The 2011 USARL season was the inaugural season of the USA Rugby League (USARL). The league was formed in January 2011 as a breakaway competition from the American National Rugby League (AMNRL). The regular season kicked off on June 4 and ended on July 30; the Jacksonville Axemen won the minor premiership with the best regular season record. The first round of playoffs were played on August 13, 2011, with the New Haven Warriors and Philadelphia Fight winning the round. The league's Grand Final took place on August 27 between the Philadelphia Fight and the New Haven Warriors. Philadelphia won 28–26, receiving their first national championship.
Teams USARL teamsTeamStadiumCity/AreaFoundationJoinedBoston ThirteensMoakley StadiumBoston, Massachusetts20092011Jacksonville AxemenHodges StadiumJacksonville, Florida20062011New Haven WarriorsKen Strong StadiumNew Haven, Connecticut20062011New Jersey Turnpike TitansCochran StadiumJersey City, New Jersey20112011Oneida FCSteinbrenner StadiumBoston, Massachusetts20112011Philadelphia FightGarthwaite StadiumPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania19982011Rhode Island RebellionClassical High SchoolProvidence, Rhode Island20112011Washington DC SlayersDuke Ellington FieldWashington, D.C.20032011
Season table
2011 USARL season Team 1 Jacksonville Axemen870133488246142 Washington D.C. Slayers8701302145157143 Philadelphia Fight8602335128207124 New Haven Warriors8503296172124105 Rhode Island Rebellion83052081981066 Boston Thirteens8206114324−21047 New Jersey Turnpike Titans8107134382−24828 Oneida FC8107118404−2862
Ladder progression
Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 4. Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round. Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round. Team123456781 Jacksonville Axemen2 4 6 6 8 1012 14 2 Washington D.C. Slayers2 4 6 8 10 12 12 143 Philadelphia Fight2 4 6 8 8 10 12 12 4 New Haven Warriors 0 2 4 4 6 6 8 10 5 Rhode Island Rebellion 0 0 0 2 4 4 4 66 Boston Thirteens 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 47 New Jersey Turnpike Titans2 2 2 2 2 2 2 28 Oneida FC0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2
Regular season The inaugural USARL season opened with a pre-season rugby league nines tournament. Seven of the top-tier teams participated, with the Philadelphia Fight fielding two teams. Additionally, two developmental teams (the Orange County Outlaws and the Utah Avalanche) participated, along with a West Chester University student team and the visiting New Zealand Police invitational side. The New Zealand Police won the tournament over the New Haven Warriors.
For the regular season, each team played home and away against six teams once, and one team twice, in an eight-round home and away season. Teams qualified for the playoffs based on point differential, with a win counting for 2 points, a draw for 1, a loss for 0, and a forfeit for −2. The Jacksonville Axemen won the minor premiers with the best season record.
Round 1 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue Jacksonville Axemen48–10 New Haven Warriors June 4, 5:00 pmHodges Stadium Boston Thirteens16–38 New Jersey Turnpike Titans June 4, 7:00 pmCharlestown Highschool Stadium Rhode Island Rebellion4–46 Philadelphia Fight June 4, 8:00 pmClassical Highschool Stadium Oneida FC10–54 Washington D.C. Slayers June 4, 9:00 pmCharlestown Highschool Stadium
Round 2 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue New Jersey Turnpike Titans22–30 Washington D.C. Slayers June 11Lincoln Park New Haven Warriors36–28 Rhode Island Rebellion June 11, 3:00pmKen Strong Stadium Jacksonville Axemen52–10 Boston Thirteens June 12, 9:00 amHodges Stadium Philadelphia Fight104–0 Oneida FC June 11, 5:00pmA. A. Garthwaite Stadium
Round 3 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue Oneida FC10–54 Jacksonville Axemen June 18, 1:00pmMIT Steinbrenner Stadium Washington D.C. Slayers30–24 Rhode Island Rebellion June 18, 1:00pmDuke Ellington Field Boston Thirteens0–52 New Haven Warriors June 18, 3:00pmMIT Steinbrenner Stadium Philadelphia Fight30–22 New Jersey Turnpike Titans June 18, 5:00pmA. A. Garthwaite Stadium
Round 4 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue Oneida FC36–26 Boston Thirteens June 25, 1:00pmMIT Steinbrenner Stadium Washington D.C. Slayers28–16 New Haven Warriors June 25, 2:30pmDuke Ellington Field Philadelphia Fight14–12 Jacksonville Axemen June 25, 5:00pmA. A. Garthwaite Stadium Rhode Island Rebellion30–16 New Jersey Turnpike Titans June 25, 8:00pmClassical Highschool Stadium
Round 5 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue New Jersey Turnpike Titans6–62 Jacksonville Axemen July 9TBD Washington D.C. Slayers24–13 Philadelphia Fight July 9, 2:30pmDuke Ellington Field New Haven Warriors60–12 Oneida FC July 9, 3:00pmKen Strong Stadium Rhode Island Rebellion48–0 Boston Thirteens July 9, 8:00pmClassical Highschool Stadium
Round 6 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue New Jersey Turnpike Titans 16–62 Washington D.C. Slayers July 16New Jersey 7's Tournament Boston Thirteens 32–22 Oneida FC July 16, 1:00pmMIT Steinbrenner Stadium New Haven Warriors 22–28 Philadelphia Fight July 16, 3:00pmKen Strong Stadium Jacksonville Axemen 30–4 Rhode Island Rebellion July 16, 5:00pmHodges Stadium
Round 7 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue Boston Thirteens32–18 Oneida FC July 23, 1:00pmMIT Steinbrenner Stadium Washington D.C. Slayers16–36 Jacksonville Axemen July 23, 2:30pmDuke Ellington Field Philadelphia Fight84–4 New Jersey Turnpike Titans July 23, 5:00pmA. A. Garthwaite Stadium Rhode Island Rebellion18–32 New Haven Warriors July 23, 8:00pmClassical Highschool Stadium
Round 8 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue Oneida FC8–46 Rhode Island Rebellion July 30, 1:00pmMIT Steinbrenner Stadium New Haven Warriors68–10 New Jersey Turnpike Titans July 30, 3:00pmKen Strong Stadium Boston Thirteens8–58 Washington D.C. Slayers July 30, 3:00pmMIT Steinbrenner Stadium Jacksonville Axemen40–16 Philadelphia Fight July 30, 5:00pmHodges Stadium
Playoffs The playoffs consist of a two-round single-elimination tournament in August. The season's top four teams competed in a semi-final round, with the two winners going on to the Championship Final. In the first round on August 13, the first-place Jacksonville Axemen hosted fourth-place New Haven Warriors at Hodges Stadium, and the second-place Washington D.C. Slayers hosted the third-place Philadelphia Fight at Duke Ellington Field. The games were won by New Haven and Philadelphia, who went on to the inaugural Grand Final on August 27. Philadelphia defeated New Haven 28–26, winning their first ever national championship.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereeCrowd SEMI-FINALS Jacksonville Axemen4–13 New Haven Warriors August 13, 2011 Hodges Stadium Washington D.C. Slayers18–32 Philadelphia Fight August 13, 2011 Duke Ellington Field CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Philadelphia Fight28–26 New Haven Warriors August 28, 2011A. A. Garthwaite Stadium
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