The 2022 Major League Rugby season was the fifth season of Major League Rugby, the professional rugby union competition sanctioned by USA Rugby. The regular season began on February 5, 2022.
The Dallas Jackals made their debut this season, having postponed their inaugural season from 2021.
MLR added Television Match Officials (TMO) to assist in-game referees with making the correct decisions during all matches.
Teams and format
ConferenceClubMetro areaStadiumCapacityCoachCaptain Western ConferenceAustin GilgronisAustin, TexasBold Stadium 5,036 Sam Harris Bryce CampbellDallas JackalsDallas, TexasChoctaw Stadium 48,114 Elaine Vassie (interim) Chris PennellHouston SaberCatsHouston, TexasAveva Stadium 4,000 Pote Human Dean MuirLA GiltinisLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum 77,500 Stephen Hoiles Dave DennisSan Diego LegionSan Diego, CaliforniaSDSU Sports Deck 3,000 Danny Lee Nate AugspurgerSeattle SeawolvesSeattle, WashingtonStarfire Stadium 4,500 Allen Clarke Riekert HattinghUtah WarriorsSalt Lake City, UtahZions Bank Stadium 5,000 Shawn Pittman (1-7) Brandon Sparks (Interim, 8–18) Bailey Wilson Eastern ConferenceNew England Free JacksBoston, MassachusettsVeterans Memorial Stadium 5,000 Scott Mathie Josh LarsenNew Orleans GoldNew Orleans, LouisianaGold Mine 10,000 Kane Thompson Cam DolanOld Glory DCWashington, D.C.Segra Field 5,000 Andrew Douglas (1-7) Nate Osborne (9-18) Danny TusitalaRugby New YorkNew York, New YorkCochrane Stadium 4,000 Marty Veale Nate BrakeleyRugby ATLAtlanta, GeorgiaSilverbacks Park 5,000 Stephen Brett Matt Heaton Ryan NellToronto ArrowsToronto, Ontario Langford, British ColumbiaYork Lions Stadium Starlight Stadium 4,000 6,000 Peter Smith Mike Sheppard
Regular season The regular season consisted of 18 weeks, with each team playing 16 matches, beginning on February 5, 2022 and ending on June 5.
Standings
Matches The following are the match results for the 2022 Major League Rugby regular season:
AUSDALHOULANENODCATLNYSDSEATORUTAAustin Gilgronis 43–7 43–5 22–9 17–25 57–12 44–28 17–6 24–10Dallas Jackals 3–57 33–38 12–56 26–32 5–41 14–53 12–34 5–33Houston SaberCats 14–29 31–6 21–11 7–10 20–31 21–19 29–17 31–27LA Giltinis 10–8 47–7 17–12 19–15 43–0 26–13 27–35 19–28NE Free Jacks 33–29 26–20 15–10 14–21 22–20 21–15 33–17New Orleans Gold 10–32 13–24 50–21 9–14 19–30 12–42 23–24 Old Glory DC 50–10 42–59 25–41 22–31 13–27 49–59 5–29 22–21Rugby ATL 29–14 29–22 19–31 27–41 45–19 55–22 31–36 34–23 Rugby NY 29–38 36–28 35–31 3–38 26–23 30–22 10–14 San Diego Legion 21–35 37–29 24–34 31–27 24–12 17–30 28–31 31–29Seattle Seawolves 18–25 74–7 43–36 12–31 24–25 34–32 21–8 20–17Toronto Arrows 57–0 16–31 33–18 53–36 32–27 14–20 17–41 Utah Warriors 22–8 69–22 12–28 32–39 44–26 25–40 14–20 24–27 Updated to match(es) played on June 5, 2022 Colors: Blue: home team win; Yellow: draw; Red: away team win.
Eastern Conference Extra Matches NENODCATLNYTORNE Free Jacks 57–5 New Orleans Gold 17–34 Old Glory DC Rugby ATL Rugby United NY 26–29 Toronto Arrows 35–50 Updated to match(es) played on June 5, 2022 Colors: Blue: home team win; Yellow: draw; Red: away team win.
Scheduled matches
Week 1 (February 5–6)
Week 2 (February 10–12)
Week 3 (February 18–20)
Week 4 (February 26–27)
Week 5 (March 4–6)
Week 6 (March 12–13)
Week 7 (March 19–20)
Week 8 (March 26–27)
Week 9 (April 1–3)
Week 10 (April 9–10)
Week 11 (April 15–16)
Week 12 (April 23–24)
Week 13 (April 30 – May 1)
Week 14 (May 7–8)
Week 15 (May 13–15)
Week 16 (May 19–22)
Week 17 (May 27–29)
Week 18 (June 3–5)
Playoffs
Competition controversy On June 7, due to breaches of the salary cap rules, Major League Rugby disqualified the two top teams in the Western Conference, the Austin Gilgronis and the LA Giltinis, from the playoffs. After the Seattle Seawolves defeated the San Diego Legion in the Western Conference Eliminator, the Houston SaberCats hosted the Western Conference Final against the Seawolves at Aveva Stadium. The match served as Houston's first appearance in the MLR playoffs.
Bracket
Eliminators (June 11)
Conference Finals (June 18–19)
Championship final (June 25)
Player statistics
Top scorers The top ten try and point scorers during the 2022 Major League Rugby season were:
Last updated: June 26, 2022
Most tries No Player Team Tries1 Ed FidowRugby New York122 Riekert HattinghSeattle Seawolves10 Dean MuirHouston SaberCats4 Marko Janse van RensburgRugby ATL9 Peni LasaqaOld Glory DC6 Hanco GermishuysLA Giltinis8 Slade McDowallNew England Free Jacks Mark O'KeeffeAustin Gilgronis Renata Roberts-TenanaOld Glory DC William TalatainaOld Glory DC Beaudein WaakaNew England Free Jacks
Most points No Player Team Pts1 AJ AlatimuSeattle Seawolves166 2 Beaudein WaakaNew England Free Jacks154 3 Joe PietersenSan Diego Legion146 4 Sam MalcolmToronto Arrows100 5 Mack MasonAustin Gilgronis86 6 Kurt ColemanRugby ATL83 7 David CoetzerHouston SaberCats798 Joaquín de la Vega MendíaRugby ATL76 Rohan SaifoloiOld Glory DC 10 Jack HeightonRugby New York67
Sanctions
PlayerTeam Red Yellow Gerrie Labuschagné Houston SaberCats 2 1 Apisai Naikatini Old Glory DC 1 1 Niall Saunders Utah Warriors 1 1 Slade McDowall New England Free Jacks 1 1 Matt Frings Dallas Jackals 1 0 Hanco Germishuys LA Giltinis 1 0 Maciu Koroi New Orleans Gold 1 0 Maikeli Naromaitoga Houston SaberCats 1 0 Jake Turnbull Austin Gilgronis 1 0 Will Tucker Rugby New York 1 1 Riekert Hattingh Seattle Seawolves 0 3 Nate Brakeley Rugby New York 0 2 Kisi Unufe Houston SaberCats 0 2 Keni Nasoqeqe Houston SaberCats 0 2 Ma'a Nonu San Diego Legion 0 2 Leslie Leulua'iali'i-Makin LA Giltinis 0 2 Asa Carter Dallas Jackals 0 2 Tiaan Loots San Diego Legion 0 2 Josh Larsen New England Free Jacks 0 2 Andy Ellis Rugby New York 0 2 Joseph Mano Utah Warriors 0 2 Conrado Roura Dallas Jackals 0 1 Bronson Teles Dallas Jackals 0 1 Robbie Coleman New Orleans Gold 0 1 Pieter Jansen New England Free Jacks 0 1 Kellen Gordon Seattle Seawolves 0 1 Jordan Trainor LA Giltinis 0 1 Carlo de Nysschen Dallas Jackals 0 1 Malcolm May New Orleans Gold 0 1 Dino Waldren New Orleans Gold 0 1 Alex Tucci Dallas Jackals 0 1 Moe Abdelmonem Dallas Jackals 0 1 Jamason Faʻanana-Schultz Old Glory DC 0 1 Keni Nasoqeqe Houston SaberCats 0 1 Chris Robshaw San Diego Legion 0 1 Cole Keith Toronto Arrows 0 1 Jurie van Vuuren Utah Warriors 0 1 Hugh Roach Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Christian Ostberg Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Chad London Dallas Jackals 0 1 Samu Manoa Seattle Seawolves 0 1 James Malcolm Seattle Seawolves 0 1 Lui Sitama Rugby ATL 0 1 Jesse Parete New England Free Jacks 0 1 Setefano Funaki Seattle Seawolves 0 1 Nicolás Solveyra Houston SaberCats 0 1 Ueta Tufuga Toronto Arrows 0 1 Paul Ciulini Toronto Arrows 0 1 James O'Neill Toronto Arrows 0 1 Jack Reeves New England Free Jacks 0 1 Ryan Louwrens Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Casey McDermott Vai Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Johnny Sheridan Toronto Arrows 0 1 Mike Sheppard Toronto Arrows 0 1 Djustice Sears-Duru LA Giltinis 0 1 Thomas Tu'avao Utah Warriors 0 1 James Mocke Utah Warriors 0 1 Tevita Tameilau San Diego Legion 0 1 Jaco Bezuidenhout Houston SaberCats 0 1 Frikkie de Beer Houston SaberCats 0 1 Cam Dodson Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Siaosi Mahoni Houston SaberCats 0 1 Emmanuel Albert Houston SaberCats 0 1 Payton Telea-Ilalio Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Junior Sa'u Old Glory DC 0 1 Kelly Kolberg Dallas Jackals 0 1 Ben Mitchell San Diego Legion 0 1 Chris Baumann San Diego Legion 0 1 Joe Taufeteʻe LA Giltinis 0 1 Paula Balekana New England Free Jacks 0 1 Herman Agenbag Dallas Jackals 0 1 Tommy Madaras Dallas Jackals 0 1 Tevita Naqali Old Glory DC 0 1 Paddy Ryan San Diego Legion 0 1 Matai Leuta Houston SaberCats 0 1 Jesse Parete New England Free Jacks 0 1 Johan Momsen Rugby ATL 0 1 Juan Pablo Zeiss Houston SaberCats 0 1 Marno Redelinghuys Houston SaberCats 0 1 Jack Iscaro Old Glory DC 0 1 Rhyno Herbst Seattle Seawolves 0 1 Andrew Quattrin Toronto Arrows 0 1 Mills Sanerivi New England Free Jacks 0 1 Fintan Coleman Old Glory DC 0 1 Felix Kalapu Old Glory DC 0 1 Michael Smith San Diego Legion 0 1 Julián Domínguez Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Lachlan McCaffrey Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Will Burke Rugby ATL 0 1 AJ Alatimu Seattle Seawolves 0 1 Connor Burns Utah Warriors 0 1 Stan South Old Glory DC 0 1 Chance Wenglewski Rugby New York 0 1 Wian Conradie New England Free Jacks 0 1 Osaiasi Tonga'uiha New Orleans Gold 0 1 Billy Stewart New Orleans Gold 0 1 Beaudein Waaka New England Free Jacks 0 1 Wilton Rebolo Rugby New York 0 1 Pele Cowley Austin Gilgronis 0 1 Luke Carty Seattle Seawolves 0 1 Cyrille Cama Seattle Seawolves 0 1
End of Season Awards Award Player Team Position Coach of the Year Scott Mathie New England Free Jacks Head Coach Player of the Year Beaudein Waaka New England Free Jacks Fly-half Rookie of the Year Tavite Lopeti Seattle Seawolves Outside Center Back of the Year Bill Meakes LA Giltinis Center Forward of the Year Brendon O'Connor Rugby New York Flanker
The MLR introduced a new postseason award; the S. Marcus Calloway Community Impact Award, which honors the MLR player who has made a "positive impact in their community while exuding the values of the sport of rugby".
The award is named after the late S. Marcus Calloway, the former chairman and majority owner of Rugby ATL who died in December 2021. It will be awarded to the player who shows "passion, excellence and integrity on and off the field, inspires others to action, shows strength in character, aids those less fortunate, and embraces the core values of rugby, while displaying solidarity, discipline and respect". Each Major League Rugby team will nominate one player each year for the award, with a committee made up of MLR Commissioner George Killebrew, Deputy Commissioner Bill Goren and Marcus' widow Clea Calloway, selecting the winner from the 13 nominees. The winning player will be presented with a commemorative trophy and a $5,000 donation to the non-profit of their choice at the MLR Championship Final.
During the MLR Championship Final, it was announced that Andrew Quattrin of the Toronto Arrows was the recipient of the inaugural S. Marcus Calloway Community Impact Award. Quattrin was presented with a commemorative trophy and a $5,000 donation to his non-profit, Optimism Place.
Notes
References