Anthem RC vs. New England Free Jacks — Week 9 Preview

THEY’RE HOME. AND THEY CAN’T WAIT.

Written by Dan Brooks

The Boys Are Back In Town

It has been a long time coming. Since the Seattle win back in Week 3, the first home victory in franchise history, Anthem Rugby Carolina have been on the road. Old Glory in Virginia. New England in Quincy. Chicago at SeatGeek Stadium. Seattle out west. Five weeks, four away matches, and a bye sandwiched in the middle. The travel has been demanding, the results have been mixed, and the players have been away from the people who matter most. When Coach Cuca spoke this week, the relief in his voice was unmistakable: “The players are needing this. They need to play in front of their families, in front of their friends. I think that’s something the team was needing. We can’t wait to play this game.”

Saturday night under the lights at American Legion Memorial Stadium, then. A 7:00 PM kickoff, a welcome shift from the afternoon heat that has been building in Charlotte, and the three-time defending champions as the opposition. It doesn’t get much bigger than that.

Know The Opponent

The Free Jacks arrive in Charlotte with a season that has mirrored Anthem’s in some respects: uneven, frustrating at times, but punctuated by performances that suggest the quality is there when it clicks. New England’s title defense started as badly as any champion could fear, a 43-5 demolition by the California Legion in Week 2, followed by a 50-26 loss to Chicago and a narrow 21-19 defeat to Old Glory DC that left them winless through three rounds. It was the kind of start that had people writing off the back-to-back-to-back champions before April was out. But Ryan Martin’s squad have responded. The Free Jacks have found form in recent weeks, and the win over Anthem in Quincy, 38-26 in Week 5, was the result that seemed to settle them. They are a dangerous side when their confidence is up, and it is up now.

But Anthem know they can trouble them. The Week 5 meeting in Quincy was a defeat, but it was not a chastening one. Anthem dominated the set piece, scored four tries, and came away with a bonus point, Campbell Robb driving over in the dying seconds to ensure the squad didn’t leave Massachusetts empty-handed. The scrum was dominant. The lineout functioned well. The attack created plenty. What hurt Anthem that day was New England’s defensive line speed, an aggressive, high-risk system that rushed up quickly and forced turnovers in the wider channels before Anthem could exploit the space behind it. Cuca has spent the week addressing exactly that. “They apply this line speed,” he said, “but when you apply this line speed, obviously you are leaving some spaces open at the edges. We are going to try to explore those spaces. But you have to be smart about how you arrive there.”

It is a telling tactical insight. New England’s rush defense is a weapon, it disrupts opposition structure, forces errors, and creates turnover opportunities, but it is also a gamble. Get through the first line and there is space to attack. The challenge for Anthem is execution: identifying the right moments to shift the ball wide, choosing the right passes, and having the composure to back themselves when the opportunities appear. It was the 50-50 passes that didn’t stick, the turnovers in contact, that let New England off the hook in Quincy. Fix those, and the scoreboard takes care of itself.

The set piece remains the foundation. Anthem’s scrum is the best in the competition by a significant margin: the front row have anchored a pack that has won more scrum penalties than any other team this season, and Cuca sees the forwards as the platform for everything that follows. “In New England we dominated that part of the game,” he said. “We had good opportunities with the maul, good lineouts. I think we have a good opportunity there with the forwards, challenge them there.” The message is clear: win the collisions, control the set piece, and let the backs finish the job.

Cuca’s broader assessment of New England is instructive. Unlike Chicago, the clinical, settled machine that punished every error in Anthem’s last away fixture, the Free Jacks are a younger, less experienced outfit still building their identity under a new coaching setup. “This team is probably different to what Seattle and Chicago are, two very experienced squads,” Cuca said. “New England are a bit younger. It’s similar to us, where the battle can be more balanced in terms of experience.” It is not disrespect; it is an honest reading of where the opportunity lies. If Chicago required near-perfection to compete with, New England present a contest that Anthem can win by playing their own game well.

The Storylines

The return of Jordan Trainor at fullback is perhaps the most significant selection storyline of the week. Trainor missed the Chicago match through suspension, and his absence was felt, not because Julian Roberts didn’t perform admirably at 15, but because Trainor’s presence changes the entire defensive structure of the backline. “He’s someone that is bringing a lot of security to our backfield,” Cuca said. “The connection that we are building with the wings, with the outside centers, I think he really gives a lot of confidence to our backline.” With Trainor restored to the 15 jersey, Roberts shifts back to his roaming role in the back three, wing, center, wherever the matchup demands. Cuca’s admiration for Roberts is evident: “Julian can play in every position he jumps into on the field. His rugby IQ is above average. He can jump into different positions and perform very well.” Expect Roberts to be deployed wherever he can do the most damage.

Dominic Akina’s continued development is another thread worth following. The former Houston man has added a physical edge to the midfield that Anthem lacked earlier in the season, his chip-and-chase try in Quincy was one of the moments of the year, but Cuca was candid about the work still to be done. “He’s a very physical player,” Cuca said. “When we speak about physicality, running hard with the ball, he can be very, very good, he can make a difference. But he needs to work on his details. His turnovers during games, those kinds of things. Sometimes the details, even if they seem very small, are super big.” It is the kind of honest assessment that speaks to where this coaching staff’s standards sit: talent alone isn’t enough; Cuca wants precision.

The squad comes into the week in good shape. Despite the toll of the road stretch, four away matches in five weeks, Cuca described the group as “pretty healthy,” with no significant injury concerns. Campbell Robb, the young hooker, earned particular praise for his recent performances, as did the squad’s overall resilience through a punishing schedule. With a couple of players getting a rest this week, Alessandaro Heaney is stepping in for Payton Telea-Ilalio, and Karl Keane is getting a run at 9, both looking to add some crucial energy for the leg of this double-header.

And then there is the occasion itself. It is Military Appreciation Night at American Legion Memorial Stadium. Anthem will wear their Blackout Kit, the sharp, dark alternate jersey that has become a fan favorite. The gates open at 6:00 PM, the lights come on, and for the first time since April, this squad gets to play in front of a Charlotte crowd. After everything the road has demanded, Saturday night is the reward. Make it count.

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