Anthem RC vs. Chicago Hounds — Week 2 Preview

After a historic first win, Anthem return home looking to do what they’ve never done: beat the Hounds

Written by Dan Brooks

The Stage Is Set For the Home Opener

Know The Opponent

Now for the hard part. Chicago has won all four previous meetings between the two squads. The most recent encounter was tight — 33-19 last May. The Hounds finished 2025 with an 11-5 record and reached the Eastern Conference Finals. The majority of their coaching staff is back, their spine is largely unchanged, and they’ve added 2025 Championship MVP Brock Webster at fullback — a Canadian international whose ability to pop up in unexpected places makes him a genuine problem to defend. Ollie Devoto, the 2025 Back of the Year, remains the heartbeat of the backline, and co-captains Lucas Rumball and Chris Hilsenbeck bring the kind of composure that comes from knowing exactly how to close out tight games. If last week’s Legion were a newly assembled outfit still finding their rhythm — and, to be fair, they were a merged franchise with a short preseason behind them — Chicago are a settled, battle-hardened side who know precisely what they’re about.

From the Coach

Head Coach Agustin ‘Cuca’ Cavalieri was at pains this week to acknowledge the win while keeping eyes forward: enjoy it, learn from it, but understand that Saturday demands a different level. “We need to maintain the drive and passion that was required to achieve that first victory,” he said. California liked to play a multi-phase game — “allergic to kicking,” as Cuca put it — keeping the ball alive through endless phases of open-field structure. Chicago will bring something entirely different, with a new front row and scrum-half changing the shape of their attack and Webster adding another dimension from the back.

The Storylines

There are fascinating matchups all over the park. The back row battle could be decisive, and Marques Fuala’au made a compelling case off the bench last weekend with numerous turnovers and a menacing presence at the breakdown. At fullback, Jordan Trainor — whose security and stability give Anthem the backline confidence to play with width — goes head-to-head with Webster’s unpredictable, roaming style. It’s the kind of contrast that could define which team controls territory. The entire bench impressed last week, too — exactly the kind of tactical depth this game demands. “I don’t want players on the bench where, at the 70th minute, I have to question whether I should put them on,” Cuca said. “I want every player fighting for their time on the field.”

Then there’s the storyline that writes itself. Lock James Scott faces his former Hounds teammates for the first time since crossing sides to Anthem in the offseason. He’s offered some insight into Chicago’s DNA — how they approach the game, how they try to play — and that understanding of their identity could prove invaluable. Anthem fans will spot another familiar face in the opposition front row, too: former club captain Jake Turnbull, who crossed to Chicago in the offseason. Two players who swapped sides, both with a point to prove.

Behind the scenes, the growth is real. GM Mark Carney noted this week that the international recruits have already exceeded expectations — not just in their own performances, but in the influence they’re having on the group. “Jordan Trainor brings a stability to the backline that allows the likes of Storti, Mooneyham and Roberts to operate safe in the knowledge they have a secure fullback behind them,” Carney said. “And Ramiro Gurovich is doing a fantastic job helping the younger front rowers elevate their game.” Perhaps most encouraging, Makeen Alikhan and Sam Golla are showing maturity and leadership — no longer the new rookies, now players growing into the prime of their careers. It’s the kind of development that doesn’t always make the highlight reel but defines where a program is headed.

This is Anthem RC’s first home match of the 2026 season — the first chance for Charlotte to see this transformed squad in person and get behind a team that finally knows what winning feels like. American Legion Memorial Stadium on a Saturday afternoon. After what happened in Irvine, you’ll want to be there.

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