Game Preview: Saturday, May 20 vs. Utah Warriors

SaberCats’ key road match against Utah Warriors: ‘The end goal remains the same’

SaberCats look to hold onto third seed against fourth-seeded Warriors

By Aaron Wilson

The SaberCats are fired–up and eager to halt an unprecedented losing streak.

They’ve set their ambitions on securing a key road victory in Saturday night’s match against the Utah Warriors.

After losing two games in a row for the first time this season after getting off to a 6-1 start, the 7-4 SaberCats have lost three of their past four matches.

In the wake of a 34-17 home loss to the Seattle Seawolves last week at home, the SaberCats are in third place in the Western Conference division with an identical record as the Warriors. The SaberCats have earned 36 points, three more than the Warriors, who earned a 30-24 win on April 8 in Houston. 

The Warriors currently have the fourth seed and are coming off a win over the Dallas Jackals that included two tries by Joe Mano and a hat trick by Connor McLeod. They scored four tries in the first 20 minutes.

Although the SaberCats have scored more points and allowed fewer tries than Utah, a loss to the Warriors would drop them out of the third seed.

To avoid that scenario, the SaberCats need to manufacture a full 80-minute performance as they chase their goal of a second consecutive playoff berth.

“We have to go back to the drawing board and get back to winning ways,” Louritz van der Schyff said. “The end goal remains the same: We want to win the MLR. We made it a little more difficult. We just have to play better. We need to think one game at a time.”

The SaberCats should get a boost from the return of flanker Gideon van Wyk from a three-game suspension for a heading infraction.

At 6-foot-3, 233 pounds, van Wyk has speed to burn with rare acceleration and instincts.

“We picked him specifically for that role,” SaberCats director Heyneke Meyer said. “He’s a speedster. If guys make a mistake, he can capitalize. He has a lot of speed. We knew they would throw the ball around. He was the right guy to play, and he was a game-changer for us.”

The SaberCats have been playing without van Wyk and Gerrie Labuschagne’ is dealing with an injury.

“That guy comes in every game and makes a play,” Christian Dyer said of van Wyk. “It doesn’t matter if he’s starting or he’s off the bench. He’s a baller.”

Playing at Zions Bank Stadium in Utah, the SaberCats are facing a team on the upswing that built a 28-0 lead as the Warriors got off to a fast start.

There are five games remaining in the season.

It’s time for the SaberCats to position themselves for the postseason.

“I’m confident we can play 80 minutes and we’re up there with the best in the league,” Dyer said. “That’s something we’re searching for and working towards each week and each game. We’re not going to stop or be satisfied until we achieve that.”

*photos by Nicolas Romero