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.