• 15 Tackles Made
• 22 Ruck Arrivals
• Seven Carries Made

Hooker, Seth Smith – Houston SaberCats

• Two Tries Scored
• Six Tackles Tackles Made
• 23 Meters Made

Tighthead Prop, Maliu Niafe – RFCLA

• 12 Tackles Made
• 32 Ruck Arrivals
• Five Carries Made

Left Lock,  Jason Damm – RFCLA 

• One Tries Scored
• 15 Tackles Made
• 26 Ruck Arrivals

Right Lock, Rhyno Herbst – Seattle Seawolves

• 16 Tackles Made
• 34 Ruck Arrivals
• Five Lineout Takes

Blindside Flanker, Cory Daniel – Old Glory DC

• Two Tries Scored
• 46 Ruck Arrivals
• 36 Tackles Made

Openside Flanker, Matt Heaton– RFCLA

• One Try Scored
• 18 Tackles Made
• 25 Ruck Arrivals

No 8., Wian Conradie – New England Free Jacks

• Two Tries Scored
• 52 Meters Made
• 10 Tackles Made

Scrum-half, Nick Boyer – Seattle Seawolves

• Seven Tackles Made
• Three Carries Made
• Four Ruck Arrivals

Fly-half, Jason Emery – Old Glory DC

• 11 Points Scored
• 18 Tackles Made
• 143 Meters Kicked

Left Wing, Juan-Dee Oliver – Houston SaberCats

• Two Tries Scored
• 45 Meters Made
• 48 Kick in Play Meters

Inside Center, Nick Grigg – Old Glory DC

• One Try Scored
• 43 Meters Made
• 12 Tackles Made

Outside Center, Matias orlando – Miami Sharks

• One Try Scored
• Five Carries Made
• Six Ruck Arrivals

Right Wing, Marcos Young – Miami Sharks

• One Try Scored
• 22 Meters Made
• 10 Tackles Made

Fullback, Duncan Matthews – Seattle Seawolves

• One Try Scored
• 152 Meters Made
• 10 Carries Made

The post First XV | WK14 | 2025 appeared first on Major League Rugby.

If predicting the final standings in the Eastern and Western Conferences was not already challenging enough, Week 14 of the Major League Rugby season has certainly made it all the more challenging.

From the Miami Sharks’ surprise win over the New England Free Jacks, to Old Glory DC’s 10-point haul in the space of five days, or even Rugby Football Club Los Angeles’ late win against the Chicago Hounds, things have been left finely poised with three weekends to go.

OLD GLORY DC 27-14 NOLA GOLD

A strong second half helped Old Glory DC to beat fellow Playoffs hopefuls NOLA Gold 27-14.

Jason Emery broke the deadlock after 23 minutes as both teams tested one another for the game’s opening quarter. Immediately after Luke Carty failed to land a penalty of his own, NOLA were awarded a penalty try, and DC’s Jack Iscaro impeded a try-scoring opportunity for the visitors.

A score for Julian Roberts moved the Gold further ahead; however, the visitors were reduced a player when Tupou Ma’afu-Afungia went to the sin bin. Ahead of halftime Facundo Gattas scored a try for DC.

Cory Daniel’s and Nick Grigg’s efforts in the second half landed Old Glory the lead, and Gattas’ second score in the wake of Reece Botha’s yellow card, secured five points for the home team.

MIAMI SHARKS 30-19 NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS

With a 30-19 win over the New England Free Jacks on Friday night, the Miami Sharks have put a seven-point buffer between themselves and fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

A fast start in Florida saw Shane O’Leary slot a penalty and Marcos Young cross the try line for the home side.

Tevita Sole’s converted effort got New England on the board; however, a try for O’Leary extended Miami’s lead further ahead of halftime.

To back up their dominant first half, Giuseppe du Toit crossed the whitewash for the home side, and an O’Leary penalty kept the Sharks well ahead.

In the closing quarter of the contest, Wian Conradie registered a pair of tries on either side of Matias Orlando’s bonus point-scoring effort. 

HOUSTON SABERCATS 40-19 UTAH WARRIORS

The Houston SaberCats’ strong first half propelled them to a 40-19 victory over Western Conference rivals the Utah Warriors.

Barely a minute after kick-off at SaberCats Stadium, Juan-Dee Oliver had registered the opening score of the game and Davy Coetzer duly added the conversion.

The hosts’ lead grew further as Seth Smith scored on either side of a yellow card for Utah’s Jordan Trainor.

Ahead of halftime, Coetzer struck a penalty for Houston, and Oliver dotted down to complete his brace. On the stroke of halftime, the hosts’ Ezekiel Lindenmuth received a red card.

Much like in the first half, the SaberCats started quickly, and Tautalatasi Tasi was the beneficiary of another Dam Akina prod through the opposition defense.

In the wake of an AJ Alatimu penalty goal, the Warriors finally got on the scoreboard thanks to a penalty when Houston’s Pita Anae-Ah Sue illegally prevented the Warriors from scoring from close range and received a yellow card for his troubles.

After the visitors’ Phil Bradford was sent to the sin bin, Alatimu scored his second penalty of the encounter.

As the game drew to a close, Frank Lochore and Joel Hodgson both registered tries for Utah.

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES 29-25 SAN DIEGO LEGION

OJ Noa’s last-gasp try for the Seattle Seawolves bagged a much-needed win over Western Conference rivals, the San Diego Legion.

With less than 10 minutes on the clock, each team had raced across the try line, as Seattle’s Divan Rossouw and San Diego’s Payton Telea-Italio made their presence known.

After a penalty apiece from Rod Iona and Steffan Crimp, a yellow card for Legion’s Hugh Roach made way for a Riekert Hattingh try. Before halftime, Seattle’s Duncan Matthews was sent to the sin bin.

If the first half was tense, then the second half was entirely frantic.

Legion took the lead thanks to Brad Wilkin and Shilo Klein’s scores, which were scored on either side of a try for Matthews. A yellow card for Seattle’s Dan Kriel provided extra space for Ryan James to burst through the blue and green defensive line.

To win the contest in front of their home support, a dominant Seattle scrum saw the Seawolves power over the whitewash and only left Noa to fall on the ball over the try line.

ANTHEM RC 19–41 OLD GLORY DC

To pick up a second win in five days, Old Glory DC beat Anthem RC 41-19 in North Carolina.

Old Glory had their try scoring bonus point locked up at halftime as tries for Cory Daniel, Damien Hoyland, Connor Buckley, and Axel Muller cancelled a score for Anthem’s Dylan Fortune.

Jake Turnbull dotted down for the hosts at the start of the second half, only for later efforts from Perry Humphreys, KoiKoi Nelligan, and Ignacio Dotti to put the result beyond any doubt.

In the closing stages, EJ Freeman crossed the whitewash for Anthem’s third try of the fixture.

CHICAGO HOUNDS 24–26 RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB LOS ANGELES

Rugby Football Club Los Angeles stepped back into the race for the Playoffs with their 26-24 triumph over the Chicago Hounds.

It took Franco van den Berg’s score with the game’s final play to wrap up a famous win on the road for Stephen Hoiles’ team. 

As a result, the Western Conference side has moved ahead of the Seattle Seawolves to occupy the final postseason place in their division.

From the start, there was an irrepressible intensity to proceedings at SeatGeek Stadium. 

With less than 10 minutes on the clock, Chicago crossed the try line through Maclean Jones, and RFCLA responded shortly after Gonzalo Bertranou cut loose.

Chris Hilsenbeck nudged the Hounds back ahead while Bertranou was in the sin bin, and Ed Timpson handed the visitors the halftime lead with his seventh score of 2025.

To keep in the contest, Peyton Wall was the next try scorer for the hosts. The contest was finely poised after Jason Damm fired back for LA with only 20 minutes left to play.

Just two minutes after his introduction to the match, Lucas Bur received a yellow card for preventing a clear scoring opportunity for the Hounds, who were awarded a penalty try.

With the game finely poised in the final minutes, good possession for RFCLA saw them barrel further and further towards their opponent’s try line.

After the clock had ticked into the red, replacement prop Van den Berg dotted down to send the visitors home with five points in their back pocket.

The post Major League Rugby Week 14 Recap appeared first on Major League Rugby.

Ed Timpson thanks a season in Sydney for changing the course of his career.

During his time at the University of Nottingham, the Rugby Football Club Los Angeles back row starred in the BUCS Super Rugby competition and even represented England Students against French universities.

After graduating, the 23-year-old spent some time in Scotland before heading to Australia, first to Perth and then on to New South Wales, where he played for Northern Suburbs Rugby Club (Norths) in the coveted Shute Shield.

What followed was a runners-up finish in the competition to Randwick, a strong individual campaign, a two-month spell with Bristol Bears in Gallagher Premiership Rugby, and his arrival in Major League Rugby.

“The whole thing was mental because I lived on a sofa for a month,” Timpson said.

“I had played with Tom Smith for a few months after uni, playing for the Stirling Wolves in the Super 6 (elite rugby competition in Scotland).

“We became really good mates, and I knew he was going to Sydney. I was able to stay with him for a bit, and that allowed me to train with Norths.

“I had my best season. I couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out. It is quite common for people to go there. I had my best season; we finished second in the Shute Shield, and I was the player of the season for the Norths.

“That’s the reason LA and Bristol wanted me. If I had not played there, this wouldn’t be happening.”

When Timpson first saw a message on Instagram about potentially joining Bristol Bears on a short-term contract, he thought it was a hoax. However, in the weeks that followed, and after a Zoom call with the club’s director of rugby, Pat Lam, Timpson soon found that it was anything but.

He then swapped the late Australian spring for the early British winter and got his first taste of professional club rugby among a squad stacked with international talent.

“I was very nervous on my first day because I didn’t really know anyone, and they were the players you watch on TV,” Timpson said.

“It was very intimidating (at first), but everyone was lovely. The Bristol facilities are incredible, and I hadn’t experienced anything like that.

“Being around that sort of players that play week in and week out in the Prem, or internationally, seeing how they go about training and the extra things, was really insightful.”

During his time in England, Timpson played two Premiership Rugby Cup games before moving to the United States.

Timpson’s performances in the Shute Shield impressed not only people at home but also the powers at RFCLA.

In recent years, Stephen Hoiles has coached Randwick to glory in the competition and recruited a number of players from the Sydney competition ahead of his first year in charge in SoCal.

Timpson even had a reunion with his former university teammate, Ben Sugars.

“I’d say that stint with Bristol definitely gave me a lot of confidence coming into LA,” he said.

“Coming into my first professional season with LA would have been a lot more difficult. 

“It put me that step ahead. It helped me focus on what I want to accomplish and how I want my career to go.

“Just trying to implement that in training this season. It has helped. Hopefully I’ve been playing well enough to do that, and I’ll be peaking at the right time heading into the Playoffs.”

Timpson’s objective for continued development has gone to plan.

During his time in California, the flanker has started 10 games for Stephen Hoiles’ team and scored six tries in his 12 appearances.

His powerful and explosive performances in the back row have contributed to the year-two team’s fifth-place finish in the Western Conference with four games left to play.

The Chicago Hounds are first in the team’s objective of reaching the MLR Playoffs. They want to make ground on Eastern Conference leaders, the New England Free Jacks.

There is an added spring in the step of LA coming into this Week 14 clash.

Not only did the team get back to winning ways last weekend after not tasting victory for four weeks, but they also welcomed 2021 World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Antoine Dupont to their ownership group, which emboldened their mentality.

Rugby Football Club Los Angeles is proud to welcome @Dupont9A into the ownership group of the franchise.

MEDIA (English) https://t.co/VwDdCufqyj pic.twitter.com/vgaE58YaEl

— Rugby Football Club Los Angeles (@RugbyFCLA) May 16, 2025

“We’re still very confident with how we’re trying to play,” Timpson told MLR.

“We had that hot streak after winning our first game (against the Seattle Seawolves in Week 5) and then got four in a row. Then we’ve been on the wrong side of some recently.

“We’re nearly there. I suppose you’d rather peak at the end of the season in the Playoffs. As long as we’re building each week and improving, then we’re all good.

“I think it would be really cool to show the other teams what we’re properly about.

“It would be really cool to cement ourselves properly in the league as one of the teams to beat.”

The post Living the Dream – RFCLA’s Ed Timpson appeared first on Major League Rugby.

Widely regarded as one of the very best players of rugby’s professional era, Dupont will leverage his unparalleled success on the pitch and extensive marketing experience to guide RFCLA’s enduring success in high performance, branding, and commercial development. 

Dupont’s decision to bring his on-field and oJ-field skills and global star power to RFCLA and Major League Rugby (MLR) represents a critical landmark in the development of rugby in the U.S. in the run-up to Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics and the U.S. playing host to the 2031  Men’s Rugby World Cup and 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup. 

Dupont’s unique blend of skill, speed, strength, decision making, and leadership has captivated the hearts of his fellow Frenchmen and earned universal accolades from the global rugby community as the best player in the world and the only in history to excel at the highest levels of  15s and 7s in the same calendar year. 

As national team captain, Dupont led France to the 2025 6 Nations title to add to an unprecedented string of achievements in 2024, including an Olympic Gold Medal in 7s rugby in  Paris, championship runs with his club Stade Toulousain in the France Top 14 and European  Professional Club Rugby competitions, and the HSBC SVNS title with France. 

At only 28 years of age, Dupont was named the 2021 World Player of the Year and has helped establish Stade Toulousain as the premier club in Europe, with four Top 14 titles and two European  Champions Cup titles during his tenure there. 

Dupont shared his thoughts about the opportunity ahead: “Rugby is more than just a sport; it’s a  community with strong values. Beyond competitive success on the pitch for RFCLA, I am excited by the opportunity to grow rugby’s popularity in the States and establish an energetic hub of rugby culture that attracts players, fans, teams, and partners from around the world. 

“Los Angeles is a unique place, combining the best of sports, entertainment, fashion, and culture – I can’t think of any other place that provides such opportunities for youth development, high  performance, and commercial success to go hand-in-hand.” 

For RFCLA, this represents a new era. 

“We feel very privileged that Antoine has chosen RFCLA as the pathway to inspire new rugby players and fans and to join us in growing a global rugby brand. He is as dedicated to expanding the  rugby community as he is to competing on the pitch ,and his vision for integrating the athleticism  and core values of rugby will prove invaluable to building a bright future for rugby in LA and  throughout the U.S,.” said CEO Pete Sickle 

For media inquiries on RFCLA, please contact Olivia at: olivia@rugbyfcla.com

The post Antoine Dupont Joins Rugby Football Club Los Angeles Ownership Group appeared first on Major League Rugby.

• 15 Tackles Made
• 19 Ruck Arrivals
• Three Carries Made

Hooker, Dylan Fawsitt – Chicago Hounds

• One Tries Scored
• 16 Tackles Tackles Made
• 10 Ruck Arrivals

Tighthead Prop, Tonga Kofe – Utah Warriors

• Seven Tackles Made
• 14 Ruck Arrivals
• One Carry Made

Left Lock,  Jason Damm – RFCLA 

• Two Tries Scored
• 12 Tackles Made
• 16 Ruck Arrivals

Right Lock, Malembe Mpofu – Seattle Seawolves

• One Try Scored
• Nine Tackles Made
• 10 Ball Carries Made

Blindside Flanker, Manuel Ardao – Miami Sharks

• Two Tries Scored
• 24 Ruck Arrivals
• 2 Jackles Won

Openside Flanker, JOe Johnston – New England Free Jacks

• One Try Scored
• 18 Tackles Made
• 25 Ruck Arrivals

No 8., Marno Redelinghuys – Houston SaberCats

• 17 Tackles Made
• 27 Meters Made
• 20 Ruck Arrivals

Scrum-half, Nick Boyer – Seattle Seawolves

• 42 Meters Made
• Two Offloads
• Nine Carries Made

Fly-half, Joel Hodgson – Utah Warriors

• One Try Scored
• 104 Meters Made
• 149 Meters Kicked

Left Wing, Paula Balekana – New England Free Jacks

• One Try Scored
• 81 Meters Made
• 11 Tackles Made

Inside Center, Dom Akina – Houston SaberCats

• One Try Scored
• 96 Meters Made
• 12 Carries Made

Outside Center, Matias Jensen – RFCLA

• 13 Tackles Made
• 14 Ruck Arrivals
• 15 Meters Made

Right Wing, Lauina FuTI – Seattle Seawolves

• One Try Scored
• 122 Meters Made
• 62  Meters Kicked

Fullback, Drew Wild – Houston SaberCats

• 265 Kicking Meters
• 83 Meters Made
• 10 Carries Made

The post First XV | WK13 | 2025 appeared first on Major League Rugby.

Dom Akina and the Houston SaberCats are focused on returning to winning ways in Week 13.

The team has their sights on defeating #2 in the West, San Diego Legion, under the lights this Saturday on ESPN2

Their 36-17 loss to the New England Free Jacks last weekend in Massachusetts saw the Western Conference side slip to third.

This is the lowest position the Texas club has held since Week 3. Now, the side will face the San Diego Legion this Saturday and hope to not only leapfrog their Californian rivals but also pile more pressure on division leaders, the Utah Warriors.

“Our season isn’t over,” Akina said. “We still have five games. We’re still in contention for the top of the log for the Western Conference.

“We’re third right now, but we still have to face Utah at home, and we have San Diego this week.

“We still have that confidence. We’ve already brushed last week’s game at New England (under the carpet), and we are just focusing on San Diego and coming out of this weekend with five points.”

A year ago, the SaberCats were the pacesetters in MLR before they saw their hopes of lifting the Shield dashed at the Conference Semi-Finals.

That disappointment has fueled a lot of the team’s ambition in 2025.

Having only tasted defeat on four occasions so far this season, the side is on track to play postseason rugby again.

From Week 1, the SaberCats have shown no sign of a 2024 hangover and gone about their business with the style we have become accustomed to seeing from the club.

Congratulations to Dom Akina on being named Major League Rugby #FirstXV Inside Center for #MLR2025 Week 1!

HOU vs CHI
8 carries
90 meters made
2 defenders beaten
2 linebreaks
5 offloads pic.twitter.com/BABOLSsbXK

— Houston SaberCats Rugby (@HOUSaberCats) February 18, 2025

“Culture is a huge thing here,” Akina explained. “Everyone has their abilities, and here in Houston, we want everyone to use their abilities and play off them, play off each other, and express themselves.

“We get ball-in-hand, express ourselves, and play what’s in front of us. We just want the vibes. Vibes is a big word. We want to vibe off each other. That is huge for us.”

Week 12’s loss to the Free Jacks saw Houston drop to third in the Western Conference.

Thanks to a Sunday night victory over the NOLA Gold, the Legion moved ahead of the Texans, and the two teams will meet this Saturday night at Torero Stadium.

A win against one of their oldest rivals could go a long way to securing a home spot in the postseason this June.

“We need to pitch up every game day,” Akina said. “We just need to bring that physicality. That’s where we really strive, the physicality and that line speed in defense. 

“We really pride ourselves on defense, and we don’t want to disappoint anybody. We want to bring that physicality.

“The one thing that hurts us is discipline. In rugby, two penalties and you’re on the five-meter (line) defending, so we have to tighten up on that.

“If we bring our defense and tighten up our discipline, I think we’ll be able to get that number one seed for the Western Conference.”

REALISING A DREAM

Since making his MLR debut five years ago, Akina has made 67 appearances in the competition. 

His arrival in professional rugby has come thanks to his natural athletic ability.

During his college days at Western Oregon, the Hawaii-born back played as a defensive back for the Wolves and played rugby purely for enjoyment.

To test himself, the 30-year-old participated in several MLR Combines to determine whether he had what it took to compete at the top level.

Akina was impressed by the San Diego Legion but did not receive a contract offer. However, a visit to the Austin Gilgronis changed the course of his life.

In the 2020 season, he made six appearances as a back-row forward and impressed with his powerful bursts of attack and astute defense.

“I played rugby in college, but that was just for fun,” Akina said. “Football was my main sport, but when I got into rugby, that was an eye-opener. 

“My athletic abilities kept me in the game. I was just adapting and learning rugby. That was tough for me. 

“I was told by many of those senior players to adapt fast and take everything in. So that’s what I did. I just took everything I did, kept at it, and never looked back.”

Ahead of the 2023 season, Akina decided to transition to the backline.

This move has allowed the 30-year-old to play some of his best rugby and utilize his 4.38-second 40-yard dash and 41-inch vertical leap more effectively.

Still learning with every appearance on the field or in the tape room, his performances have led to further recognition.

Across the 2025 season to date, Akina has started seven of 10 games for Houston and crossed the whitewash on four occasions to help put his team in Western Conference contention.

Last month, he was named in the USA Men’s Eagles’ Extended Player Squad, in a year that could see the squad qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup and finally achieve a long-held ambition, which he had considered putting on the back burner for good until recently.

We’re proud to announce that 8 of our SaberCats have been named to the @USARugby Eagles Extended Player Squad!

Congratulations to Keni Nasoqeqe, Rufus McLean, Emmanuel Albert, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Max Schumacher, Pono Davis, Marno Redelinghuys, and Dom Akina! #HTownRugby pic.twitter.com/vqy3WFJl7M

— Houston SaberCats Rugby (@HOUSaberCats) April 10, 2025

“I had a conversation with my wife about it to see about continuing pursuing that goal of mine,” Akina said.

“It was always a goal – playing rugby and making the USA squad. Even in my first year, I wanted to make the USA team and represent my family.

“I was actually about to be in an extended (player) pool three years ago, but I couldn’t fulfill that because my son was just born

“I had to take that family role, put rugby aside a little bit, and focus on my family. Then the following year, I had another son. 

“I was getting to that age where I was asking if I still had the skillset and the high-level performance to represent my time and the nation.

“We had a long chat, and we finally decided that she was still on board and wanted to help me pursue that career goal.” 

So when Scott Lawrence’s 72-player extended roster was confirmed at the start of April, Akina had plenty of reason to celebrate and savor the moment.

“It was awesome,” Akina said. “It was something I was trying to work towards for the past couple of years.

“When I finally got that call and the emails, because of all the work that I put in to get into that position and having my wife push me through that whole process to make myself better on the field, it was awesome.

“It made me want to do more on the rugby pitch and show what I can do. It was awesome receiving that and then seeing my name in that extended pool.”

The post Dom Akina’s Western Conference Ambitions and Eagles Dreams appeared first on Major League Rugby.

Miami Sharks vs Nola Gold | Friday, may 9 at 7:00 PM ET

US TV: ESPN+

And Gulf Coast Sports Network and FanDuel Florida App

Sub-Saharan Africa: ESPN Africa 1 / ESPN Africa 2 and The Rugby Network
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ and The Rugby Network
UK/Ireland: Premier Sports and The Rugby Network
Everywhere else: The Rugby Network

Following a 72-hour tape delay, the match will be available to stream for all viewers on The Rugby Network.

New England Free Jacks vs CHicago Hounds | saturday, may 10 at 4:00 PM ET

US TV: ESPN+

And  NBC Sports Boston and FOX Chicago Plus

Sub-Saharan Africa: ESPN Africa 1 / ESPN Africa 2 and The Rugby Network
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
UK/Ireland: Premier Sports
Everywhere else: The Rugby Network

Following a 72-hour tape delay, the match will be available to stream for all viewers on The Rugby Network.

san deigo legions vs houston sabercats | Saturday, may 10 at 10:00 PM ET

US TV: ESPN2

Sub-Saharan Africa: ESPN Africa 1 / ESPN Africa 2 and The Rugby Network
New Zealand: Sky Sports
UK/Ireland: Premier Sports
Everywhere else: The Rugby Network

Following a 72-hour tape delay, the match will be available to stream for all viewers on The Rugby Network.

RFCLA vs Anthem rC | Saturday may 10 at 10:00 PM ET

US TV: ESPN+

And and FanDuel Network SOCAL and Fan Duel Charlotte

Sub-Saharan Africa: ESPN Africa 1 / ESPN Africa 2 and The Rugby Network
New Zealand: Sky Sports and The Rugby Network
UK/Ireland: Premier Sports and The Rugby Network
France: Sport en France in French on delay and The Rugby Network (In English)
Everywhere else: The Rugby Network

Following a 72-hour tape delay, the match will be available to stream for all viewers on The Rugby Network.

Utah warriors vs seattle seawolves | Monday, may 12 at 9:00 PM ET

US TV: ESPN+

And KJZZ and KZJO Fox 13+

Sub-Saharan Africa: ESPN Africa 1 / ESPN Africa 2 and The Rugby Network
New Zealand: Sky Sports
UK/Ireland: Premier Sports and The Rugby Network
Everywhere else: The Rugby Network

Following a 72-hour tape delay, the match will be available to stream for all viewers on The Rugby Network.

The post How To Watch: May 9 – 12 appeared first on Major League Rugby.

Like that, we are two-thirds of the way through the 2025 Major League Rugby season.

Week 12 provided.

Over the most recent round of competition, several teams made strides towards playing knockout rugby.

After playing two games in Week 12, the Utah Warriors are now top of the Western Conference, and the New England Free Jacks maintain top spot in the Eastern Conference with a win on Sunday.

UTAH WARRIORS 38-31 SAN DIEGO LEGION

On Wednesday night, Logan Crowley’s 74th-minute score handed the Utah Warriors a 38-31 win over the San Diego Legion.

Nothing separated the two teams as converted tries for Utah’s Nic Benn and D’Angelo Leuila were wiped out by those for San Diego’s Steffan Crimp and Charlie Hewitt.

A Liam Coltman score put the Warriors back in front, and after Tiaan Loots’ red card, Utah went over the whitewash through back-row forward Dylan Nel.

43'
Third time's the charm. Liam Coltman gets his 7th try of the season!
UT 19 – 14 SD#ForTheNation | #UTAHvSD | #MLR2025 pic.twitter.com/4zhKfWTFMj

— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 1, 2025

In response, Tavite Lopeti and Vili Helu brought Legion back into the contest, while hooker duo Tu Vugakoto and Shilo Klein exchanged efforts to level the scoreline in the final 10 minutes.

To definitively win the contest, Crowley completed a length-of-the-field score and moved Utah to the top of the Western Conference.

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES 26-26 RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB LOS ANGELES

Rugby Football Club Los Angeles came within a whisker of a road win but were forced to share the points with the Seattle Seawolves with a 26-26 draw.

Gonzalo Bertranou’s missed conversion with the game’s final play was the difference between the two teams, who had gone blow-for-blow at Starfire Stadium beneath the Friday night lights.

Nothing separated the two teams at half-time either as converted tries for Seattle’s Duncan Matthews and Dewald Kotze, and LA’s Billy Meakes and Tim Anstee kept things close.

At the start of the second half, both LA’s Nick Chan and Ben Sugars were sent to the sin bin, with Malacchi Esdale the only Seawolves player to make the most of the extra space.

There was an exchange of scores to keep Seattle in the lead, with LA’s Justus Tavai and the hosts’ Divan Rossouw both dotting down.

In the final moments of the game, Jason Damm gave RFCLA the opportunity to win outright, only for the visitors to watch Bertranou’s conversion drift wide.

OLD GLORY DC 28-12 UTAH WARRIORS

Old Glory DC were in a comprehensive mood as they dispatched the Utah Warriors 28-12.

Jason Emery handed the hosts an early lead with a penalty, but could not convert Perry Humphreys’ 11th-minute try several minutes later.

The 31-year-old did find his range again shortly afterwards when he converted Tex Naqali’s effort.

With Utah reduced to 14 players after Remsy Lemisio’s sin-binning, John Rizzo went over the whitewash for Old Glory.

To resume the second half, Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz registered DC’s bonus point score.

The Warriors did respond with Reid Davis and Fred Apulu scores, and Emery’s second penalty of the day concluded the contest.

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS 36-17 HOUSTON SABERCATS

With their 36-17 win over the Houston SaberCats, the New England Free Jacks have maintained top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The two-time champions had a try-scoring bonus point before the break thanks to Sam Caird, Paula Balekana, Jack Reeves, and Cam Nordli-Kelemeti tries, while the SaberCats registered a score through Dom Akina.

The reigning champs are coming into form at the right time… they take a 28-5 lead over #2 in the West

Catch ALL the 2nd half action
https://t.co/N1YhUY5UJQ#NEvHOU | @espnplus | #MLR2025 pic.twitter.com/S9jvf0fFT3

— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) May 4, 2025

In the second half, Balekana went over the whitewash again, and Houston responded with a Drew Wild try.

Houston’s third score came from teenage front-row Seth Smith, and Dan Hollinshead’s 62nd penalty goal sealed the game for New England.

CHICAGO HOUNDS 14-7 MIAMI SHARKS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDec6z-AXmo

The Chicago Hounds ground out a 14-7 win over the Miami Sharks to register their seventh win of 2025.

It was a slow burner at SeatGeek Stadium, where Miami led 7-0 at the break thanks to Kirby Myhill’s converted score as the clock ticked into the red.

When the second half resumed, there was still little to separate the two teams.

Eventually Luke White drove across the whitewash and Chris Hilsenbeck’s conversion levelled things with 25 minutes still to play.

Chicago won the contest with Dylan Fawsitt’s sixth try of this season and have maintained second place in the Eastern Conference. 

SAN DIEGO LEGION 45-36 NOLA GOLD

There were 13 tries scored at Torero Stadium as the San Diego Legion edged out the NOLA Gold 45-36.

At half-time, it was NOLA who had the lead. Despite a strong San Diego start, which included tries for Hugh Roach, Christian Poidevin, and Connor Tupai, the Gold took the halfway advantage thanks to Harley Wheeler, Reece Botha, and a Moni Tonga’uiha brace.

Hugh Roach gets over the line from the back of the @SDLegion maul. They take an early 7-0 lead

Let's see if @nolagoldrugby can bounce back
https://t.co/N1YhUY5UJQ#SDvNOLA | @espnplus | #MLR2025 pic.twitter.com/TZ2hEnVjCf

— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) May 4, 2025

When the game resumed, Shilo Klein helped Legion retake the advantage, and Roach also got his second following Damian Stevens’ effort.

Klein and Poidevin each went across the whitewash once more to make their lead unassailable in the closing stages of the clash, and Wheeler’s second was a consolation score for NOLA.

12 weeks in, @NEFreeJacks and @utwarriorsrugby on top@OldGloryDC climbs from #5 to #3 in the East #MLR2025 pic.twitter.com/82ZQDNRlhE

— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) May 5, 2025

The post Major League Rugby Week 12 Recap appeared first on Major League Rugby.

• 15 Tackles Made
• 26 Ruck Arrivals
• Two Carries Made

Hooker, Hugh Roach – San Diego Legion

• Two Tries Scored
• 13 Tackles Tackles Made
• 20 Ruck Arrivals

Tighthead Prop, Charlie Abel – Chicago Hounds

• 14 Tackles Made
• 17 Ruck Arrivals
• 28 Meters Made

Left Lock,  Frank Lochore – Utah Warriors 

• 29 Tackles Made
• 16 Lineout Takes
• Six Ruck Arrivals

Right Lock, Tomas Casares – Miami SHarks

• 19 Tackles Made
• 19 Ruck Arrivals
• 10 Ball Carries Made

Blindside Flanker, Christian Poidevin – San Diego Legion

• Two Tries Scored
• 11 Tackles Made
• 34 Meters Made

Openside Flanker, Charles Elton – SEattle Seawolves

• 27 Tackles Made
• 18 Ruck Arrivals
• One Ball Carry Made

No 8., Moni Tonga’uiha – NOLA Gold

• Two Tries Scored
• 22 Meters Made
• 10 Ruck Arrivals

Scrum-half, Cameron Nordli – Kelementi – New England Free Jacks

• One Try Scored
• 169 Kicking Meters
• Nine Meters Made

Fly-half, Jason Emery – Old Glory DC

• Eight Points Scored
• 231 Meters Kicked
• Six Tackles Made

Left Wing, Paula Balekana – New England Free Jacks

• Three Tries Scored
• 115 Meters Made
• Four Tackles Made

Inside Center, Billy Meakes – RFCLA

• One Try Scored
• 41 Meters Made
• 18 Ruck Arrivals

Outside Center, DIVAN Rossouw – Seattle Seawolves

• One Try Scored
• 65 Meters Made
• 94 Kicking Meters

Right Wing, Perry Humphreys – Old Glory DC

• One Try Scored
• 122 Meters Made
• 62  Meters Kicked

Fullback, Steffan Crimp – San Diego Legion

• One Try Scored
• 171 Meters Made
• 190 Kicking Meters

The post First XV | WK 12 | 2025 appeared first on Major League Rugby.

DALLAS (May 1, 2025) — Major League Rugby is now available to more than 100 countries via linear TV availability, further expanding off of a multiyear agreement with ESPN, bringing the highest level of professional rugby in the United States to a worldwide audience. 

Increasing MLR’s visibility and reach by expanding into a broader international market is one of the league’s many strategic growth plans for 2025. New partners across the globe will showcase opportunities for live featured matches, along with replays to reach a broader audience.

Coverage areas include:

• United States  – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+
• Sub-Saharan Africa – ESPN Africa 1 & 2
• New Zealand – Sky Sports New Zealand
• United Kingdom & Ireland – Premier Sports
• Australia – Stan Sports
• France, French speaking Europe, Africa and Territories – Sport En France
• Latin America (Miami Sharks) – Disney+
• beIN Sport – MENA

“We are hyperfocused on increasing our audience in both the U.S. and around the world. During our 2024 campaign we grew our viewership by more than 25 percent year over year, and these partnerships will be critical to our growth goals,” said MLR Commissioner Nic Benson. “Given the depth of talent across the league, we are in the midst of our most exciting season yet. These strategic agreements with our broadcast partners will enable more of our fans world-wide to tune in for some best-in-class rugby action.” 

The road to the 2025 MLR Championship features 18 weeks of intense regular season action, followed by two weeks of playoffs, all leading to the MLR Championship on June 28, where the league’s best will battle for the coveted MLR Shield. This season, 11 teams from across the United States are competing for the title, including Anthem RC, Chicago Hounds, Houston SaberCats, Miami Sharks, New England Free Jacks, NOLA Gold, Old Glory DC, Rugby LA, San Diego Legion, Seattle Seawolves, and Utah Warriors.

For more information, visit MajorLeague.Rugby.

About Major League Rugby:

Major League Rugby is a professional sports league representing the highest level of rugby competition in North America. MLR prides itself in fostering intense, high-stakes competition while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. Matches are televised on the ESPN family of networks and streamed via ESPN+. MLR’s 11 teams span across the country in Anthem RC, Chicago Hounds, Houston SaberCats, Miami Sharks, New England Free Jacks, NOLA Gold, Old Glory DC, Rugby LA, San Diego Legion, Seattle Seawolves and the Utah Warriors. For more information, visit www.Majorleague.Rugby and follow @USMLR on Twitter and Instagram.

The Rugby Network, MLR’s OTT platform, offers fans the ability to stream select MLR matches, along with Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Premiership Women’s Rugby, collegiate rugby and other international rugby content. 

About Octagon Global Media Rights Consulting:

Octagon’s global media rights consulting division advises more than $26 Billion in media rights for a comprehensive collection of the world’s largest organizations in sports and media, including the NFL, MLR, MLB, NWSL, WWE, NCAA Conferences and Universities, major broadcast and streaming networks, and a variety of other properties across five continents.

As part of its expansive media rights practice, Octagon leverages the strength and size of its proprietary data, research, analytics, and technology, to provide strategic consultation to major domestic and international rights holders, as well as teams, broadcasters, emerging distribution platforms, and the sports investment community

The post Major League Rugby Broadcast Expands to Over 100 Countries Worldwide appeared first on Major League Rugby.