New England Free Jacks

Background & History

The New England Free Jacks on 21st September 2018 as part of the wave of Major League Rugby expansion ahead of the 2020 season, joining the league alongside Rugby ATL (now Rugby FC LA) and Old Glory DC. The team was founded by Errik Anderson and former USA Eagle Alex Magelby, and is owned by a consortium that includes former NFL-ers Nate Ebner and Patrick Chung.

The Free Jacks would play their first ever game against the Ontario Arrows (later the Toronto Arrows) on October 20, 2018 at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Through their first 4 seasons in Major League Rugby, the New England Free Jacks performance could be summarized as steadily increasing performance. With the exception of the 2020 season when they held a 1-4 record before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season, the Free Jacks have always finished with a positive record, improving every year (see below in ‘Historical Performance’ section) and recording a 13-0-3 record in 2022 which was the best regular season record in MLR history at the time, qualifying for the post-season but suffering a shock defeat to eventual Champions Rugby New York in the Eastern Conference Final.

The New England Free Jacks’ 2022 record was surpassed the following year by the San Diego Legion’s 15-0-1 season. The Free Jacks themselves recorded a 14-0-2 record in 2023, once again qualifying for the Championship Series as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Free Jacks would not slip up as they did the year before, and easily saw off Old Glory DC in the Conference Final to advance to the Championship Final against the San Diego Legion in Chicago. Thanks to a 77th minute try by Le Roux Malan, the Free Jacks prevailed 24-25 victors in arguably the best MLR final to date to lift their first MLR Shield. The Free Jacks title defence in 2024 saw them finish the regular season with an 11-5 record at the top of the Eastern Conference once again, defeating local rivals Old Glory DC and the Chicago Hounds to claim the Eastern Conference Championship in back-to-back seasons. Standing between them and back-to-back Shields lay the only team in MLR history to have achieved back-to-back titles, the Seattle Seawolves playing in their 4th final. A back-and-forth final was defined by discipline and defence, and the Free Jacks put on a defensive masterclass in MLR’s lowest scoring final to date, emerging as 11-20 victors in San Diego and joined the Seawolves as Back-to-Back MLR Champions.


Records & Record Holders

2024 MLR Champions
2023 MLR Champions

alltime

Top Scorer: Jayson Potroz (327pts)
Top Try Scorer: Paula Balekana (25)
Top Playoff Scorer: Jayson Potroz (44)
Top Tackler: Wian Conradie (694)
Top Meter Eater: Wian Conradie (3,180m)
Most Capped Player: Mitch Wilson (57)
Most Starts: John Poland (52)

single season

Top Scorer: Jayson Potroz (181pts) – 2024
Top Try Scorer: Paula Balekana (15) – 2023
Top Tackler: Wian Conradie (234) – 2023
Top Meter Eater: Reece MacDonald (1,535m) – 2024

historical performance

2020: 1-4 (-19) – 9pts: 6th in Eastern Conference
2021: 10-0-6 (+28) – 48pts: 4th in Eastern Conference
2022: 13-0-3 (+126) – 62pts: 1st in Eastern Conference (Conference Finalist)
2023: 14-0-2 (+283) – 68pts: 1st in Eastern Conference (Champions x1)
2024: 11-0-5 (+119) – 55pts: 1st in Eastern Conference (Champions x2)

Overall Regular Season Record: 49-0-20
Overall Championship Series Record: 5-1
Championship Series Appearances: 3 (2022, 2023, 2024)

Head Coach & Captain

Head Coach
Captain

Logo & Jersey

Free Jacks Logo
Alternate Logo

The New England Free Jacks’ logo and iconography are drawn from the American Revolution. Their primary logo is a hand holding a 18th century lantern in dark blue, with the light from the lantern coloured red, all with a white outline. The lantern is a nod to the famous ‘One if by land, two if by sea’ during Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride, to warn the revolutionaries of the British Army’s approach during the Revolutionary War. Indeed, the Free Jacks have a variation of the logo showing Paul Revere atop a horse.

Throughout their time in Major League Rugby, the New England Free Jacks have had consistently highly-praised kits, often small variations on red, white, and blue hoops with a collar, typically a winning combination for rugby. For 2023 & 2024, the Free Jacks ran 3 kits, a primarily blue (home kit both years), a primarily red (2023 alternate, 2024 away), and a primarily white kits (2023 away, 2024 alternate), all of which sported hoops and a collar.

The Free Jacks have also sported a mainly dark green jersey for St. Patrick’s Day 2022, and green hooped jersey for St. Patrick’s Day 2023, as well as a baseball-themed red jersey for their city kit in 2023.

Venue

For their exhibition season 2018/19, the New England Free Jacks played their home games out of the Union Point Sports Complex, which hosted the Free Jacks and the ‘A’ sides of the 4 Irish Provinces for the Cara Cup in 2019. The Free Jacks had intended to play their 2020 season out of UPSC but the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic prior to the Free Jacks hosting a game. The Free Jacks did play a ‘home’ game in 2020, but this was at the Sam Boyd in Whitney, NV which hosted many teams as part of a ‘season kick off’ event. The Free Jacks played the majority of their 2021 home games at UPSC.

Since their final game of the 2021 season, the New England Free Jacks have called Veterans’ Memorial Stadium in Quincy, MA home. Nicknamed ‘Fort Quincy’, the 5,000-seater synthetic turf stadium is owned by the City of Quincy and operated by Heritage Sports Ventures, the company which also owns the Free Jacks.

Veteran’s Memorial Stadium

 


 

Results

36 - 17

2025 - RD 12: New England Free Jacks v Houston SaberCats

23 - 21

2025 - RD 11: New England Free Jacks v Rugby FC LA

6 - 26

2025 - RD 10: Anthem RC v New England Free Jacks

39 - 12

2025 - RD 9: New England Free Jacks v San Diego Legion

43 - 6

2025 - RD 8: New England Free Jacks v Miami Sharks

26 - 33

2025 - RD 7: Utah Warriors v New England Free Jacks

28 - 14

2025 - RD 6: Old Glory DC v New England Free Jacks

35 - 31

2025 - RD 5: New England Free Jacks v NOLA Gold

27 - 24

2025 - RD 4: Seattle Seawolves v New England Free Jacks

36 - 7

2025 - RD 3: Chicago Hounds v New England Free Jacks

17 - 24

2025 - RD 1: Rugby FC LA v New England Free Jacks

11 - 20

2024 Championship Final: Seattle Seawolves v New England Free Jacks

23 - 17

2024 Eastern Conference Final - New England Free Jacks v Chicago Hounds

33 - 29

2024 Eastern Conference SF 1 - New England Free Jacks v Old Glory DC

40 - 7

2024 - RD 18: New England Free Jacks v Anthem RC

27 - 17

2024 - RD 17: NOLA Gold v New England Free Jacks

36 - 27

2024 - RD 16: New England Free Jacks v Utah Warriors

30 - 31

2024 - RD 15: Old Glory DC v New England Free Jacks

26 - 24

2024 - RD 14: New England Free Jacks v Dallas Jackals

15 - 13

2024 - RD 13: Miami Sharks v New England Free Jacks

23 - 24

2024 - RD 12: San Diego Legion v New England Free Jacks

20 - 26

2024 - RD 10: New England Free Jacks v Chicago Hounds

12 - 34

2024 - RD 9: Rugby FC LA v New England Free Jacks

21 - 29

2024 - RD 8: New England Free Jacks v Seattle Seawolves

35 - 47

2024 - RD 7: Houston SaberCats v New England Free Jacks

25 - 3

2024 - RD 6: New England Free Jacks v Miami Sharks

17 - 22

2024 - RD 4: Chicago Hounds v New England Free Jacks

27 - 21

2024 - RD 3: New England Free Jacks v NOLA Gold

34 - 35

2024 - RD 2: New England Free Jacks v Old Glory DC

13 - 46

2024 - RD 1: Anthem RC v New England Free Jacks

24 - 25

2023 - Championship Final: San Diego Legion v New England Free Jacks

25 - 7

2023 - Eastern Conference Final: New England Free Jacks v Old Glory DC

47 - 24

2023 - RD 18: New England Free Jacks v Houston SaberCats

26 - 34

2023 - RD 17: Seattle Seawolves v New England Free Jacks

14 - 35

2023 - RD 16: Rugby ATL v New England Free Jacks

57 - 20

2023 - RD 15: New England Free Jacks v Toronto Arrows

50 - 3

2023 - RD 14: New England Free Jacks v NOLA Gold

24 - 42

2023 - RD 13: Old Glory DC v New England Free Jacks

8 - 0

2023 - RD 11: New England Free Jacks v New York Ironworkers

23 - 13

2023 - RD 10: New England Free Jacks v Rugby ATL

5 - 80

2023 - Rd 9: Toronto Arrows v New England Free Jacks

31 - 19

2023 - RD 8: New England Free Jacks v Chicago Hounds

26 - 24

2023 - RD 7: Utah Warriors v New England Free Jacks

10 - 9

2023 - Rd 6: New England Free Jacks v Dallas Jackals

18 - 33

2023 - RD 5: New York Ironworkers v New England Free Jacks

34 - 31

2023 - RD 4: New England Free Jacks v Old Glory DC

29 - 12

2023 - RD 2: San Diego Legion v New England Free Jacks

12 - 36

2023 - RD 1: NOLA Gold v New England Free Jacks

16 - 24

2022 - Eastern Conference Final: New England Free Jacks v Rugby New York

14 - 21

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

57 - 5

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

33 - 18

2022 - RD 16: Toronto Arrows v New England Free Jacks

15 - 10

2022 - RD 15: New England Free Jacks v Rugby ATL

26 - 20

2022 - RD 14: New England Free Jacks v Old Glory DC

33 - 17

2022 - RD 13: New England Free Jacks v Utah Warriors

26 - 29

2022 - RD 12: Rugby New York v New England Free Jacks

24 - 22

2022 - RD 10: New England Free Jacks v Seattle Seawolves

33 - 29

2022 - RD 9: New England Free Jacks v NOLA Gold

27 - 41

2022 - RD 8: Rugby ATL v New England Free Jacks

17 - 25

2022 - RD 7: Austin Gilgronis v New England Free Jacks

21 - 15

2022 - RD 6: New England Free Jacks v Toronto Arrows

29 - 38

2022 - RD 5: Rugby New York v New England Free Jacks

19 - 15

2022 - RD 4: LA Giltinis v New England Free Jacks

25 - 41

2022 - Rd 3: Old Glory DC v New England Free Jacks

13 - 24

2022 - RD 1: NOLA Gold v New England Free Jacks

22 - 19

2021 - RD 18: New England Free Jacks v Rugby ATL

17 - 28

2021 - RD 17: Toronto Arrows v New England Free Jacks

22 - 6

2021 - RD 16: New England Free Jacks v Rugby United New York

9 - 17

2021 - RD 15: New England Free Jacks v NOLA Gold

25 - 21

2021 - RD 13: New England Free Jacks v Seattle Seawolves

38 - 34

2021 - RD 12: New England Free Jacks v Old Glory DC

14 - 12

2021 - RD 11: New England Free Jacks v Toronto Arrows

29 - 19

2021 - RD 10: Rugby United New York v New England Free Jacks

33 - 18

2021 - RD 9: Rugby ATL v New England Free Jacks

22 - 18

2021 - RD 8: New England Free Jacks v Austin Gilgronis

17 - 33

2021 - RD 7: San Diego Legion v New England Free Jacks

35 - 22

2021 - RD 6: Old Glory DC v New England Free Jacks

30 - 29

2021 - RD 5: NOLA Gold v New England Free Jacks

22 - 21

2021 - RD 3: New England Free Jacks v Utah Warriors

0 - 32

2021 - RD 2: Houston SaberCats v New England Free Jacks

42 - 27

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

31 - 22

2020 - RD 5: NOLA Gold v New England Free Jacks

44 - 29

2020 - RD 4: Seattle Seawolves v New England Free Jacks

30 - 21

2020 - RD 3: San Diego Legion v New England Free Jacks

39 - 33

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

34 - 14

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

All-Time MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
111271401324926725776022368
211667472330728914165824354
3866224024401793647459302
41055054126432851-2085221275
51064558329843031-475531272
61075057027102973-2635017267
77546290200017862144113238
8833346421422495-3534417201
9702939217711884-1132716163
105630251140512651402710159
1161253511457142136249135
123425901036618418205125
13452024111381180-421710109
1431171228568015517392
1550941010171710-693191772
16279162695829-13417562
172711160587693-1069659
182702705261070-5448412

2025 Overall MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
111830376304728141
211830304227777140
311830295252435138
412750363322418238
511740334283517237
611560313335-228230
711461328356-289330
81146131731077328
91147033333127528
1011560252304-525227
11110110203394-191235

2024 MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
116142047834713111067
216115049837312511457
3161150421374477556
41611504633441198355
5161060410349618250
616871454387678445
716610048245032111043
816772394416-226442
9165110424471-477835
10166100335389-544432
11165101367473-1068232
12160160323676-353617

2023 Overall MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
116151055428526913174
216142055627328311168
31612405093481619259
41610604844137111253
5161060445421248250
6168804283874110143
716781408443-3511243
816790339435-966135
9165101355428-735128
10163130327497-1704420
11162140278458-1806519
12161132306601-2954416

2022 Overall MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
11613304543281268262
21612404752292469158
316115046834012811358
41611504334082511256
51611504432831609154
616970408393159449
716970435354818446
816880475428478343
916880414390247241
10165110424395296733
11164120358517-1596325
12163130423591-1688323
13160160198752-554224

2021 Overall MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
116124054530524011463
21610605164644213558
3161150420321999457
41610604484192910454
5161051375378-37251
6161060382351317148
716970389317727447
816691409490-818539
9166100430464-349538
10165110411412-15530
11164120343461-1184626
12162140274550-2763213

2020 Overall MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
15500161108533023
2541015189622119
35410122129-71017
45320135102333116
5532013613152115
6523011611062212
75221125134-92012
85140139158-19419
9523098130-32019
105140138162-24228
115131104155-51107
12514099116-17026

Active Free Jacks Players

PlayerPositionGPGSTCPDGMGTacklesKS/KAPts
Andrew QuattrinHooker109400014096020
Ben LeSageCenter33000082800
Cameron Nordli-KelemetiScrum-half7420002916010
Cole KeithProp51000091100
Connal McInerneyHooker620000391900
Conor KeysLock830000135600
Dan HollinsheadFly-half2205401510922
Emanuel LaiScrum-half1000000100
Ethan FryerFlanker210000422400
Faletoi PeniCenter, Fly-half6311320125181537
Foster DeWittHooker, Prop40000002100
Harrison BoyleFly-half97200023528010
Jack ReevesCenter, Wing63400028626020
Jackson ThiebesLock0000000000
Jayson PotrozFly-half, Fullback3317101882824
Jed MelvinFlanker986000284119030
Jerónimo Gómez VaraFlanker8720008960010
Joe JohnstonFlanker119100024613905
John PolandScrum-half440200151224
Jone KoroiduaduaProp850000203400
Josh LarsenLock600000192900
Kaipono KayoshiFlanker, Number 831000051700
Kaleb GeigerHooker1140000729400
Killian CoghlanCenter, Wing5400001721300
Kyle BaillieLock52000011700
Kyle CiqueraProp0000000000
Kyle SteevesProp31100091605
Le Roux MalanCenter10910004417405
Lindsey StevensHooker10000072100
Matt CarrionFlanker, Number 80000000000
Noah BainCenter, Wing0000000000
Oscar LennonScrum-half104150010546515
Paula BalekanaWing88800044345040
Penalty Try1110000007
Piers von DadelszenFlanker, Lock, Number 8980000597700
Sam CairdLock771000247505
Simon-Peter ToleafoaFly-half, Fullback, Wing65200015015010
Tevita SoleProp840000214800
Wayne van der BankCenter8610001664705
Wian ConradieNumber 8992000299117010

All Free Jacks Players

PlayerPositionGPGSTCPDGMGTacklesKS/KAPts
Akeli Morris-LomeCenter1313000044011200
Alex JohnstonProp810000423800
Andrew QuattrinHooker4235170001150365087
Beaudein WaakaFly-half, Fullback3735116527015248992270
Ben LandryFlanker, Lock11000020600
Ben LeSageCenter372650001273236027
Brad HemopoNumber 84310001401405
Brock WebsterFullback, Wing8710002502605
Cael HodgsonCenter, Wing0000000000
Cam DavidowiczFlanker42128000716246044
Cameron Nordli-KelemetiScrum-half2112300013985015
Cole KeithProp3318000024117600
Connal McInerneyHooker620000391900
Conor KeysLock4031000059134300
Conor KindreganLock128200022760010
Conor YoungProp400000321100
Dan HollinsheadFly-half2205401510922
Danny CollinsFullback, Wing8410001461105
Danyon Morgan-PuterangiFly-half, Fullback128241082244521
Deion MikesellWing53200017010010
Donald BrighouseProp551000424005
Dougie FifeCenter, Fullback, Wing2929110001775104061
Emanuel LaiScrum-half1000000100
Erich de JagerProp33302000495224010
Erik ThompsonScrum-half2000005300
Ethan FryerFlanker155200028279010
Evan GeistFlanker810000312600
Ewan Brumwell31000068400
Faletoi PeniCenter, Fly-half6311320125181537
Foster DeWittHooker, Prop3993000469216015
Gabe CaseyCenter1000000200
Harrison BoyleFly-half34233000757133015
Harry BarlowWing232010000938113050
Holden YungertScrum-half417100024211405
Isaac OlsonCenter, Wing216200037791010
Ivan PulaProp0000000000
Jack ReevesCenter, Wing189400055498020
Jackson ThiebesLock2722000058926200
Jaco BezuidenhoutNumber 80000000000
James HilterbrandHooker, Prop20000022200
Jared CollinsonFullback1000000000
Javon Camp-VillalovosLock11000022800
Jayson PotrozFly-half, Fullback36368953901935107134351
Jed MelvinFlanker171510000625214050
Jerónimo Gómez VaraFlanker8720008960010
Jesse PareteFlanker, Number 8141010004529905
Joe JohnstonFlanker594690001915715045
Joel HintzProp1260000899000
John PolandScrum-half585618660116440112124
John-Roy JenkinsonProp131200001855100
Jone KoroiduaduaProp850000203400
Josateki DegeiFullback30000033200
Josh LarsenLock574440001141601020
Josiah MorraWing10000038000
Junior GafaCenter0000000000
Justin JohnsonFlanker17910002228005
Kaipono KayoshiFlanker, Number 831000051700
Kaleb GeigerHooker255100042918605
Kensuke HatakeyamaProp831000253005
Kianu Kereru-SymesHooker11500001885900
Kieran McCleaScrum-half64300016625015
Killian CoghlanCenter, Wing9400001821900
Kyle BaillieLock2113000012314800
Kyle CiqueraProp5633100054733205
Kyle SteevesProp31100091605
Le Roux MalanCenter5247160003220419084
Liam SteelCenter33200012620010
Lindsey StevensHooker10000072100
Malakai Hala-NgataiProp25143000228134017
Martín SigrenFlanker, Number 8109000027812200
Mason KochHooker500000392800
Matt CarrionFlanker, Number 80000000000
Matt WirkenLock2000000600
Mika LomanoCenter1000000000
Mikaea WynyardLock0000000000
Mills SaneriviHooker31138000843257040
Mitch JacobsonFlanker22173000733241017
Mitch WilsonFullback, Wing57511753028973308104
Naulia DawaiFlanker5500002224800
Noah BainCenter, Wing0000000000
Ollie EngelhartScrum-half61000036600
Oscar LennonScrum-half158250016966520
Owen HundtFlanker400000582700
Pago HainiNumber 80000000000
Paula BalekanaWing52513300033413310167
Peceli RinakamaWing6100000400
Penalty Try44500000035
Piers von DadelszenFlanker, Lock, Number 826192000304199010
Pieter JansenHooker27239000236227045
Poasa Waqanibau20202000603121010
Quentin NewcomerProp24910002418405
Reece MacDonaldFly-half, Fullback302812102024831131286
Reegan O’GormanLock2111000031915600
Ronan McCuskerLock720000432000
Sam BeardCenter5500002644000
Sam CairdLock771000247505
Sam FischliFlanker12710003427205
Sean McNultyHooker5500001014400
Sean RalphHooker921000985005
Sean YacoubianScrum-half4000001500
Sef Fa’agaseProp111100002077000
Semisi PaeaFlanker, Lock, Number 8131010001868505
Seta BakerFlanker14104000585142020
Simon CourcoulProp53000033100
Simon-Peter ToleafoaFly-half, Fullback, Wing65200015015010
Slade McDowallFlanker201710000773299050
Spencer JonesCenter13610003776305
Spencer KruegerProp900000482600
Stan van den HovenLock1614000020520000
Steven HinshawHooker501000151305
Tadhg LeaderFly-half22031016549
Taniela FilimoneCenter, Wing98300039850015
Tera Mtembu12710001185305
Terrell PeitaNumber 810810003126505
Tevita SoleProp278100022416505
Timothée GuilliminFly-half5309001412918
Toby FrickerWing6610001964705
Tolu FahamokioaProp1000000500
Tom BrusatiScrum-half70000051300
Tomas CasaresFlanker, Number 80000000000
Tuidraki Samusamuvodre72200018210010
Vili Toluta’uFlanker154300019966015
Wayne van der BankCenter5146160003139515084
Wian ConradieNumber 85653170003479811085
Zach BastresWing135200029459010
Zach StryffelerCenter, Flanker551000304805
Zachary ShortScrum-half1000005000