Chicago Unveils Roster for Week Five Clash

CHICAGO, Il.-  Chicago Head Coach Chris Latham and his staff named their roster for Saturday’s Eastern Conference matchup against Old Glory DC. The contest, dubbed MLR’s Game of the Week, kicks off Saturday at 12pm from SeatGeek Stadium, headlining the Hounds’ 2025 St. Patrick’s Day party. Fans can purchase tickets for the event here.

Forwards

Loosehead prop Zurab Zhvania is set to make his first appearance in nearly a full calendar year when he takes the field on Saturday afternoon. The powerful capped Georgian-international suffered a lower body injury against the Seattle Seawolves in week five last season and has not played since. He replaces Oti Pifeleti, who started the previous four games for Chicago.

Dylan Fawsitt and Paddy Ryan both make their return to the starting lineup after not featuring last weekend. They replace Janus Venter and Ignacio Peculo, respectively, who drop out of the gameday-23 altogether. Jackson Zabierek, Liam Fletcher, and Charlie Abel make the team from the replacement bench. Abel is returning from a suspension handed down in Week Two.

The engine room and the back row are getting a new look for the first time this season, but it doesn’t include any sweeping changes. Mason Flesch slides down to the second row after starting the first four games at blindside flanker, replacing Hamish Bain. Conall Boomer grabs the No. 6 shirt and is set for his first start of the 2025 campaign. He’ll combine with the trusted duo of Maclean Jones and captain Lucas Rumball in the back row.

Off the bench, the forwards have a lot of firepower to work with. Veteran Luke White can earn his 85th MLR cap with an appearance, with Matt Oworu seeking just his second cap. He made his Hounds and MLR debut in the win over Miami last weekend.

Backs

Latham and Hounds’ Backs’ Coach Noel Reid didn’t opt for too many changes in the backline this week. Scrumhalf Mitch Short and flyhalf Chris Hilsenbeck retain their status as the first-choice pivot duo after an impressive showing against the Sharks.

In the midfield, centers Ollie Devoto and Bryce Campbell will trot out for their fifth consecutive start. The pairing has been impressive throughout the opening month of the season. Devoto has been steady on attack and is currently one of the top ball carriers in the league. He ranks first in carries, third in meters after contact, and tied for sixth in tries scored (2).

On the wings, Nate Augspurger and Noah Brown also retain their spots, manning the left and right sides of the field, respectively. The lone change comes at fullback, with Adriaan Carelse getting the start. This is Carelse’s first start of the season from fullback, he previously started two games at flyhalf.

Jason Higgins is named to the roster as the reserve scrumhalf, with fellow capped-Canadian Noah Flesch also amongst the reserves. Outside back Mark O’Keeffe returns from an injury sustained in the opening minutes of week one’s contest against the Houston Sabercats.

Chicago enters the game on the back of a two-game win streak and currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings with 15 points. With a bye week on the horizon, a win against a fellow Eastern Conference foe could have lasting ramifications on the season- despite how early it may seem. DC are currently third in the East with a 2-1 record and ten points. They have wins over the Miami Sharks and the Carolina Anthem and lost to the San Diego Legion.

Old Glory are one of two MLR franchises the Hounds have never beaten, along with the Seattle Seawolves; Chicago is currently 0-2-1 against DC historically. The two teams were as competitive as it gets last year: the first matchup resulted in a draw while Old Glory won the second game by a single point.

Fans can purchase tickets for the game here. In-market fans can broadcast the game live on Fox Chicago +. Out-of-market viewers can watch the game on ESPN+. International fans wishing to tune into the game can stream it live on the Rugby Network.

Hounds Roster: Week Five