The 2013 USARL season was the third season of the USA Rugby League (USARL). The 2013 season kicked off on Saturday, June 1, and ended with the Championship Final on Saturday, August 24, in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Fight won a double, capturing their second USARL major premiership and their first USARL minor premiership.
Teams The USARL had planned to split 8 teams into 2 conferences to reduce travel costs. However, Oneida FC and the New Haven Warriors folded shortly before the beginning of the season, leaving the league with just 6 teams. Given the reduced number of teams, the USARL decided to retain the single table structure.
Colors Club City State Stadium Foundation JoinedBaltimore BluesBaltimoreN/A20122012Boston ThirteensBostonSteinbrenner Stadium20092011Jacksonville AxemenJacksonvilleHodges Stadium20062011Philadelphia FightConshohockenA. A. Garthwaite Stadium19982011Rhode Island RebellionProvidenceClassical High School20112011Washington DC SlayersWashingtonDuke Ellington Field20032011
Regular season Teams qualified for the playoffs based on points, with a win counting for 2 points, a draw for 1, and a loss for 0. There were no bonus points for tries or close losses. Tiebreaker order was (1) head-to-head points, (2) head-to-head aggregate score, and (3) overall point differential.
2013 USARL season Team 1 Philadelphia Fight8701402152250142 Jacksonville Axemen8701412136276143 Rhode Island Rebellion84043663105684 Washington D.C. Slayers830534921213765 Boston Thirteens8305252390-13866 Baltimore Blues800844625-5810
Source: USARL website.
The Fight outscored the Axemen 60–58 in aggregate over their two matches, giving the Fight the minor premiership. The Slayers qualified for fourth place over the Thirteens on point differential.
Playoffs The playoffs consisted of a two-round single-elimination tournament. The four teams with the most points competed in a semi-final round, with the two winners going on to the Championship Final. In the semi-final round, the first-place team hosted the fourth-place, and the second-place team hosted the third-place.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDateVenue SEMI-FINALS Jacksonville Axemen44 - 12 Rhode Island RebellionAugust 10, 2013Hodges Stadium, Jacksonville Philadelphia Fight52 - 6 Washington DC SlayersAugust 10, 2013A. A. Garthwaite Stadium, Conshohocken CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Philadelphia Fight28 - 22 Jacksonville AxemenAugust 24, 2013A. A. Garthwaite Stadium, Conshohocken
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