League: Major League Rugby

Founded in 2017 with it’s inaugural season played in 2018, Major League Rugby (MLR) is the highest level of professional rugby in North America.

2025 – RD 10: Seattle Seawolves v Chicago Hounds

The Seattle Seawolves host the MLR-leading Chicago Hounds at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila for a cross-conference clash to kick off Round 10 of Major League Rugby’s 2025 season!

The Seawolves have struggled so far this season, sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 2-5 record, but are fresh off of a bye week and playing in front of a home crowd. The 7-1 Chicago Hounds, meanwhile, are flying high on a 6-game win streak and coming off of a hard-fought victory over Anthem RC. These teams have met 3 times in the past, with the Chicago Hounds never having defeated the Seattle Seawolves, who hold a 3-0 series lead heading into this game.

The Hounds had fielded a much changed lineup for this game as they approach ‘Storm Week’, with a number of games in quick succession. The Hounds did not look like their normal selves, and the Seattle Seawolves took advantage. They secure a 28-22 victory in front of a home crowd, probably a closer scoreline than it should’ve been given teh circumstances, and Seattle will be disappointed to miss out on the try BP, but you can only play the team in front of you. The Chicago Hounds now have the Free Jacks nipping at their heels atop the Eastern Conference, just 3pts behind!

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2025 – RD 10: Anthem RC v New England Free Jacks

The New England Free Jacks travel down to The Queen City to face Anthem RC in an Eastern Conference clash. The Reigning Champs have righted the ship after a shaky start to the season, and now sit on a 3-game win streak and looking to continue to climb the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Anthem RC sit rock bottom of the league with a 0-8 record and are still hunting for that elusive first victory as a franchise. These teams have faced each other twice in the past, with the Free Jacks holding a 2-0 lead in the head-to-head series.

Although Anthem kept the Free Jacks close through the first 30 minutes, as the game went on New England began to pull away. A second try from Paula Balekana just before half-time was a dagger for the hosts. They came out fighting again after the break and the Free Jacks had their work cut out for them, but Anthem never really looked like scoring. It took also half an hour for the first score of the second half, with the Free Jacks scoring twice within 4 minutes to lock up the try BP and a convincing 6-26 victory. The reigning champions now sit just 3pts back of the lead in the Eastern Conference, and have won 4 in a row. Anthem RC meanwhile, fall to a 25 game losing streak and despite coming close to that first victory, seem to have been moving further away from that goal in the last few weeks.

 

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Jake Kinneeveauk

Alaskan back row Jake Kinneeveauk played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the Chicago Hounds for his entire MLR career.

Raised in Anchorage, AK, Jake Kinneeveauk attended the University of Utah, playing rugby through his time there. He was named in the All-Conference team for the 2022/23 season, and graduated in 2024. Kinneeveauk declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was invited to MLR Rising, a combine that gave MLR teams a chance to see 50 of the top college prospects in action. Kinneeveauk clearly impressed at MLR rising, as he was selected in the 2nd Round, 22nd overall by the Chicago Hounds.

Kinneeveauk spent the fall season with the Chicago Lions club side, as well as the Hounds Academy team where he earned a MLR roster spot for the 2025 season. He appeared in his first matchday 23 during Round 10, starting on the bench as the league-leading Hounds faced the Seattle Seawolves on the road. This was his only MLR appearance of his rookie season, however he spent the fall of 2025 with the Chicago Hounds Autumn Performance Squad and on 5th January, 2026, the team announced his return for the 2026 MLR season.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,554

2025 – RD 9: Chicago Hounds v Anthem RC

The top of the Eastern Conference faces the bottom of the East as the Chicago Hounds host Anthem RC at SeatGeek Stadium during Round 9 of MLR’s 2025 season!

The Chicago Hounds are coming off of handing the San Diego Legion their first home loss in close to a year, and look to go top of the league with a win here. Anthem RC meanwhile, are now on MLR’s longest ever losing streak, and seem to have taken a step back in the last few weeks. These teams have met twice prior to this game. The Chicago Hounds have not lost to Anthem, and won a 29-38 victory on the road in the most recent installment during Round 17 of last season.

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2025 – RD 9: Rugby FC LA v Utah Warriors

The Utah Warriors travel to the west coast to face Rugby FC LA in a Western Conference clash at Wallis Annenberg Stadium during Round 9 of the 2025 MLR season!

The Utah Warriors are fresh off of a bye week and are looking to maintain their early-season form, while RFCLA have steadied the ship after a 3-game losing streak to start the season, and have since won 4 straight including a 22-24 victory over the Houston SaberCats in Texas!

These teams have met twice in the past, and the Warriors are the only team in MLR that haven’t defeated RFCLA who hold a 2-0 series lead. The most recent meeting between these sides was a 24-31 LA victory in Utah, thanks in part to a brace from hooker Ben Strang, who starts on the bench in this one.

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2025 – RD 9: NOLA Gold v Old Glory DC

The NOLA Gold host Old Glory DC in an Eastern Conference Clash at the Gold Mine. Both teams are coming off of victories, with the Flags handing the Seattle Seawolves a decisive defeat on the road, while the Gold picked up a handy victory over Anthem RC for the 2nd time this season! Both are looking to build on their momentum, especially with a resurgent Free Jacks team in the East.

These teams have met 9 times in the past, with the Gold holding a comfortable 6-1-2 lead in the series which featured a draw. In the most recent meeting between these two sides, the Flags edged out a 27-24 victory at home thanks to a pair of Perry Humphreys tries. Will history repeat itself on the road?

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2025 – RD 9: Miami Sharks v Houston SaberCats

The Miami Sharks return home to Florida to host the Houston SaberCats in a cross conference clash during Round 9 of the 2025 MLR season!

The Sharks are reeling after suffering their 4th straight loss at the hands of the Free Jacks up in Quincy, and need to find a way to bounce back. In their way are the Houston SaberCats who top the Western Conference coming into this game despite a nail-biting home defeat to Rugby FC LA. These teams have only met once prior to this game, with the SaberCats taking a 30-19 victory at home during the 2024 season.

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2025 – RD 9: New England Free Jacks v San Diego Legion

The New England Free Jacks host the San Diego Legion in a cross-country clash that marks a repeat of the 2023 Championship Game, and the first time in MLR history that the Legion have visited Quincy. Despite starting their 2025 campaign with a 5-game win streak, the San Diego Legion are coming off two losses in a row and have fallen from 1st in the West. They will be looking to steady the ship but are up against a resurgent Free Jacks side on a 2-game win streak, including an impressive 43-6 victory over Miami.

These teams have met 5 teams in the past, and the Free Jacks hold a slender 3-2 series lead thanks to their victory in their 1 playoff matchup in the 2023 final. In the most recent meeting, the Free Jacks scraped a 23-24 victory in California. Can they manage a third 1pt win over the Legion?

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Calvin Ihrig

Chicago born back row Calvin Ihrig played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Miami Sharks for his entire MLR career.

Born in Chicago to an American mother and German father, Ihrig spent much of his childhood travelling for his father’s work. He lived in Canada, Germany, and Vietnam before spending a decade in Thailand from 2009. He picked up rugby during his Sophomore year at International School Thailand, initially playing Sevens. He moved back to the US for college, attending the rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University in Missouri from 2020, where he played his first 15-a-side games, initially playing on the wing or at fly-half, before finding his groove in the back row. Ihrig played with the Lindenwood Lions from 2020-2024, and declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft.

Ihrig was selected in the 1st Round, 3rd overall by the Miami Sharks, and signed on with the Florida team for the 2025 MLR season. He earned his MLR debut coming off the bench during the Sharks’ Round 11 victory over Anthem RC. He earned 2 appearances for the Sharks in total during the 2025 season, before the Miami Sharks announced their withdrawal from the league in August 2025. A month later, Calvin Ihrig was included in the Chicago Hounds’ Autumn Performance Squad for their Fall season, while playing club rugby with the Chicago Blaze

achievements
  • 2024 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (3rd Overall) – Miami Sharks

NARDB Player #1,541

2025 – RD 8: New England Free Jacks v Miami Sharks

The New England Free Jacks host the Miami Sharks in an Eastern Conference clash at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Quincy, MA! The Free Jacks are coming off of a remarkable comeback victory on the road against the Utah Warriors in which they scored 28 unanswered points in the second half. The Sharks head into this game on a 3-game losing streak, but have had a bye week to rest and refocus. These teams have met twice in the past and split the series 1-1, with the Sharks taking the most recent meeting, a hard fought 15-13 victory in Florida.

With a spectacular comeback victory last week and a dominant victory here, are the reigning champs back? The Free Jacks secure a runaway 43-6 home victory thanks in part to Faletoi Peni’s excellent performance at fly-half, and a hat trick for Paula Balekana. This was Balekana’s first creer MLR hat trick, and the 50th hatty in league history! The Miami Sharks are yet to score a try in Quincy, after 2 games there.

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