Rugby FC Los Angeles (RFCLA) were an American professional rugby union team based in Los Angeles, California, that competed in Major League Rugby (MLR). The team began play in 2020 as Rugby ATL, based in Atlanta, Georgia, but announced they would relocate to Los Angeles for the 2024 season, under new ownership. In July 2025 it was announced that the team would merge with San Diego Legion to create a single, statewide rugby franchise, California Legion. They won the 2022 Rugby Allstars Championship with Jason Damm scoring all tries in the final against the Atlanta Hawks 35-0
History Rugby ATL On September 21, 2018, Major League Rugby announced that Atlanta was one of the expansion teams joining the league for the 2020 season. The team name "Rugby ATL" was revealed on February 26, 2019. The team was unofficially known as the Rattlers and in 2021 an alternate logo with a rattlesnake was unveiled. Rugby ATL played its first three seasons at Lupo Family Field on the campus of Life University in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta. The field was damaged by flooding in September 2021 and the team moved to Silverbacks Park ahead of the 2022 season.
Following the death of their original team owner, S. Marcus Calloway, the ownership of the team was placed into an investment group, acquiring control of the franchise on an interim basis. The move kept Rugby ATL operational, until a permanent ownership group was acquired in 2023.
Rugby FC Los Angeles On August 2, 2023, Major League Rugby announced that Rugby ATL would be relocating to a yet-to-be announced location for the 2024 season. On August 17, it was announced the team would relocate to Los Angeles. On December 21, it was announced that the team would be renamed to Rugby FC Los Angeles, abbreviated to RFCLA. This marked the return of Major League Rugby back to Los Angeles since the removal of the former LA Giltinis in October 2022. On the same day, it was announced that RFCLA would play out of Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.
In July 2025 it was announced that Rugby Football Club Los Angeles and San Diego Legion would unite to form a single, statewide rugby franchise, The California Legion.
Sponsorship Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Other Shirt sponsor(s) 2019 Canterbury None None2020–2023Paladin SportsBarbour Orthopedics and Spine NoneTerrapin Beer Co.Body Armor Sports Drink
Personnel Head coaches Scott Lawrence (2020-2022) Stephen Brett (2022–2024) Stephen Hoiles (2025)
Assistant coaches Stephen Brett (Attack, 2020–2021) Blake Bradford (2022–2025)
Captains
Matt Heaton (2020–2025) (co-captain) Ryan Nell (2020–2025) (co-captain)
Records Season standings SeasonConferenceRegular seasonPostseasonPosPldWDLFA+/−BPPtsPldWLFA+/− ResultRugby ATL2020 Eastern5th 5 2 0 3 116 110 +6 4 12 - - - - - - Cancelled2021 Eastern2nd 16 11 0 5 420 321 +99 13 57 2 112740-13Won East Conference Final (Rugby United New York) 10–9Lost Major League Rugby final (LA Giltinis) 17–312022 Eastern2nd 16 11 0 5 468 340 +128 11 57 1 0 1 19 26 -7 Lost East Conference Eliminator (Rugby New York) 19–262023 Eastern5th 16 5 1 10 355 428 -73 6 28 - - - - - - Did not qualifyRugby Football Club Los Angeles2024 Western6th 16 5 1 10 367 473 -106 10 32 - - - - - - Did not qualify2025 Western3rd 16 8 1 7 501 497 +4 17 51 1 0 1 21 27 -6 Lost West Conference Eliminator (Houston SaberCats) 27-21Totals 85 42 3 40 2,227 2,169 +58 55 209 4 1 3 67 93 -26 3 postseason appearances
404 Rugby (2019) Rugby ATL started with an exhibition side, called 404 Rugby. From September to November 2019, 404 Rugby played exhibition matches against Mystic River, NYAC, Old Blue, and USA Rugby men's club champions Life University.
2019 season All games in the 2019 season were exhibition games and did not count in the MLR standings. Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result September 7 Mystic River Away Pine Banks 50–25 September 14 Old Blue Home Lupo Family Field 45–6 September 28 New York Athletic Club Away Travers Island 42–17 October 5 Life University Away Lupo Family Field 22–21 October 12 New Orleans Away Gretna Park 55–24 October 19 Old Blue Away Columbia Soccer Stadium 17–25 November 2 New York Athletic Club Home Lupo Family Field 66–7 November 9 Life University Home Lupo Family Field 30–18
2020 season
On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to fears surrounding the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic.Anonymous, "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SUSPENDS 2020 SEASON FOR 30 DAYS," www.majorleague.rugby, March 12, 2020 Retrieved March 14, 2020 It was cancelled the following week
Regular season Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result February 9 Utah Warriors Home Life University Running Eagles Stadium Won, 28–19 February 16 New Orleans Gold Away Gold Mine Won, 22–10 February 23 Rugby United New York Home Life University Running Eagles Stadium Lost, 19–22 March 1 Toronto Arrows Home Life University Running Eagles Stadium Lost, 18–28 March 8 Old Glory DC Away Cardinal Stadium Lost, 29–31 March 22 New England Free Jacks Home Life University Running Eagles Stadium Cancelled March 28 Austin Gilgronis Away Round Rock Multipurpose Complex Cancelled April 5 New Orleans Gold Home Life University Running Eagles Stadium Cancelled April 10 Rugby United New York Away MCU Park Cancelled April 19 Toronto Arrows Away Lamport Stadium Cancelled April 26 San Diego Legion Home Life University Running Eagles Stadium Cancelled May 2 Colorado Raptors Away Infinity Park Cancelled May 10 Seattle Seawolves Home Life University Running Eagles Stadium Cancelled May 17 Old Glory DC Home Life University Running Eagles Stadium Cancelled May 23 Houston SaberCats Away Aveva Stadium Cancelled May 30 New England Free Jacks Away Union Point Sports Complex Cancelled
2021 season
Regular season Date Opponent Home/Away Result March 20 Toronto Arrows Home Won, 21–14 March 27 Old Glory DC Away Lost, 23–30 April 3 San Diego Legion Home Won, 41–22 April 11 Rugby United New York Home Lost, 17–27 April 17 Austin Gilgronis Away Lost, 15–17 April 24 New Orleans Gold Home Won, 38–28 May 9 Toronto Arrows Away Won, 33–29 May 15 New England Free Jacks Home Won, 33–18 May 23 Seattle Seawolves Away Won, 25–6 May 29 LA Giltinis Home Won, 17–12 June 5 New Orleans Gold Away Won, 8–7 June 13 Rugby United New York Away Lost, 24–31 June 19 Houston SaberCats Home Won, 33–15 June 26 Old Glory DC Home Won, 32–12 July 10 Utah Warriors Away Won, 41–31 July 18 New England Free Jacks Away Lost, 19–22
Postseason Date Opponent Home/Away Result July 24 Rugby United New York Home Won, 10–9 August 1 LA Giltinis Away Lost, 17–31
2022 season Regular season Date Opponent Home/Away Result February 5 Old Glory DC Home Won, 55–22 February 12 New Orleans Gold Away Won, 14–9 February 19 Rugby New York Home Lost, 31–36 March 5 Houston SaberCats Home Won, 29–22 March 12 Austin Gilgronis Home Won, 29–14 March 20 Old Glory DC Away Won, 27–13 March 26 New England Free Jacks Home Lost, 27-41 April 2 Toronto Arrows Away Won 20-14 April 9 New Orleans Gold Away Won, 34-17 April 24 San Diego Legion Away Won, 30-17 April 30 LA Giltinis Home Lost, 19-31 May 7 Utah Warriors Away Lost, 26-44 May 13 New England Free Jacks Away Lost, 10-15 May 22 Rugby New York Away Won, 38-3 May 28 Toronto Arrows Home Won, 34-23 June 3 New Orleans Gold Home Won, 45-19
Postseason
Round Date Opponent Home/Away Result East Eliminator June 11 Rugby New York Home Lost, 19–26
2023 season Regular season Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result February 17 Toronto Arrows Home Silverbacks Park Won, 17–10 February 24 Seattle Seawolves Away Starfire Sports Complex Lost, 28–22 March 4 NOLA Gold Home Silverbacks Park Won, 29–16 March 18 San Diego Legion Home Silverbacks Park Lost, 10–35 March 25 Houston SaberCats Away SaberCats Stadium Lost, 40–28 April 2 New York Ironworkers Away Memorial Field Lost, 31–20 April 8 Old Glory DC Home Silverbacks Park Won, 35–27 April 15 NOLA Gold Away The Gold Mine Won, 23–7 April 22 New England Free Jacks Away Veterans Memorial Stadium Lost, 23–13 May 6 Chicago Hounds Home Silverbacks Park Won, 27–12 May 12 Toronto Arrows Away York Lions Stadium Draw, 34–34 May 20 Dallas Jackals Home Silverbacks Park Lost, 27–19 May 27 Utah Warriors Away Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 28–12 June 2 New England Free Jacks Home Silverbacks Park Lost, 35–14 June 10 New York Ironworkers Home Silverbacks Park Lost, 39–24 June 17 Old Glory DC Away Segra Field Lost, 36–28
Notes
References
External links
Rugby United New York 31-24 Rugby ATL (photo gallery) at Rugbychampagneweb