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.

2020 – RD 2: Toronto Arrows v Houston SaberCats

The Toronto Arrows and Houston SaberCats put on a great rugby spectacle in Vegas when they met at Sam Boyd Stadium.

There was buckets of later drama, with the Arrows led 27-15 with 5 minuters to go when a yellow card to Tomy de la Vega took them down to 14 men. Shortly after this, a converted Houston try took the score to 27-22 with minutes to go and Houston on attack when a high tackle from Toronto lock Mike Sheppard resulted in a red card, sending the Canadian outfit down to 13 men with one play to go.

The ‘Cats kicked to the corner and set up a strong rolling maul that reached and crossed the try line……but the referee ruled that the ball had been held up, and that was the end of the game, with Toronto emerging 27-22 winners.

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2020 – RD 2: Rugby United New York v Austin Gilgronis

In another Major League Rugby game held at Sam Boyd Stadium in las Vegas to celebrate the kick off of the 2020 MLR season, Rugby United New York and the Austin Gilgronis gave the crowd plenty to cheer about with a 11 try game that ultimately went the way of New York.

Austin continue their MLR-record losing streak that dates all the way back to 2018, followed by a 0-16 season in 2019.

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2020 – RD 2: Utah Warriors v New England Free Jacks

The second Major League Rugby game held at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, and the first game of Round 2 of MLR 2020. The Utah Warriors faced the New England Free Jacks, and emerged as 39-33 victors, handing the Free Jacks their first defeat in MLR.

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2020 – RD 1: Toronto Arrows v Austin Gilgronis

The Toronto Arrows had an ideal start to their 2020 campaign, with a convincing 10-38 victory on the road against the newly rebranded Austin Gilgronis.

Following their dismal 0-16 season in 2019, the ‘AGs’ went from the ‘Austin Elite’ to the ‘Austin Herd’ to the ‘Austin Gilgronis’ within the span of one off-season, and their 2020 season did not get off to a good start in this game.

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2020 – RD 1: San Diego Legion v Seattle Seawolves

Round 1 of the 2020 Major League Rugby season saw a repeat of the 2019 final, with the San Diego Legion at home, facing the now back-to-back champion Seattle Seawolves. While the match-up was the same, the result was very different and there would be no last minute heroics from the Seawolves.

A 33-24 bonus point win for the Legion saw them claim their revenge over their rivals, not allowing Seattle to pick up either bonus point.

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2020 – RD 1: New England Free Jacks v Rugby United New York

The New England Free Jacks explode onto the MLR scene, with a resounding victory over 2019 semifinalists, Rugby United New York in Las Vegas. Major League Rugby hosted 4 games at San Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas as part of the launch of the 2020 season, this game was the first of those 4, and the only one on the MLR opening weekend to be held in Vegas.

It did not take long for the Free Jacks to record their first franchise MLR points, with Mitch Wilson scoring a try in the 6th minute.

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2020 – RD 1: Rugby ATL v Utah Warriors

Rugby ATL got their MLR history off to a winning start with a victory at home in the franchise’s first game, against the Utah Warriors. Duncan van Schalkwyk scored ATL’s first ever MLR points with a 14th minute penalty, and Co-Captain Matt Heaton logged the franchise’s first try, in the 31st minute.

With a Bonus Point win here, Rugby ATL became the first 2020 expansion side to record both a win and a bonus point in the MLR standings.

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2020 – RD 1: NOLA Gold v Old Glory DC

The first MLR game in franchise history for Old Glory DC saw them travel to Louisiana to take on NOLA at the Gold Mine. It proved to be a baptism by fire as they were soundly beaten 46-13 in a game with 4 yellow cards, 3 of them to the Gold.

NOLA Gold No. 8 Cam Dolan scored the 3rd hattrick in franchise history, and the first by a Gold forward. This was the 7th hattrick in MLR history. OGDC Fly-half Jason Robertson scored the first ever MLR points for the franchise with a 26th minute penalty, and winger Doug Fraser scored the first DC try in the 30th minute.

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2020 – RD 1: Houston SaberCats v Colorado Raptors

The first fixture of Major League Rugby’s 2020 season saw the Glendale Raptors, rebranded to the Colorado Raptors, travel to the Lone Star State to face the Houston SaberCats at Aveva Stadium.

In perhaps a shock based on previous results of this match-up, Houston came out on top with a 21-12 victory.

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2019 – Championship Final: San Diego Legion v Seattle Seawolves

The 2019 Major League Rugby Final took place on June 16th, 2019 at Torero Stadium, where the #1 seeded San Diego Legion had home advantage to face the visiting Seattle Seawolves, the reigning MLR Champions and #2 seed. These two sides had faced each other in a semifinal game in 2018, with Seattle the victors on the way to the first MLR Championship.

It was a back and forth game that San Diego looked to have secured, leading 20-14 with 10 minutes to go before Seattle showed real fight with a 71st minute try taking the score to 20-19, but missing the conversion! San Diego fly-half Joe Pietersen slotted a drop goal in the 78th minute to extend the Legion’s lead to 23-19 lead and surely securing the Championship. The Seawolves had next to no time and needed a try to claim the shield, and this is exactly what they got on the last play of the game, with Brad Tucker barrelling over to give the Seawolves a 23-24 lead.
Brock Staller nailed the conversion to put the icing on the cake, with the final score 23-26 to Seattle, who claimed back-to-back championships in 2018 & 2019. At the conclusion of the 2022 season, Seattle Seawolves remain the only team to successfully defend their title.

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