Day: June 21, 2025

2025 Western Conference Final: Utah Warriors v Houston SaberCats

The Utah Warriors host the Houston SaberCats in a clash of two of Major League Rugby’s founding teams in the 2025 Western Conference Final!

The #1 team in the west during the regular season, the Utah Warriors survived a spirited comeback by the Seattle Seawolves to take a 23-21 victory in their Western Conference Semifinal, securing their first ever postseason victory. The Houston SaberCats, who finished 2nd in the west in the regular season, eventually recorded their first ever playoff victory as well . Emerging as 27-21 victors over a tough Rugby FC LA side after their game was delayed by a day due to inclement weather. That was the 4th playoff game in team history, and finally they manage a win, in front of a home crowd, too.

This is the first time these sides have met in the postseason. They have met 14 times in the past, with the SaberCats holding an 8-6 lead in the head-to-head series. The most recent meeting was a comfortable 40-19 victory for Houston back in Round 14. That was at SaberCats Stadium however. The Houston SaberCats have had the Utah Warrior’s number all season and unfortunately for the hosts, that stayed the case in this game. Almost straight away, the SaberCats were on the front foot. They opened the scoring after only 3 minutes through Andre Warner and the Warriors didn’t seem to have any response. Things got worse as Warriors Fullback Jordan Trainor was helped from the pitch 16 minutes in, but Utah veteran Lance Williams crossed for the Warriors’ first points of the afternoon. Joel Hodgson’s missed conversion meant that the SaberCats still led 5-7, and at this point there was some controversy. Utah looked sure to score another try through Joe Mano, but he was taken out by Houston winger Drake Davis about 5m out. On the replay, it looked like Davis had absolutely no intent to wrap, was upright, and made contact with Mano’s head, which would have been a clear red. However, TMO Derek Summers quickly ruled it a fair tackle, to the surprise of the commentary team and many watching. Following this and with 10 minutes to go until the break, Houston exploded. A score from AJ Alatimu extended their lead to 9, before Tautalatasi Tasi intercepted a Utah ball to go the length and stretch the lead to 16 with a half-time score of 5-21 to the visitors. Was that ‘non-call’ the defining moment of the match?

The 2nd half started similar to how the first ended. AJ Alatimu tried extending the lead with a penalty, but was unsuccessful. The Utah Warriors looked to be finding their rhythm in attack, but out of nowhere Drake Davis (who arguably should not have been on the field) read an interception well and ran the length for the SaberCats’ 2nd interception try of the afternoon. This visibly shattered the Warriors’ confidence, and nothing was going right for them. 10 minutes after Davis’ interception, the Houston forwards got to work and Seth Smith crossed from close range to give  Houston an almost insurmountable 5-33 lead with 15 minutes to play. The Warriors, to their credit, didn’t give up. In the 75th minute, Warrior #1 Paul Lasike smashed through a handful of Houston defenders for his first MLR try since 2023 in his final game of professional rugby, much to the delight of the home crowd. On the final play of the game, the SaberCats’ Marno Redelinghuys received a yellow card and Tu Vugakoto was able to cross for Utah’s 3rd of the game, but it was too little too late. The final score of 19-33 to Houston somewhat flatters a Utah side that were comprehensively beaten.

The Houston SaberCats claim their first ever Western Conference Title, and will face the New England Free Jacks for the 2025 MLR Shield next weekend in Rhode Island!

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2025 Eastern Conference Final: New England Free Jacks v Chicago Hounds

In a repeat of the 2024 Conference Final, the Chicago Hounds travel to Fort Quincy to face the New England Free Jacks in the 2025 Eastern Conference Final!

Both sides made it through the Conference Semifinals relatively comfortably. The Free Jacks dominated the Miami Sharks, scoring 4 tries to Miami’s 1 to secure a 32-10 victory. The Chicago Hounds had a slightly tougher time against Old Glory DC. They trailed 10-16 at the half before keeping the Flags scoreless in the 2nd for a 27-16 victory in front of a home crowd. Now in the Eastern Conference Final, it’s the top seed against the 2nd seed! The last time these two sides met in the post season, the Free Jacks scraped a 23-17 victory en route to their 2nd of back-to-back Shields in 2024. Including that match, these sides have met 6 times with New England holding a 4-2 lead in that series. They split the regular season series 1-1 but the Free Jacks took the most recent meeting with a 27-17 win back in Round 13.

The Chicago Hounds were definitely up for this game, and struck first through a Tim Seiwl score after 11 minutes. just a few minutes after this, Bryce Campbell intercepted Free Jacks ball and looked guaranteed to extend the Hounds lead if not for a sensational try-saving tackle from Paula Balekana. The Hounds did extend their lead to 0-10, but that missed score would come back to haunt Chicago. There were no scores between the 20 minute mark and half-time, The Free Jacks stayed afloat despite the Chicago Hounds dominating. The 2nd half looked to be more of the same, as Noah Brown finished another Chicago score in the 43rd minute to extend the lead to 0-17 after the conversion.

Around 10 minutes later, still down 17, the Free Jacks offence started to show signs of life. Jed Melvin trundled over to open the scoring for the hosts. Within 5 minutes, the Free Jacks had completely flipped the momentum and pulled the score back to 14-17 thanks to a try from Cam Nordli-Kelemeti. The Chicago Hounds were still holding on however, and stretched their lead to 14-20 a few minutes later through a penalty from Chris Hilsenbeck, who then missed another penalty 3 minutes later that would have made it a 2-score game with 15 to play. After 12 minutes of intense defence from the Hounds, the Free Jacks were able to break through as Kyle Ciquera barged under the posts for an automatic 7pts to give New England their first lead of the game with roughly 90 seconds to play. The Hounds kicked-off quickly, and managed to earn a penalty in kickable range for HIlsenbeck with the clock in the red. With the Eastern Conference on the line, Hilsenbeck lined up the kick…and unbelievably, the in-stadium feed cut out for the most important 10 seconds in the 2025 Eastern Conference, on MLR’s national broadcast. The Commentary team were left as clueless as the audience.

A few panicked minutes later, Ben Holden relayed the news that HIlsenbeck’s kick had rang off the left upright, and was unsuccessful. The New England Free Jacks claimed their 3rd Eastern Conference title in a row with a narrow 21-20 victory in which they led for all of 90 seconds. They book their spot to fight for the Threepeat in Rhode Island next weekend! For the Hounds, it’s the same story as 2024, but on the back of a far stronger season. They look to the off-season and building for 2026.

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