Anthem RC vs. Seattle Seawolves — Week 3 Preview

A chance to rewrite the record against a familiar nemesis

Written by Dan Brooks

Course Correct

The good news? There are clear things to fix, and this group knows how to respond. The second-half fightback against Chicago, after what Coach Cuca described as a half where the team “wasn’t being ourselves,” showed a maturity that simply didn’t exist in previous seasons. The message at halftime came not just from the coaches but from the players themselves. That kind of leadership is new, and it matters.

Know The Opponent

Now comes a side that has historically had Anthem’s number; the Seattle Seawolves have won all three previous meetings. But this is a very different Anthem team, more depth, more experience, more desire, and the two-time MLR champions will know it. Seattle opened their 2026 campaign with a composed 33-16 win over Old Glory DC, pulling away in the final quarter despite finishing with 14 players after a red card. They went 8-1-7 last season, reached the Western Conference Semis, and have reshaped their roster with 19 new signings around a core of 12 returners led by captain Riekert Hattingh, now in his ninth season and the club’s all-time leading try scorer.

Coach Cuca has been studying them closely. Seattle’s forward pack is strong and aggressive, “they’re going to try and intimidate our pack, but we won’t let them,” he said, and their 9-10 axis is a genuine strength. Andre Warner at scrum-half brings tempo, while Dorian Jones, a Welsh international signed from NOLA Gold, adds experience and kicking control at fly-half or in the center. Perhaps the biggest individual threat is Paddy Ryan, the USA international flanker with 19 caps and the kind of professional pedigree, English Premiership, RFU Championship, that translates immediately at this level.

The Storylines

There are compelling matchups right across the park, and Anthem have been working hard to prepare. Up front, the set piece needs attention after three consecutive lineout losses against Chicago cost Anthem valuable attacking platforms, “five opportunities to launch an attack, really hurt us,” Coach Cuca admitted. At fullback, Jordan Trainor’s stability and positioning will be tested by Divan Rossouw, who started all 17 matches last season and crossed for eight tries. And in the back row, the battle between Anthem’s emerging group, Marques Fuala’au was outstanding off the bench in Week 1, and Ryan’s physicality could define the contest.

The bench impact will matter too. Against Chicago, Coach Cuca highlighted the contributions of Oliver Kane, Alessandro Heaney, Ishma-eel Safodien, Baden Godfrey, and Malacchi Esdale as players who lifted the energy in the second half. With Erich Storti and Campbell Robb returning to the squad, and Sam Golla being eased back from injury, the depth is building week by week.

American Legion Memorial Stadium is wider than Seattle’s Starfire Stadium, more room for the attack to stretch defenses on the edges, more space for Conner Mooneyham and Jullian Roberts to do damage. Mooneyham, who Coach Cuca says is competing for a World Cup spot, has been electric but is still learning to channel his fearlessness. “He has no fear, but sometimes he needs to control his emotions a little bit,” the coach said. That’s a good problem to have.

It’s Pups at the Pitch this Sunday, bring the dog, bring the family, and bring the noise. The TRY Rugby grassroots program continues to grow the game at the youth level in Charlotte, with more kids coming to matches each week, and this is the kind of afternoon that builds lifelong fans.

Sunday is a chance to show that the Chicago result was a learning experience, not a setback. Anthem have never beaten the Seawolves. Time to change that.

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