the Heineken Cup final next week.
Other
Tim Usasz and Barking have finished their season.
France:
Top 14
Taku Ngwenya and Biarritz play Scott LaValla and Stade Francais in the final Top 14 match of the season on Saturday. Both teams will miss the playoffs but Biarritz are in the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final.
Seta Tuilevuka and Montpellier play Toulouse on Saturday.
Pro D2
Inaki Basauri and Perigueux play Aix-en-Provence on Saturday in the final match of the Pro D2 season. Perigueux have been relegated.
South Africa:
Vodacom Cup
J.J. Gagiano and the Golden Lions have finished their season.
T.V. Listings:
*Here are the times for Super Rugby this weekend. All matches are on DirectTV.
Friday
- Ospreys vs. Munster, 2:30 p.m. et/11:30 a.m. pt (live on Fox Soccer Plus)
Saturday
- Harlequins vs. Northampton, 9:40 a.m. et/6:40 a.m. pt (live on Fox Soccer Plus)
- Toulouse vs. Montpellier, 10:15 a.m. et/7:15 a.m. pt (live on ESPN3.com)
- Leicester vs. Saracens, 12:25 p.m. et/9:25 a.m. pt (live on Fox Soccer Plus)
- Leinster vs. Glasgow, 2:30 p.m. et/11:30 a.m. pt (live on Fox Soccer Plus)
- Northampton vs. Worcester, 10:00 a.m. et/7:00 a.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)
- Life vs. NYAC, 1:00 p.m. et/10:00 a.m. et (Rugby Super League Network, click for a link to the match)
- Dallas vs. Old Blue, 10:00 a.m. et/7:00 a.m. pt (Rugby Super League Network, click for a link to the match)
- Boston vs. Dallas, 2:00 p.m. et/11:00 a.m. pt (Rugby Super League Network, click for a link to the match)
- OPSB vs. Denver, 10:00 p.m. et/7:00 p.m. pt (Rugby Super League Network, click for a link to the match)
- Life vs. BYU, 1:30 p.m. et/10:30 a.m. pt (Streaming on Life's website)
Another American playing overseas is Anthony Daisuke Estrella who played last year with the Toshiba Brave Lupus in the Japanese Top League (same league that Todd Clever plays). Estrella is from Sacramento, CA and played for Jesuit High School and then at Cal. He represented the USA at U19 level.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that. He plays prop too, a position the Eagles need to develop some depth at. I'll keep a lookout for him in the future.
ReplyDelete