The 2025 Major League Rugby season was the eighth season of Major League Rugby, the professional rugby union competition sanctioned by USA Rugby. The regular season began on February 15, 2025, and ended on June 28, 2025. Following the shutdown of the Dallas Jackals in September 2024, Major League Rugby featured 11 teams competing in the 2025 season.
The season marked the first of a multiyear media agreement between Major League Rugby and ESPN, with all games streaming on ESPN+ and select games aired nationwide.
For the first time, the MLR Championship Final would be played in Rhode Island at Centreville Bank Stadium.
The New England Free Jacks would go on to capture their third-straight MLR Championship title in beating the Houston SaberCats, 28-22. The club became the first three-time champions in Major League Rugby history, and the first U.S. professional sports team to win three consecutive championships since the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 to 2002.
Teams and format The Dallas Jackals ceased to exist after the 2024 season, leaving 11 teams in the 2025 season.
ClubMetro areaStadiumCapacityCoachCaptainHouston SaberCatsHouston, TexasSaberCats Stadium4,000 Pote Human Nathan Den HoedtRugby Football Club Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaWallis Annenberg Stadium2,145 Stephen Hoiles Jason DammSan Diego LegionSan Diego, CaliforniaTorero Stadium6,000 John Manenti Brad WilkinSeattle SeawolvesSeattle, WashingtonStarfire Stadium4,500 Allen Clarke Riekert HattinghUtah WarriorsSalt Lake City, UtahZions Bank Stadium5,000 Greg Cooper Gavin ThornburyAnthem Rugby CarolinaCharlotte, North CarolinaAmerican Legion Memorial Stadium10,500 Alama Ieremia Jake TurnbullChicago HoundsChicago, IllinoisSeatGeek Stadium20,000 Chris Latham Lucas RumballMiami SharksFort Lauderdale, FloridaAutoNation Sports Field1,500 José Pellicena Tomás CubelliNew England Free JacksBoston, MassachusettsVeterans Memorial Stadium5,000 Ryan Martin Joe JohnsonNew Orleans GoldNew Orleans, LouisianaGold Mine10,000 Danny Lee Moni TongaʻuihaOld Glory DCWashington, D.C.Maryland SoccerPlex5,000 Simon Cross Rob Harley
Regular season All teams will play eight home games and eight away games followed by a postseason.
Standings updated through 17 June 2025
2025 MLR Eastern Conference Club 1 * - New England Free Jacks 16 11 0 5 425 341 +84 61 47 9 2 55 2 c - Chicago Hounds 16 11 0 5 422 353 +69 57 49 7 2 53 3 x - Old Glory DC 16 8 0 8 438 478 -40 63 67 11 2 45 4 x - Miami Sharks 16 8 0 8 380 442 -62 45 66 6 3 41 5 e - New Orleans Gold 16 4 0 12 428 473 -45 60 71 8 8 32 6 e - Anthem Rugby Carolina 16 0 0 16 282 570 -288 42 86 2 3 5 Tiebreakers If teams are level at any stage, tiebreaker criteria are as follows (coin tosses or draw of lots will be used if those below fail): number of matches won the difference between points for and points against the number of tries scored the most points scored the difference between tries for and tries against the fewest red cards received the fewest yellow cards received
2025 MLR Western Conference Club 1 z - Utah Warriors 16 11 0 5 529 443 +86 77 59 12 2 58 2 y - Houston SaberCats 16 10 0 6 458 365 +93 63 53 10 4 54 3 x - RFC Los Angeles 16 8 1 7 501 497 +4 76 71 14 3 51 4 x - Seattle Seawolves 16 8 1 7 460 422 +38 67 56 11 4 49 5 e - San Diego Legion 16 8 0 8 490 429 +61 74 60 12 4 48 Tiebreakers If teams are level at any stage, tiebreaker criteria are as follows (coin tosses or draw of lots will be used if those below fail): number of matches won the difference between points for and points against the number of tries scored the most points scored the difference between tries for and tries against the fewest red cards received the fewest yellow cards received
Notes * - League Champions z – Clinched home field advantage for the entire playoffs c – Clinched home field advantage for the conference semi-finals y – Clinched conference title x – Clinched playoff spot e – Eliminated from playoff contention
Matches
Week 1 (February 15–16)
Week 2 (February 21–23)
Week 3 (February 28–March 2)
Week 4 (March 7–8)
Week 5 (March 15)
Week 6 (March 22)
Week 7 (March 29)
Week 8 (April 5–6)
Week 9 (April 12–13)
Week 10 (April 18–19)
Week 11 (April 22–27)
Week 12 (April 30–May 4)
Week 13 (May 9–12)
Week 14 (May 13–19)
Week 15 (May 23–24)
Week 16 (May 30–June 1)
Week 17 (June 4–8)
Championship Series
Bracket
Conference Semi-Finals (June 14–15)
Conference Finals (June 21)
Championship final (June)
Records, milestones, and notable statistics Preseason
Rugby Football Club Los Angeles played the Fijian Drua in an exhibition match, the first match between teams from MLR and Super Rugby.
Week Two
Chicago Hounds' hooker Dylan Fawsitt becomes the first player with 100 MLR appearances.
Week Seven
Anthem Rugby Carolina became the first team to field an all-domestic roster in an MLR game.
Week Nine
Anthem RC sets the record for longest losing streak in MLR history, with 23 consecutive losses. The previous record of 22 was set by the Dallas Jackals between the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Week Ten
Seattle Seawolves' scrum half Juan-Philip Smith becomes the second player with 100 MLR appearances, and the first to do so with one team. Week Eleven
Utah Warriors' prop Angus MacLellan becomes the first American-born player, and third overall, to appear in 100 MLR games. The Houston Sabercats and New Orleans Gold both record the 50th wins in their franchises' histories. Week Sixteen
The Miami Sharks qualify for the MLR playoffs for the first time in franchise history after defeating the San Diego Legion 36-32.
Week Seventeen
Anthem RC finishes with an 0–16 record for the second consecutive season, becoming the first team in MLR season with multiple winless seasons. The Utah Warriors and Chicago Hounds both clinch a home playoff game for the first time in their franchise histories.
Conference Semifinals
The Utah Warriors win their first postseason game in club history, defeating the Seattle Seawolves 23-21. The New England Free Jacks advance to their fourth consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, becoming the first MLR team to play in four conference finals games. The Houston SaberCats win their first postseason game in club history, defeating RFC Los Angeles 27-21.
Conference Finals
The New England Free Jacks win their third-straight Eastern Conference title, becoming the first team to play in three consecutive MLR Championship finals. The Free Jacks also set the record for largest postseason comeback in MLR history, overcoming a 17-point deficit to defeat the Chicago Hounds 21-20. The Houston SaberCats defeat the Utah Warriors to advance to their first MLR Championship final.
Championship Final The New England Free Jacks win their third-straight MLR Championship Final, becoming the first three-time champions in Major League Rugby history, and the first U.S. sports team to win three consecutive championships since the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 to 2002.
Postseason Utah Warriors lock Frank Lochore sets the MLR single-season tackles record with 303, breaking the previous record of 246 set in 2024 by Cory Daniel. MLR referee Lex Weiner is appointed by World Rugby to officiate the third-place match between France and Argentina in the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship, the highest level of competition reached by an American male MLR referee. Paula Balekana is named MLR Player of the Year, the fourth-straight year a member of the New England Free Jacks won the award. Miami Sharks CEO Milagros Cubelli wins the inaugural MLR Executive of the Year Award
TV Ratings The final regular season match between Houston and Chicago was broadcast on ESPN2 and drew an average audience of 36,000.
Player statistics
Top scorers The top five try and point scorers during the 2024 Major League Rugby season are:
Last updated: June 8, 2025
Most tries No Player Team Tries 1 Paula BalekanaNew England Free Jacks15 2 Joe ManoUtah Warriors14 3 Brad WilkinSan Diego Legion11 4 Shilo KleinSan Diego Legion10 Liam ColtmanUtah Warriors
Most points No Player Team Pts1 Christopher HilsenbeckChicago Hounds1092AJ AlatimuHouston SaberCats983 Joel HodgsonUtah Warriors96 4 Shane O'LearyMiami Sharks95 5 D'Angelo LeuilaUtah Warriors93
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).
References:
End of Season Awards
Award Player Team Position Ref. Coach of the Year Ryan Martin New England Free Jacks Player of the Year Paula Balekana New England Free Jacks Wing Rookie of the Year Peyton Wall Chicago Hounds Centre Back of the Year Gonzalo Bertranou RFC Los Angeles Scrum-half Forward of the Year Frank Lochore Utah Warriors Lock S. Marcus Calloway Community Impact Executive of the Year Milagros Cubelli Miami Sharks
All-League Teams
Major League Rugby announced its First and Second All-MLR Teams in July 2025. The Utah Warriors were the most represented team, with four players in the First Team and three in the Second Team.
PositionFirst TeamSecond TeamLoosehead Prop Jack Iscaro (DC) Cameron Orr (SEA)Hooker Liam Coltman (UT) Dylan Fawsitt (CHI)Tighthead Prop Pono Davis (HOU) Tonga Kofe (UT)Left Lock Frank Lochore (UT) James Scott (CHI)Right Lock Nathan Den Hoedt (HOU) Jason Damm (LA)Blindside Flanker Manuel Ardao (MIA) Johan Momsen (HOU)Openside Flanker Brad Wilkin (SD) Maclean Jones (CHI)Number-8 Wian Conradie (NE) Lucas Rumball (CHI)Scrum-Half Gonzalo Bertranou (LA) Zion Going (UT)Fly-Half Chris Hilsenbeck (CHI) Joel Hodgson (UT)Inside-Centre Paula Balekana (NE) Axel Müller (DCOutside-Centre Billy Meakes (LA) Ollie Devoto (CHI)Left Wing Divan Rossouw (SEA) Tautalatasi Tasi (HOU)Right Wing Joe Mano (UT) Noah Brown (CHI)Fullback Jordan Trainor (UT) Duncan Matthews (SEA)
References