The 2023 Major League Rugby season was the sixth season of Major League Rugby, the professional rugby union competition sanctioned by USA Rugby. The regular season began on February 17, 2023.
The Chicago Hounds made their debut this season, while the Austin Gilgronis and LA Giltinis withdrew from the competition. This left a total of 12 teams competing; 6 teams in each conference, with the Chicago Hounds added to the Western Conference.
Teams and format The 12 teams contested the regular season, with 6 in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences. Each club played two games against each of the other five clubs in their conference (one at home and one away each) and one game against each of the six clubs in the other conference.
Conference rankings at the end of the regular season determined each team's placement in the post season, known as the Championship Series: Teams ranked 2nd in their conference hosted the team ranked 3rd, as part of the Eliminators. The team in the conference ranked 1st received a bye, and hosted the winner of their conference's Eliminator, to determine the Conference champion. Both Conference champions then contested the Championship final, held at SeatGeek Stadium in Chicagoland on July 8, 2023. The winners of the Championship final lifted the MLR Shield and became the 2023 Major League Rugby Champions.
ClubMetro areaStadiumCapacityCoachCaptainChicago HoundsChicago, IllinoisSeatGeek Stadium 20,000 Sam Harris Bryce CampbellDallas JackalsDallas, TexasChoctaw Stadium 48,114 Agustín Cavalieri JP AguirreHouston SaberCatsHouston, TexasSaberCats Stadium 4,000 Pote Human Dean MuirSan Diego LegionSan Diego, CaliforniaSnapdragon Stadium 35,000 Danny Lee Blair CowanSeattle SeawolvesSeattle, WashingtonStarfire Stadium 4,500 Allen Clarke Riekert HattinghUtah WarriorsSalt Lake City, UtahZions Bank Stadium 5,000 Greg Cooper Bailey WilsonNew 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 Josh Syms Jamason Faʻanana-SchultzRugby New YorkNew York, New YorkMemorial Stadium 4,000 James Semple Nate BrakeleyRugby ATLAtlanta, GeorgiaSilverbacks Park 5,000 Stephen Brett Matt HeatonToronto ArrowsToronto, OntarioYork Lions Stadium 4,000 Peter Smith Lucas Rumball
Regular season The regular season consisted of 18 weeks, with each team playing 16 matches, beginning on February 17, 2023, and ending on June 18.
Standings
Matches The following are the match results for the 2023 Major League Rugby regular season: CHIDALHOUNENODCATLNYSDSEATORUTAChicago Hounds 24–22 21–38 24–37 20–21 14–36 5–27 26–27 10–14Dallas Jackals 28–29 12–33 10–15 3–7 38–47 10–35 14–11 26–36Houston SaberCats 40–33 33–21 35–14 31–7 40–28 31–26 17–34 24–30NE Free Jacks 31–19 10–9 47–24 50–3 34–31 23–13 8–0 57–20 New Orleans Gold 12–36 15–28 7–23 31–5 12–26 35–36 40–24 37–14Old Glory DC 42–27 24–42 17–20 36–28 42–31 19–41 29–3 36–22Rugby ATL 27–12 19–27 14–35 29–16 35–27 24–39 10–35 17–10 Rugby NY 43–14 27–34 18–33 54–19 34–8 31–20 39–3 33–43San Diego Legion 48–24 22–0 29–16 29–12 48–26 36–13 40–19 33–17Seattle Seawolves 35–13 61–19 24–12 26–34 28–22 25–11 20–23 27–20Toronto Arrows 26–48 5–80 24–26 29–29 34–34 27–29 17–50 27–36 Utah Warriors 24–26 33–25 34–28 26–24 28–12 16–26 41–35 47–19 Updated to match(es) played on June 18, 2023 Colors: Blue: home team win; Yellow: draw; Red: away team win.
Scheduled matches
Week 1 (February 17–19)
Week 2 (February 24–26)
Week 3 (March 3–5)
Week 4 (March 11–12)
Week 5 (March 18–19)
Week 6 (March 25–26)
Week 7 (March 31 – April 2)
Week 8 (April 8)
Week 9 (April 15–16)
Week 10 (April 22–23)
Week 11 (April 28–30)
Week 12 (May 6–7)
Week 13 (May 12–14)
Week 14 (May 18–21)
Week 15 (May 27–28)
Week 16 (June 2–4)
Week 17 (June 9–11)
Week 18 (June 17–18)
Championship Series
Bracket
Eliminators (June 24–25)
Conference finals (July 1–2)
Championship final (July 8)
Player statistics
Top scorers The top ten try and point scorers during the 2023 Major League Rugby season are:
Last updated: July 11, 2023
Most tries No Player Team Tries 1 Paula Balekana New England Free Jacks15 2 Joseph ManoUtah Warriors14 3 Riekert HattinghSeattle Seawolves12 4 Tomas AoakiSan Diego Legion11 Nate AugspurgerSan Diego Legion Gideon van WykHouston SaberCats 7 Dylan FawsittRugby New York10 William TalatainaOld Glory DC 9 Christian DyerHouston SaberCats9 Lauina FutiSeattle Seawolves Le Roux MalanNew England Free Jacks
Most points No Player Team Pts1 Jayson PotrozNew England Free Jacks1462 Davey CoetzerHouston SaberCats1353 Joel HodgsonUtah Warriors122 4 AJ AlatimuSeattle Seawolves100 5 Joaquín Díaz BonillaOld Glory DC96 6 Will HooleySan Diego Legion897 Jordan ChaitSeattle Seawolves77 Rodney IonaNew Orleans Gold9 Paula Balekana New England Free Jacks7510 Jason EmeryRugby New York73
MLR awards the try scorer 7 points when there is an Automatic Conversion (The ball is touched down between the post in the in-goal area).
Sanctions
Last updated: May 11, 2023
PlayerTeam Red Yellow Tiaan Eramsus Rugby ATL01 Luke Beauchamp Chicago Hounds01 Saia Uhila Utah Warriors03 Andrew Coe Rugby New York02 Rhyno Herbst Seattle Seawolves01 Travis Larsen Toronto Arrows01 Tupou Afungia San Diego Legion01 Martín Elías Dallas Jackals10 Alex Maughan Rugby ATL02 Tom Florence New Orleans Gold01 Lance Williams Utah Warriors01 Emerson Prior Utah Warriors01 Djustice Sears-Duru San Diego Legion01 Christian Poidevin San Diego Legion01 Teihorangi Walden Rugby New York01 Pago Haini Rugby New York01 Conor Keys New England Free Jacks02 Jesse Parete New England Free Jacks24 Maclean Jones Chicago Hounds01 Lucas Rumball Toronto Arrows01 Noel Reid Toronto Arrows01 James O'Neill Toronto Arrows01 Siaosi Mahoni Houston SaberCats02 Brendon O'Connor Rugby New York01 Ratu Veremalua Vugakoto Utah Warriors10 Zion Going Utah Warriors01 Isaac Ross San Diego Legion01 Michael de Waal Chicago Hounds02 Mitch Eadie Toronto Arrows01 Kobe Faust Toronto Arrows02 Kara Pryor Rugby New York01 Reece Macdonald New England Free Jacks02 Thomas Tu’avao Utah Warriors01 Martini Talapusi Rugby ATL01 Dean Muir Houston SaberCats01 Asa Carter Houston SaberCats01 Duncan Matthews Seattle Seawolves01 Kaleb Geiger Rugby New York01 Ma'a Nonu San Diego Legion03 Chris Mattina Chicago Hounds01 Faʻasui Fuatai Rugby New York01 Johan Momsen Rugby ATL01 Rewita Biddle Rugby ATL01 Te Rangatira Waitokia Rugby ATL01 Wynand Grassmann Houston SaberCats01 Bailey Wilson Utah Warriors01 Peter Nelson Toronto Arrows01 Dawson Fatoric Toronto Arrows01 Gideon van Wik Houston SaberCats10 Conrado Roura Dallas Jackals01 JP du Plessis New Orleans Gold01 Joseph Mano Utah Warriors01 Alejo Daireaux Old Glory DC01 Kyle Baillie Old Glory DC01 Joel Hodgson Utah Warriors01 Liam Murray Dallas Jackals01 Alejandro Torres Dallas Jackals01 Juan Pablo Zeiss Dallas Jackals01 Jale Vakaloloma San Diego Legion01 Filimona Waqainabete San Diego Legion01 Rodney Iona New Orleans Gold01 Isaia Lotawa Seattle Seawolves01 Jake Turnbull Seattle Seawolves01 Lucas Bur Dallas Jackals01 Jerónimo Gómez Vara Dallas Jackals01 Charlie Abel Chicago Hounds01 Langilangi Haupeakui Old Glory DC01 Ben Grant San Diego Legion01 Mike Te'o San Diego Legion01
End of Season Awards Award Player Team Position Ref. Coach of the Year Josh Syms Old Glory DC Head coach Player of the Year Jayson Potroz New England Free Jacks Fly-half Rookie of the Year Sam Golla Dallas Jackals Lock Back of the Year Nate Augspurger San Diego Legion Scrum-half Forward of the Year Wian Conradie New England Free Jacks Flanker S. Marcus Calloway Community Impact Daniel Kriel Seattle Seawolves Centre
Notes
References