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.

2021 – RD 2: NOLA Gold v Rugby United New York

NOLA Gold host Rugby United New York at the Gold Mine for the first game of Round 2 of MLR 2021!

NOLA proved to be the superior team on the day with a 51-28 win despite picking up 3 yellow cards throughout the game, putting them a man down for a total of 30 minutes. NOLA become the first MLR team to score 50+ points in a game in 2021 and Joeli Tikoisuva proved to be a stand out, scoring 3 tries for the 1st hattrick of the 2021 season, the 4th in NOLA franchise history, and the 8th in MLR history!

On the New York side, Ben Bonasso crossed under the posts in the 48th minute, scoring the first automatic 7pt try in franchise history!

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2021 – RD 1: NOLA Gold v Old Glory DC

NOLA Gold hosted Old Glory DC at the Gold Mine in what was the first game of the 2021 Major League Rugby season for both sides. Nothing could separate the sides at the final whistle, the 26-26 scoreline meaning that both sides would have to settle for a draw to start their respective campaigns. That being said, NOLA will take an extra point away from the fight, as they scored 4 tries to OGDC’s 2.

The first try of OGDC’s season, the first of two for Danny Tusitala, was scored directly under the posts and was therefore the first automatic 7pt try ever scored by Old Glory DC! NOLA Gold scored their first ever 7pt try through Carl Meyer in the 53rd minute!

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2021 – RD 1: Houston SaberCats v Seattle Seawolves

The Houston SaberCats get their 2021 season off to a fantastic start, hosting the back-to-back champion Seattle Seawolves at AVEVA Stadium, and emerging victorious.

A scoreline of 30-24 meant that the Seawolves still took away a bonus point from this game, but it was the Cats that took the lion’s share of the points. Two of Houston’s 3 tries were directly under the posts, with captain Zach Pangelinan scoring the first 7pt try in franchise history in the 35th minute, followed by Paula Balekana in the 55th minute.

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2021 – RD 1: Austin Gilgronis v Utah Warriors

The Utah Warriors came away from Bold Stadium with a tight 28-30 victory over the Austin Gilgronis.

Utah had 3 players yellow carded throughout the game equating to playing with 14 men of 30 minutes, and still emerged with a bonus point victory over the men from the Texan capital, despite the AGs scoring 14 points in the last 11 minutes of the match.

The Warriors’ first try, scored by Michael Baska, was directly under the posts and was therefore an automatic 7pt try, as per MLR’s new rules for 2021. Austin wouldn’t come away empty handed, with a 2pt loss thanks to 4 tries scored and losing by within 7pts.

This game marked the Major League Rugby debut of MLR’s first ever 1st overall draft pick, Conner Mooneyham, who started at number 11 for Austin.

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2021 – RD 1: Rugby ATL v Toronto Arrows

Rugby ATL’s first game of the 2021 Major League Rugby season saw them taking on their ‘roommates’ for the year, the Toronto Arrows. Also in their first game of the season. Due to border restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Toronto Arrows based themselves in Atlanta for the 2021 season. It could be considered a home game for both sides, but the Arrows saw next to no support due to limits on travelling and no home games.

Rugby ATL emerged as 21-14 victors, with Toronto picking up a losing bonus point for their efforts. Chance Wenglewski scored ATL’s first try and points of the 2021 season, while Jack McRogers crossed under the posts for the Arrows’ first points and try of the season, as well as their first ever 7pt try!

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2021 – RD 1: LA Giltinis v New England Free Jacks

The first Major League Rugby game in franchise history for the LA Giltinis saw them take on the Free Jacks at the gorgeous LA Memorial Coliseum.

South African born, Canadian international winger DTH van der Merwe wasted no time, scoring the Giltinis’ first ever try in the 5th minute, before following it up with a second 4 minutes later. These were also the first ever MLR points for Los Angeles. They emerged victorious with a score of 42-27, with a statement 6 try performance.

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2021 – RD 1: San Diego Legion v Rugby United New York

The first game of the 2021 Major League Rugby season saw the San Diego Legion face Rugby United New York in Las Vegas, on a field that left a lot to be desired.

The men from the Empire State emerged victorious with a 6 try performance, overcoming the Legion by a score of 29-36. Siaosi Mahoni scored the Legion’s first try of 2021, and Hanco Germishuys did the same for New York. The third try of the game, scored by San Diego flanker Psalm Wooching on a fantastic line was directly under the posts and, under the new MLR rules for this season, was awarded an automatic conversion (AC) for a 7pt try. this was the first 7pt try in MLR history!

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2020 – RD 5: Old Glory DC v Rugby ATL

Old Glory DC host Rugby ATL at Cardinal Stadium, with OGDC just scraping the win, by a score of 31-29.

This would turn out to be the last MLR game of the 2020 season for both sides, as the season would be postponed for 30 days on March 12, 2020, and then cancelled on March 19, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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2020 – RD 5: San Diego Legion v Rugby United New York

San Diego Legion host Rugby United New York at Torero Stadium. The home team emerged 24-20 victors in what would turn out to be the last MLR game of the 2020 season for both sides, as the season would be postponed for 30 days on March 12, 2020, and then cancelled on March 19, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was the final scheduled game of Round 5 of the 2020 Season and as a result, this was the final Major League Rugby game of the 2020 season, which was cancelled a few weeks later.

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2020 – RD 5: Houston SaberCats v Austin Gilgronis

The only Battle of Texas of the 2020 Major League Rugby season saw the Austin Gilgronis travel to the AVEVA stadium to take on the SaberCats. This game was the first time that the ‘Texas Cup’ was contested, a new intra-season trophy to be fought between (in 2020) Austin and Houston.

Austin came away victorious, earning their first win since June of 2018 in what would turn out to be the last MLR game of the 2020 season for both sides, as the season would be postponed for 30 days on March 12, 2020, and then cancelled on March 19, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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