The New England Free Jacks wrap up their 2024 regualr season by hosting Anthem RC at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium, who they also played in their first game of the season.

The hosts emerged as comfortable 40-7 victors to secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 11-5, and will now face Old Glory DC in the MLR quaterfinals.

Anthem RC finish their 2024 season without a win, recording the 3rd 0-16 season in league history but recording the most point of any of those winless seasons. The hastily put together partnership between MLR, USA Rugby, and World Rugbywill now have a full off-season to prepare for their 2025 campaign, where they will look to build on some admirable performances and secure their first victory.

The Dallas Jackals travel to Quincy to face the Top of the East New England Free Jacks in a cross-conference match at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium during Round 14 of the 2024 season.

Both sides struggled with discipline throughout the first half, and it was the hosts who recovered better in the second half, scoring 3 tries in under 10 minutes to rattle the Dallas Jackals, who did attempt a valiant comeback to earn a losing BP, but suffered another narrow loss to hamper their playoff push, 26-24.

The Free Jacks reported a new attendance record at Fort Quincy, with 4,821 watching their team emerge victorious in this cross-conference clash.

Eastern Conference leaders the New England Free Jacks host the 2nd placed Chicago Hounds in a clash at the top of the east.

The visiting Chicago Hounds put together an impressive performance to cement themselves as real contenders for the Eastern Conference, defeating the reigning champions in their own back yard, 20-26.

All-time MLR leading try scorer Dylan Fawsitt scored his 48th try, and Maclean Jones bagged a pair as the Hounds took this one by 6. They weren’t able to secure the Try BP however, and the Free Jacks salvage a losing BP but only scored 3 tries of their own, including a pair from Paula Balekana.

The Free Jacks still lead the East, but it might not be as much of a walkover as it once appeared…

The MLR-leading Seattle Seawolves travel across the country to face the Eastern Conference-leading New England Free Jacks in the clash of the Conference Leaders!

The Seawolves took the first points of the game early through the boot of Mack Mason, before Wayne van der Bank struck back with the first try of the afternoon to give the Free Jacks the lead. Both sides struggled to find consistent possession through the first half, but the Seawolves kept the scoreboard rolling with 3 penalty kicks, followed by a Dan Kriel try on the stroke of half time to give the visitors a 7-14 lead at the break.

The second half was a different story. Although it took 13 minutes, the Seawolves scored twice in quick succession through Kara Pryor on his Season and Seawolf debut, and Captain Riekert Hattingh tearing down the wing, to rattle the hosts and take a 7-26 lead. The Free Jacks wouldn’t roll over however, and began to find their feet as the game entered the final quarter. The hosts were awarded a penalty try with 12 minutes to go, and Joe Taufete’e was given a yellow card to boot. Kaleb Geiger found a gap in the line and the former NY prop showed surprising speed 4 minutes later, which Jayson Potroz converted to bring the Free Jacks within 8. In possession and attacking once more with the clock in the red, the hosts attempted to score 1 more try to secure both bonus points, but it wasn’t to be as the ball was intercepted and the game ended.

The Seattle Seawolves stay atop of MLR, and win the 2024 iteration of the ‘Coffee Cup’, a trophy contested annually between the Seattle Seawolves (Starbucks) and the New England Free Jacks (Dunkin’ Donuts).

The New England Free Jacks host their rivals, Old Glory DC for their home opener at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Quincy.

The Flags came into this game with something to prove following last week’s disappointing loss to NOLA, and fought tooth and nail to stay in the contest. DC trailed by 10 at the half, but hung around and were within touching distance as the clock turned red, trailing 34-28. Possession was theirs and good discipline allowed them to steadily gain ground before William Talataina was at last able to dot down to bring the flags within one with the conversion to come. Josh Henderson stepped up for the conversion, and made no mistakes to bring the final score to 34-35 to the visitors, their first win over the Free Jacks in over 1000 days.

For New England, their 13 game win streak dating back to the 2023 regular season comes to an end, and althought they picked up 2pts in this clash, they must regroup ahead of their game against the 2-0, Confernece leading NOLA Gold next week

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.

The Houston SaberCats travel to Boston to face the New England Free Jacks in Quincy for a cross-conference clash that will end the 2023 regular saeson for both sides.

Both sides are already locked into their playoff spots, with the Free Jacks knowing they have a bye to the Conference Finals, and the SaberCats knowing they will face the Seawolves in Seattle next weekend.

A club record crowd of 4766 watched the home side run riot against a SaberCats side that was a hybrid of starters and (mostly) depth players. Le Roux Malan had scored twice before the first water break, and Paula Balekana scored another just before half time, his league-tying 14th try of the season! Shortly after half time, Malan struck again for his 3rd of the afternoon and the first hat trick of his MLR career! This was the 2nd hat trick in Free Jacks club history, and the 32nd in MLR history. In total, he gained 234m with ball in hand, setting a new MLR record for metres gained in a single game!

The SaberCats had scored in the first half through Danny Barrett, as well as a conversion and penalty from Kian Meadon. They had to wait until late in the game to get on the board again though. Canadian Kainoa Lloyd (a late season signing from Houston) scored in the 68th minute, quickly followed by Nick Boyer in the 74th, but by then it was all academic. The Free Jacks had romped to a 47-24 victory, securing their 10th win in a row in back-to-back seasons and finishing the 2023 regular season with a club record 14-2 record. The 10-6 SaberCats also set a club record, with their 53pt season bettering their 48pt season in 2022, and enter the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row.