An Eastern Conference clash sees the Chicago Hounds host Old Glory DC at Seatgeek Stadium in Round 5 of the 2025 Major League Rugby season. Both sides are coming off of victories over Eastern Conference rivals, with the Hounds defeating the Miami Sharks by a score of 18-31 on the road, and Old Glory DC squeaking past an improving Anthem RC side, 26-22. These teams have met 3 times in the past, and Old Glory having won 2 of the previous meetings with the third a 22-22 draw early last season. The most recent meeting was almost the same, but the Flags took a 21-22 victory on the back of 11pts by Gradyn Bowd.

The New England Free Jacks travel to Chicago fresh off a bye week to face the Hounds in an Eastern Conference clash, and repeat of the 2024 Eastern Conference Final. The Hounds are looking to bounce back after a loss to the Utah Warriors.

These teams have met 4 times in the past, with the Free Jacks holding a 3-1 series lead. Their last meeting was a phenomenal game in the Eastern Conference Final, where the Hounds fell narrowly, 23-17. The Hounds would redeem themselves in this game, however.

The Chicago Hounds had the measure of the Free Jacks for almost the entire 80 minutes. A early penalty by Adriaan Carelse and Penalty Try gave them a 10-0 lead, which would have been enough. Winger Michael Hand scored his first try for the Hounds shortly after to extend the lead to 15-0, which is how things stayed for most of the game. Chicago Flanker Mason Flesch was handed a yellow card which could have let the Free Jacks back into the game, but they struggled to get anything going and when they did, the Hounds defence was up to the task.

Two or three try-saving tackles kept the donut on the board for New England through the half-time break, and as the Hounds started to click the Free Jacks were shown two yellow cards in quick succession to reduce them to 13 men, the second of which also conceded a 2nd penalty try to bury them even deeper. The Hounds were able to add a 4th try relatively easier through Ollie Devoto, before the New England Free Jacks finally found a gap and Jayson Potroz went through for an auto-7pt consolation score. Noah Brown would add an opportunistic score in the final minutes to balloon the final score to 36-7 for Chicago, who move to 2-1 on the season. A battered Free Jacks side fall to 1-1, the bye week seemingly more of a disadvantage than anything.

After sitting through a bye in Round 1, the Utah Warriors finally get their 2025 season underway on the road against the Chicago Hounds. The Hounds are fresh off an upset victory over the Houston SaberCats on the road, and now face another Western Conference opponent in the Warriors, who will be looking to return to winning ways after a disappointing 2024 where they missed the playoffs.

These sides have met three times prior to this game, with the Utah Warriors holding a 2-1 lead in this match up. The previous meeting between these two teams was in Round 2 of the 2024 season, when the Warriors came away as 29-15 winners at Zion’s Bank. Of note, This was the 100th game for Chicago Hounds hooker Dylan Fawsitt, who became the first player in Major League Rugby history to reach 100 appearances in the competition. Unfortunately for Fawsitt and the Hounds, the Utah Warriors caught them napping early in the game, with tries from Liam Coltman and Blake Makiri giving the Warriors a 0-14 lead within 7 minutes. Chicago would hit back with a Nate Augspurger try, but the Warriors would respond immediately with a Joe Mano score from a perfect crossfield kick from D’Angelo Leuila.

From the 15 minute mark, it seemed at though the Hounds had woken up. Tries from Mason Flesch and Dylan Fawsitt on his 100th MLR cap drew the game level for a 28-28 half time score, with both teams already locking up the try bonus point. Mitch Short would give the Warriors their first lead early in the 2nd half, before Charlie Abel was handed a controversial red card that halted Chicago’s momentum. The Warriors took advantage, scoring 2 tries while a man up, before sealing the deal with Joe Mano’s 2nd score right at the end. The Warriors get their 2025 season off to a perfect start, while the Hounds suffer a 2nd red card in as many games, and move to 1-1.