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.

2022 – RD 18: Dallas Jackals v Utah Warriors

The Dallas Jackals host the Utah Warriors at Choctaw Stadium, the final game of the Jackals’ inaugural MLR season.

The hosts put up a great fight in the first half, leading 5-0 at the half hour mark, and only trailing 5-7 at half time and into the last half hour. Beyond the 50 minute mark, the Warriors took over. Danny Christensen scored another 2 tries to add to his 1 from the first half, scoring the 1st hattrick of his MLR career, and the 3rd hattrick in Utah Warriors club history! The Utah Warriors completed only 60 tackles in the entire game, the lowest tackles completed by a team in a single team in MLR history.

This defeat means that the Jackals finish their miserable inaugural season with a record of 0-16, the 2nd winless season in MLR history following the Austin Gilgronis in 2019.

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2022 – RD 18: Houston SaberCats v Austin Gilgronis

The Houston SaberCats host state rivals the Austin Gilgronis for a turbulent game at SaberCats Stadium during the final round of the 2022 regular season.

The Gilgronis had a bombshell drop just hours before this game, as Major League Rugby announced that the Austin Gilgronis had been disqualified from the 2022 MLR season for ‘a violation of league rules’. As a result, a number of Gilgronis players pulled out of the Austin lineup in an apparent response to MLR’s decision to disqualify the AGs. With the San Diego Legion on a bye, the Houston SaberCats were likely aware that they had all but secured a playoff spot.

Some of the frustrations may have added to the intra-state rivalry, with 3 cards being doled out at once including 2 reds (one per team). The Gilgronis did walk away with a bonus point victory in a 14-29 win in what is now the AGs final game of the 2022 season. The Gilgronis’ disqualification lifts their sister team the LA Giltinis into the #1 spot in the Western Conference, moving the Seattle Seawolves into a playoff slot.

This game would turn out to be the final game in the history of the Austin Elite/Herd/Gilgronis as the club was put up for sale following the disqualification, and were unable to find a buyer. The team effectively folded in October of 2022.

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2022 – RD 18: New England Free Jacks v Rugby New York

The New England Free Jacks suffer their first home defeat of 2022, falling to Rugby New York at Veterans Memorial Stadium in the final round of the regular season.

With the Free Jacks already securing the #1 spot in the Eastern Conference, and Rugby ATL already securing a bonus point win, New York’s 14-21 victory had no effect on the standings but will provide a confidence boost heading into the post season.

All points were scored in the first half, with Beaudein Waaka‘s conversion of Terrell Peita‘s try on the stroke of half time being the final score.

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2022 – RD 18: Rugby ATL v NOLA Gold

The NOLA Gold travel to Georgia to face Rugby ATL at Silverbacks Park during the final Round of the 2022 regular season.

Despite already securing a playoff spot and the #1 spot in the Eastern Conference already secured by the New England Free Jacks, Rugby ATL still had something to play for in the form of securing home field advantage for the Eliminator Round.

The RATLers were made to work for their 45-19 win as they trailed 14-19 at the break thanks to 3 NOLA tries. Unfortunately for the Gold, ATL came out for the second half with a vengeance, scoring 31 unanswered points to pull away and ultimately secure a bonus point victory.

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2022 – RD 17: New England Free Jacks v NOLA Gold

The New England Free Jacks host the NOLA Gold at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy in a history-making match during Round 17 of the 2022 season.

The Free Jacks dominated from start to finish scoring 8 tries in a 57-5 win, with the Gold scoring a consolation try in the 80th minute. With this 13th victory on the season the Free Jacks set a new MLR record for the most wins in a single regular season, surpassing the previous record of 12 set by the LA Giltinis in their Championship winning season the year before. This victory clinches the #1 spot in the Eastern Conference, giving New England a bye to the Eastern Conference Final, as well as home field advantage for the playoffs after finishing first overall across both conferences.

Mitch Wilson recorded his first MLR hattrick in this game, the first hattrick in Free Jacks history!

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2022 – RD 17: Austin Gilgronis v San Diego Legion

The San Diego Legion travels to Austin to face the Gilgronis at Bold Stadium during the Round 17 of the 2022 season.

The Austin Gilgronis emerged as convincing 44-28 victors to continue their push for the top spot in the Western Conference, and a bye to the Conference Finals. The AGs earned their try BP before the half time break to blow the Legion away, and a kicking combination of Mack Mason and Chris Mattina went 8/8 from the week. With a bye next week, this is the final game of the San Diego Legion’s regular season, finishing with an even 8-8 record and picking up a try bonus point in this game.

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2022 – RD 17: Old Glory DC v Rugby New York

Old Glory DC host Rugby New York at Segra Field just outside the nations capital, in a record-breaking game in Round 17 of MLR’s 2022 season.

In a game packed with action from start to finish, Rugby New York scraped past Old Glory by a score of 49-59. The teams combined for a total of 16 tries and 108pts to set a new record for the highest scoring game in MLR history, and most tries scored in a single game, breaking the previous record of 15 tries and 101 points set only the week before in another game involving Old Glory DC, a 42-59 loss to the Houston SaberCats. This is only the 2nd game in MLR history to pass 100 combined points, and was still the highest scoring game in league history at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Amid the frenzy of tries, New York winger Ed Fidow recorded the first hattrick of his MLR career, and the first hattrick in New York club history!

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2022 – RD 17: Utah Warriors v LA Giltinis

The Utah Warriors host the LA Giltinis at Zion’s Bank Stadium.

The Warriors picked up 2 bonus points despite 3 yellow cards in a 17-minute span straddling the half-time break, and a red card to Niall Saunders on full-time. The Giltinis draw closer to securing the top spot in the Western Conference and a bye to the Conference Finals, and are currently competing with their sister team, the Austin Gilgronis.

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2022 – RD 17: Seattle Seawolves v Houston SaberCats

The Houston SaberCats travel to the PNW to face the Seattle Seawolves at Starfire Stadium, with the opportunity to clinch their first ever playoff berch.

The SaberCats needed to win or secure both bonus points in order to secure their first ever playoff berth, and it was a close run thing. The Seawolves cruised to the try BP with 4 tries by the half hour mark, and were ahead by a score of 29-7 at half time, giving the SaberCats a mountain to climb in the second half.

Louritz van der Schyff hit back early before Martin Iosefo bagged his 2nd of the night for Seattle in the 48th minute. The back and forth continued as Christian Dyer gave Houston their 3rd try of the game with the score at 36-19 in favour of Seattle as the game entered it’s last quarter. The SaberCats’ chances of a win were snuffed out when Mzamo Majola scored Seattle’s 6th try of the night in the 70th minute which was converted by AJ Alatimu to extend the lead to 43-19. Despite the mounting scoreline, the SaberCats refused to give up, with Nick Boyer scoring Houston’s bonus point try in the 75th minute, converted by Robbie Povey. This was followed almost immediately by another try by Zach Pangelinan, again converted by Povey.

The score now stood at 43-33 with under 2 minutes to play. Houston had secured the try BP and only needed to draw within 7pts of Seattle to secure their spot in the post-season. With the clock in the red, Seattle gave away a penalty and Povey stepped up to the mark again and made no mistakes. With the last kick of the game, Povey brought the score to 43-36 and although they lost the game, the Houston SaberCats secured the 2 points required to make the playoffs for the first time in club history.

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