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.
South African Flanker Roelof Smit represented the Miami Sharks during their inaugural 2024 season.
The then-30yo Smit was the 2nd player ever announced for the Miami Sharks following Argentinian Tomas Cubelli. His signing was announced on 4th August 2023, joining from the Toyota Cheetahs in South Africa having previously played for the Blue Bulls, Lions, and Western Province among others.
A MLR final record crowd of over 10,000 watched the culmination of the 2023 Major League Rugby Season, a titanic battle between the San Diego Legion and the New England Free Jacks capped off a full day event at SeatGeek Stadium in Chicago with the Championship Final, with DJ Diesel opening the festivities, and Dropkick Murphy’s providing the afterparty.
Mikey Te’o kicked off and it did not take long for the first points to go up on the board. With the Legion in possession, Will Hooley threw a pass to All Blacks legend Ma’a Nonu which it didn’t look like he was expecting, and Free Jacks Captain Mitch Jacobson pounced on the loose ball, sprinting in to give New England the first lead of the afternoon which was extended by Jayson Potroz who added the 2pts soon after.
The Legion’s shaky start got worse as starting loosehead Faka’osi Pifeleti went down with an arm injury, and would be forced off despite trying to continue. They stabilised immediately afterwards however, with scrum-half Richard Judd darting through a gap close to the New England line, offloading to Christian Poidevin to finish. Will Hooley added the 2 to level the game at 7.
Potroz would put his name on the scoresheet again, with a pair of penalties before the hydration break to take the Free Jacks’ lead to 7-13. The Legion struck back with Nonu launching Nate Augspurger into space before San Diego went on the advantage. Ma’a Nonu saw a chance to repeat his Conference Final heroics with a drop goal attempt but it wasn’t struck cleanly. Going for the corner from the penalty advantage, the Legion overthrew their lineout to the relief of the Free Jacks but it was short lived as Augspurger found a way through shortly after. Hooley converted once more, before adding another 3pts at the end of the half following a defensive stand by San Diego who led at the half, 17-13.
The second half started with a few more injuries following a friendly-fire incident between Legion tighthead Luke Green & lock Ben Grant. They left the game for HIAs and would not return. Potroz set Le Roux Malan free who offloaded to Joe Johnston then Reece MacDonald who was stopped just shy of the Legion line. Free Jacks scrum-half John Poland saw Balekana unopposed and floated a miss pass out wide for an easy finish, Balekana’s 15th of the 2023 season. Potroz struck again from way out wide to add the two and give New England a 3pt lead. The Free Jacks went onto the front foot again with plenty of pressure following a turnover, but Jacobson was held up over the line to deny his 2nd of the afternoon, and the Legion were able to breathe.
The game settled into a stalement with both sides probing the opposition defence. The Legion eventually maintained a period of possession within Free Jacks territory, and capitalised despite strong defence from the Eastern Conference Champions. Michael Smith’s offload to Poidevin set up a 2-on-1, and Poidevin was able to feed Augspurger for his 2nd try of the afternoon, the 3rd player in MLR history to record multiple tries in the Championship Final. USA Eagle Will Hooley was accurate yet again to add the two, and this would prove to be his final act in professional rugby. He was replaced with Josh Henderson due to a hamstring issue, thus ending his professional career having already confirmed his retirement at the end of the 2023 season.
Henderson attempted a penalty shot after Poidevin won a breakdown penalty following a Nonu tackle behind the gain line, but it sailed wide despite having the (considerable) distance. The final score of the game came from a Free Jacks scrum penalty of half way. New England needed to be patient due to a staunch Legion defence that held firm for some time, before Nonu went for an interception which missed. Le Roux Malan flew through the gap and dotted down to give the Free Jacks a 24-25 lead with minutes to spare. Potroz’s tricky conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
New England needed to be on their toes, as the restart was mishandled giving possession back to the Legion. Henderson dropped back looking ready for a drop goal attempt, but changed his mind to attack left without success. The ball was thrown right but bounced off the turf before Nonu, who knocked it on in his attempt to retrieve it, giving New England the scrum. Despite a heavy push, the Free Jacks recovered the ball and Jayson Potrox it hammered it out to end a scintillating game, and give the New England Free Jacks their first ever MLR Championship Victory!
For the Legion, the best season record in MLR history ends without a Shield. Their 2nd Championship Final defeat. Major League Rugby’s proverbial bridesmaids will have to wait for their moment.
24 v 25 
Free JacksThe San Diego Legion host the Seattle Seawolves in the Western Conference Final at Snapdragon Stadium, adding another chapter to the most storied rivalry in Major League Rugby.
These teams had met 13 times prior to this match. San Diego lead the regular season series (6-4), but the Seawolves are undefeated in Championship Series match ups (3-0). The Legion looked to get that monkey off their backs and punch their ticket to join the Free Jacks in Chicago for the MLR Championship Game next weekend.
The home side dominated in the first half having the lion’s share of both possession and territory, but the famous Seawall held. Just. All Blacks legend Ma’a Nonu opened the scoring 11 minutes in with a drop goal, the 3rd DG in Championship Series history, and the 2nd playoff DG for the Legion! The score held at 3-0 through the first water break and it took a line break from Legion prop Faka’osi Pifeleti to put a real hole in the dam. He was brought down but the Legion cycled through the phases and Pifeleti finished the move he started. Will Hooley landed the conversion shortly after slotting a penalty kick, and the Legion extended their lead to 13-0. Jordan Chait struck back with a penalty to get the Seawolves on the board just before the half, and this score held almost to the 2nd half water break. The unstoppable force of the Legion offence meeting the immovable object of the Seawolves defence.
The Seattle sea wall soon began to falter, and Tomas Aoake was able to capitalise on a Marcel Brache break and score in the corner to extend the Legion lead. Shortly after the hydration break, Brache got one of his own on a Michael Smith fly-hack that bounced right under the posts for an automatic 7. The Seawolves found a spark of hope through a Ben Landry try converted by Jordan Chait, but this was extinguished almost immediately, as Tomas Aoake caught the Legion restart cleanly and ran in unopposed for his 2nd of the afternoon. this took the score to 32-10 with just over 10 minutes to go, and this proved unassailable for the Seawolves, who end a solid season on the wrong side of the Western Conference Final.
The Legion will represent the Western Conference at the MLR Championship Game next weekend in Chicago, where they will face the Beast from the East, New England Free Jacks.
The New England Free Jacks host Old Glory DC at Fort Quincy for the Eastern Conference Championship and a spot in the 2023 MLR Championship Final.
Despite the bye from the Eliminator round, the Free Jacks showed no signs of rust, with Le Roux Malan dotting down under the posts just 4 minutes in from a turnover won by the combined efforts of Taniela Filimone & Reece MacDonald. Not long after, DC found themselves in their own end again, as Andrew Quattrin went over for a 2nd Free Jacks try following a lineout. Jayson Potroz pushed the conversion wide, but added a penalty just before the hydration break to give the Free Jacks a 15-0 lead.
Old Glory DC stemmed the tide in the next 20, only allowing New England another 3pts from the boot of Potroz right before the half-time whistle. The 18-0 deficit at Fort Quincy was a huge task for the visitors to overcome. The DC defence was under pressure almost relentlessly but held on until the 2nd half water break, scarcely having an opportunity to launch an attack themselves. Just after the hydration break, the hosts put the nail in the coffin. A Kurt Baker knock-on gave Ben LeSage the opportunity to send a grubber through which bounced in the end zone and Taniele Filimone pounced on it for another try. The Potroz conversion made the score 25-0 with just over 25 minutes to go.
DC were not playing for pride, and finally broke their goose egg with a try from Thretton Palamo from a great crossfield kick from Tito Diaz Bonilla, who added the extras but it was too little too late. This was the final score of the game which ended 25-7. Old Glory can hold their heads high about their first MLR post-season campaign, and the Free Jacks punch their ticket to Chicago, and will be watching to see who will join them from San Diego & Seattle.
25 v 7 
Old GloryThe 2023 Eastern Conference Eliminator saw the defending champion Rugby New York Ironworkers host Old Glory DC in their first every Championship Series appearance.
This started perfectly for the hosts, with Fa’asiu Fuatai scoring just 45 seconds in. The conversion was missed however and DC erased this lead shortly after, with William Talataina scoring and late addition Tito Diaz Bonilla adding the 2 to give the Flags an early 5-7 lead. Diaz Bonilla would add a pair of penalties to extend their lead to 5-13 shortly after the water break, before the tables started to turn. an Ironworkers maul was brought down illegally and thus a penalty try was awarded, as well as a yellow card for DC Captain Kyle Baillie. 6 minutes later, Lautaro Bavaro joined him for the same offence, reducing DC to 13 men and facing another relentless maul from the hosts, which was converted into a try by Dylan Fawsitt, and Sam Windsor added the two. Diaz Bonilla added another 3 from 40+ metres just before half-time to reduce the deficit to 19-16.
Fawsitt would strike again 10 minutes into the 2nd half, although not without controversy. He as carried over the line but appeared to be held up, and the ref agreed. The TMO did not, however, and intervened to award the try despite evidence suggesting otherwise. Windsor again added the 2 to stretch their lead to 26-16. This try made Dylan Fawsitt the 6th player in League history to record a multi-try game in the playoffs.
This decision seemingly lit a fire under the DC team, as they struck back with Kyle Baillie making up for his earlier mistake. A flurry of phases from Old Glory resulted in the big lock muscling over in the corner, with another excellent kick from Diaz Bonilla bringing the score to 26-23. DC stayed on the front foot, and a scrum infringement earned NY’s Sam Davies a yellow card, shortly followed by Tevita Langi after a 4th scrum penalty, prompting another Penalty Try, against the hosts this time.
DC lead 26-30 heading into the last 10 minutes and survived a heap of NY pressure, with Dylan Fawsitt spilling the ball in the hunt for his 3rd of the day. A turnover will a handful of seconds remaining was finished by Kurt Baker to secure the win for the visitors despite a consolation try from DaQuan Perry with the clock in the red. The Flags will advance to the Conference Finals to face the Free Jacks at Fort Quincy, while the Ironworkers head to the offseason and look towards 2024.
33 v 37 Old Glory
San Mateo, California native Jerad Line Latu played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the Houston SaberCats (2023-2024) Anthem RC (2025), and the New England Free Jacks (2026).
Latu played gridiron football through highschool at a variety of positions and continued playing at the College of San Mateo, where he captained the team in 2018 before transferring to Eastern Michigan University where he played wide receiver. He joined the Colorado XO program for crossover athletes in 2020 and participated in a tryout with the LA Giltinis in 2021. Unfortunately, Latu was involved in a car accident shortly after that put his rugby career on hold for 10 months.
Post recovery he returned to the Colorado XO program (Now the American Raptors) and played with the USA Falcons in 2022 in South America. He featured prominently in the American Raptors’ inaugural Super Rugby Americas (SLAR) campaign and was the only Raptor to feature in SLAR’s Team of the Season for 2023. Following the conclusion of the Raptor’s SLAR season, Latu was picked up by the Houston SaberCats late in the season as an injury reserve. No announcement from the SaberCats meant that a few eyebrows were raised when Latu was featured in the SaberCats’ starting XV for their 2023 Western Eliminator match against the Seattle Seawolves.
On 18th October 2023, the Houston SaberCats announced the return of Line Latu for the 2024 MLR season, where he scored 2 tries in 10 games (5 starts) as the SaberCats finished as the top team of the regular season with a 14-2 record, before being stunned by the Dallas Jackals in the Western Conference Semifinals. Following the 2024 season on 14th August 2024, Anthem RC announced that they had acquired Latu, along with scrumhalf Carlo de Nysschen, from the SaberCats in exchange for a 2025 International Player Slot. Anthem RC confirmed the signing of Line Latu when they revealed their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. He scored 1 try and 16pts for Anthem RC and started 5 of his 7 appearances. He set a career high of 399m gained in possession, smashing his former best of 175m set in 3 more games in 2024.
Following the 2025 season, the New England Free Jacks announced the addition of Line Latu on 8th December 2025, ahead of the 2026 MLR season.
MLR’s most prolific playoff team the Seattle Seawolves host the Houston SaberCats at Starfire Stadium in the 2023 Western Conference Eliminator.
The SaberCats had a clear plan of hemming in the Seawolves, which yielded results early as Davy Coetzer found a hole, but this try was called back for obstruction and Seattle were able to clear. The first points of the game came after the hydration break via a penalty kick from AJ Alatimu, before the ‘Cats reverted to their game plan which again yielded results which stuck this time. The Seawolves were pinged for collapsing at two lineouts and Sam Matenga was handed a yellow card. Seattle were again penalised for a shoulder charge and Dillon Smit went quick with a pass to Akina unmarked who found paydirt. Davy Coetzer nailed the conversion from the side for the full 7, and a Houston lead.
It didn’t take long for the Seawolves to strike back, as they found possession straight from their own kickoff. They kept up the pressure until Charles Elton found a gap from close range to restore the Seattle lead, which was extended by AJ Alatimu to 10-7 for the home side. There was another blow to Houston just before the half, as Marno Redelinghuys took a man out without the ball which the TMO caught. Seattle went for the corner and won their own lineout before AJ Alatimu stabbed a grubber through which found Adriaan Carelse for a dot down under the posts. The full 7pt try meant that the hosts took a 17-7 lead into the sheds.
Another mistake from kickoff by the ‘Cats kept the momentum with the Seawolves, and AJ Alatimu (that man again!) punished them with another 3pts. Ronan Foley found a huge line break not long after, but an infringement save the ‘Cats this time, but only for a short time as an off the ball tackle gave Alatimu another chance at the posts, which he took for another 3.
Gideon van Wyk gave some life to the visitors by winning a breakdown turnover. Coetzer put a booming kick downfield and there was nobody home to gather, and Coetzer finished in the corner before converting his own score to bring the score back to 23-14. Van Wyk again sparked something for the visitors, grabbing an interception and handing the ball to Dillon Smit who hoofed it downfield, but it found the edge of the playing area before the thundering SaberCats chasers could reach it and the Seawolves had a dropout to clear their lines, with which Gerrie Labuschagne immediately attempted a drop goal which sailed wide before the pause for the hydration break. After this break, Labuschagne chipped a ball over the top which bounced funny off of his head straight to Gideon van Wyk who reached out to score another for Houston. Converted by Coetzer, it was now a 2pt game.
It was at this point that the Seattle Seawolves appeared to stop playing with their food. Their forwards started going through the phases and captain Riekert Hattingh, on his return from injury, dotted down. With Alatimu automatic from the tee, the hosts led 30-21 with 10 minutes remaining. Hattingh again picked up and made ground off a Houston mistake before feeding to JP Smith to seal the victory despite the SaberCats scoring a consolation try with the clock in the red. The Seawolves advance to the Western Conference Final to face the juggernaut San Diego Legion at Snapdragon Stadium. Houston turn their attention to the offseason and 2024.
Michigan native Jamie Demers represented the Seattle Seawolves during the 2023 Major League Rugby season.
Demers played gridiron football through high school and began playing rugby while at the University of Michigan, where he arrived in 2015 and captained the university side by their 2018/19 season. He obtained both a bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in 2019 & 2020 respectively. Demers played for Detroit Rugby Club before joining Seattle Rugby Club.
Demers earned his MLR debut for Seattle in Week 18 of the 2023 regular season, when he came on as a substitute against the San Diego Legion in a game that the Seawolves ultimately lost 40-19. The Seawolves fielded a drastically different line up for this game as they had already secured a playoff spot and home field advantage. Head Coach Allan Clarke described it as an opportunity to award members of the Seawolves extended squad that have put in the effort throughout the season.
American Samoan lock Brandon Tupufia represented the Seattle Seawolves during the 2023 Major League Rugby season.
The Seawolves are Tupufia’s local MLR team, having moved to Washington State in 2017. He is a football player initially, but has been playing with Seattle RFC since 2022 and caught on quick.
Tupufia made his MLR debut as a replacement during Seattle’s Week 18 clash against the San Diego Legion, a game that the Seawolves ultimately lost 40-19. The Seawolves fielded a drastically different line up for this game as they had already secured a playoff spot and home field advantage. Head Coach Allan Clarke described it as an opportunity to award members of the Seawolves extended squad that have put in the effort throughout the season.
Washington state native and crossover athlete Taniela Tupou represented the Seattle Seawolves from 2022-2023.
Tupou played gridiron football for the University of Washington, playing 33 games as a defensive lineman. In May 2016, The Seattle Seahawks signed Tupou as a fullback/defensive tackle option after impressing at a rookie minicamp. Tupou bounced around a number of NFL roster before landing with the San Diego Fleet of the short-lived AAF. When the AAF ceased operations Tupou returned home to the PNW just as the XFL was emerging, and he was drafted by the Seattle Dragons in the 7th Round before the XFL was shut down due to COVID-19.
The American Raptors crossover program invited him to Colorado to try out, and impressed. He rose to Captain the Raptors and participated in the Raptors’ tour of Uruguay in Fall 2021. With the Raptors not finding a home league until 2023, Tupou signed with the Seattle Seawolves ahead of the 2022 season. He opted to return to the XFL in 2023 when that league got up and running post-COVID, but was re-signed by the Seawolves towards the end of the 2023 MLR season, featuring in the last regular season game of the season, which the Seawolves ultimately lost 40-19.
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