North American Rugby Database

Report

The Eastern Conference Champs take on the Western Conference Champs as the New England Free Jacks face the Houston SaberCats at Centreville Bank Stadium in Rhode Island for the 2025 Championship!

Although officially a neutral venue, Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island will definitely feel like a home crowd for the Free Jacks, who are looking for their 3rd straight Shield to cement their legacy as a Dynasty. The Houston SaberCats are looking to ruin the party in their First MLR Championship Final appearance after dominating the Utah Warriors at Zion’s Bank Stadium. Maybe they thrive in adversity? These teams have never met in the postseason, but have met 4 times in the past. The New England Free Jacks are undefeated against the Houston SaberCats.

Both teams went with unchanged matchday 23s to their respective Conference Finals in front of a very Free Jacks friendly crowd of just over 5,700 in Rhode Island. There was a nervy start from both sides, with the early game defined by handling errors. New England opened the scoring early through the boot of Dan Hollinshead, before AJ Alatimu struck back almost immediately. A few minutes later with the score now at 3-3, Brock Webster showed his Sevens skills with a scything run followed by a spectacular offload to Paula Balekana for an easy finish, the first try of the 2025 Championship game and the 14th try of the season for Balekana. Hollinshead added the conversion and another penalty just before the first hydration break, and the Free Jacks seemed in complete control, leading Houston 13-3. Whatever was in the SaberCats’ water bottled clearly woke them up as straight after the hydration break, Max Schumacher finished a try in the corner to bring Houston back into the game. Alatimu nailed the conversion to bring the Western Conference Champs within 3. The teams settled into the game following that schumacher score, but Alatimu had a chance to even the score through his boot, but missed. He would redeem himself before halftime however, as a high ball was mishandled and the Free Jacks reclaimed posession before a kick through saw Brock Webster fly through and caught a sluggish Alatimu out, diving on the ball in the try zone. Somehow, Alatimu managed to keep Webster from grounding it and it was deemed held up following a TMO review, and Houston were lucky to escape to the sheds down 13-10.

The Free Jacks kept the pressure up coming out of the break, and Sam Caird eventually broke through the Houston defence from close range after a heap of phases. Hollinshead slotted the conversion to give the Free Jacks a 20-10 lead and Houston had plenty of work to do. The ‘Cats got back to work and started piling the pressure on New England. Eventually, Drake Davis coming off of his wing barged through a would-be tackler to score right by the posts, giving Alatimu an easy conversion and the Free Jacks lead was cut to 3pts once again. Another Hollinshead penalty took the lead back out to 6pts not long after, but in the 61st minute, Piers van Dadelszen was given a yellow card for a cynical play on his own line. Somehow, the Free Jacks defence held firm and the SaberCats were unable to shift the scoreboard, as time began to work against the Western Conference Champions. Things were made worse when Paula Balekana finished in the corner for his 2nd of the game and record-equalling 15th try of the 2025 season, but Hollinshead missed the conversion taking the score to 28-17 with 10 minutes to play. The pressure was clearly starting to get to the ‘Cats, who struggled to put anything together in the final 10. Handling errors and loose passes kept them in their own half, although a 2nd Max Schumacher score eventually came with two minutes to go. Alatimu rushed the conversion and Houston still needed a converted try to win. The ‘Cats reclaimed possession and began to march down the field, helped by a penalty, but only made it to half-way before the Free Jacks turned the ball over, and Harrison Boyle kicked it to touch to seal a 28-22 victory!

The New England Free Jacks complete the Threepeat, and are the 2025 Major League Rugby Champions!
Brock Webster is deservingly awarded Man of the Match for a brilliant game