North American Rugby Database

Report

In a repeat of their clash in the final week of the regular season, the Seattle Seawolves host the California Legion at Starfire Stadium in the first semifinal of the 2026 Major League Rugby season, with a ticket to Chicago on the line to compete for the Shield next weekend!

The Seattle Seawolves comfirmed home advantage in the final week of the regular season thanks to a surprisingly comfortable 33-19 victory over the Legion, and enter this game with a 6-4 record and 31pts. The Legion, having dropping their final game last week, finished their first regular season in their new iteration in 3rd with a 5-5 record and 29pts. They defeated the Seawolves 38-31 in their first regular season matchup back in Round 4, but that wasn’t at Starfire, which holds a fortress-like reputation. The Seattle Seawolves have won 21 of their last 24 games there. Will they make it 22 from 25 and book a post in what would be their MLR-leading FIFTH Championship Game, or will the Legion avenge their loss last week?

Somewhat unusually for games this season, the scoring was opened by a penalty kick. The California Legion stole a Seawolves lineout on their own 22m line, and the Legion earned a penalty a few phases later with Miln making no mistake from the tee for a 0-3 lead. The visitors would hem the Seawolves in their own end for the next few minutes, and would build on this lead about 6 minutes later when USA Eagle Joey Mano broke free and just about found paydirt for his 45th career try, his 6th of the season. The Seattle Seawolves would respond quickly with 3pts of their own after winning a penalty soon after the restart, but the Legion would keep up the pressure and earn another penalty a few minutes later to restore their 10pt lead, up 3-13. That brought Coby Miln’s points total to 8 in this game, pushing his season total over the 100pt mark and becoming the first player in the league to pass 100 this season. However, once again the Seawolves responded immediately in much the same manner as their first penalty, and Davy Coetzer made no mistake. Yet again, the Legion kept up the pressure and tried to pin the Seawolves in their end. They were within a metre or two of the Seawolves line but knocked it forward. Playing advantage, the Seawolves ran from their own line to around their 22m line, before Andre Warner broke the Legion line and teared over the half-way line, fly hacking it through where it was retrieved by Rufus McLean for his first try of the season. Coetzer added the extras to tie things up, before the Legion challenged the play to no avail. Following this, the game returned to business as usual. Another penalty kick for the Legion gave them back a narrow 13-16 lead a minute later. A huge call came soon afterwards, when a referee initiated review determined that Seawolves player Rhyno Herbst attacked a ruck at speed from distance with a tucked arm, and was shown a 20 minute red card. Despite this, the Seawolves headed to the sheds tied with the Legion at 16-16 after Davy Coetzer sunk another penalty on the stroke of half time.

The California Legion came out for the second half on fire. Coby Miln recorded a wonderful 50:22 really early in the half to give California a great attacking platform, and a few phases later Legion and USA Captain Jason Damm fell over the try line for his 2nd of season and Legion’s second of the game. Miln added the extras to give the visitors a 16-23 lead. The same story carried over from the first half however, with the Seawolves responding quickly with another 3pts from Davy Coetzer, his 4th of the game so far. A break from prop Declan Leaney saw the Legion go over again, but Billy Meakes was held up and the Seawolves won a penalty from the subsequent goal line return. From this, Seattle produced their first real sustained attack of the game. After a handful of phases in the Legion 22, a half break from Davy Coetzer was supported by Divan Rossouw for his 4th of the season to give the hosts their first lead of the season, 26-23. With the momentum shifting, the Seawolves extended their lead shortly afterwards with yet another Coetzer penalty, but as was the story of the game, Coby Miln cancelled this out with 3pts of his own for the Legion shortly after. The visitors would make up for letting the lead slip. With a cheeky short kick off, the Legion retained posession from their own kick off and Ronan Murphy ran a great line after California marched into the 22, and scored his first of the season at a critical time, to give the guests back a 29-33 lead with under 20 to play. This put the momentum squarely back in the hands of the California Legion. After repelling a Seawolves attack off the restart, Coby Miln sinks his second 50:22 of the game to pin the Seawolves right back in their own end, and Alex Lopeti scores off the back of the mall from the subsequent lineout. The Legion lead was now 29-40 with 12 to play, but the Seawolves were given a break. Despite knocking the ball on and the Legion gaining possession, they fluffed the clearance kick and Seawolves got the ball back. Eventually, a crossfield kick from Coetzer saw Rufus McLean bag his 2nd of the game, but Coetzer was unable to add the extras so the score stood at 34-40 with 8 minutes to play. A minute or so later, a break from Ale Lopeti resulted in another penalty opportunity for the Legion, and as usual, Miln made no mistake with a tricky kick to make it a 2-score game with under 5 to play. Despite a number of possessions, the Seawolves were unable to adjust the score and the California Legion defeat the experienced Seawolves in their own back yard.

With a combined 77pts, this game marked the highest scoring playoff game in MLR history to this point, surpassing the 73pts scored in the 2022 Western Conference Final, a 27-46 Seattle Seawolves victory. Unfortunately it was not a Seattle victory today, and the 2x Champs do not make their 5th Championship game. They head to the offseason. Instead, the California Legion are heading to Chicago for the first time in their current iteration to play for the Shield against the winner of the Hounds v Old Glory DC game tomorrow night.