Major League Rugby: Five takeaways as ‘three-peat’ on for New England Free Jacks after TV blackout while beaten Utah left with ‘sour taste’
New England Free Jacks player Kyle Ciquera. (Image credit Brendan Buckley)
There is one more game of the 2025 Major League Rugby (MLR) season to go.
Last weekend the New England Free Jacks and Houston SaberCats booked their tickets for the Championship Final in Rhode Island.
Both teams had to overcome stern challenges on Saturday and here are five takeaways from another weekend full to the brim with intrigue.
Free Jacks set up backyard Championship Final
The New England Free Jacks overcame a 17-point deficit to book themselves into the Championship Final for a third year running.
Ryan Martin’s men ultimately dispatched the Chicago Hounds 21-20 at Veterans Memorial Stadium, but were 10-nil down at half-time as the visitors scored a try through Tim Swiel and five points from the boot of Chris Hilsenbeck.
At the start of the second half Noah Brown extended Chicago’s lead further, only for Jed Melvin, Cam Nordli-Kelemeti and Kyle Ciquera’s efforts to land New England a narrow lead.
A Hilsenbeck penalty in that second half did keep the Hounds right in it.
The former Germany international has enjoyed a mesmeric season in Chicago green, but could not slot a kick in the dying embers to send the Midwesterners to their first Championship Final.
There is added motivation for New England too, with the back-to-back champions getting to contend the final less than 40 miles from home.
Hosted at Centreville Bank Stadium in Rhode Island, the Championship Final is just a stone’s throw from Quincy, Massachusetts, and could see hordes of New England supporters make the journey.
It will be the first time that the team has played the showpiece finale on the east coast, making things even more special as they aim to complete America‘s first three-peat since the Lakers’ 2000-2002 NBA dynasty.
TV blackout causes ire among supporters
MLR were forced to release an apology after the conclusion of the New England-Chicago game.
At the titular moment of Hilsenbeck’s missed kick the TV cameras cut out and left everyone wondering exactly what had taken place on the east coast.
With the commentary team at another location, they had to rely on updates from those at the ground to reveal the news that the penalty attempt had cannoned off the uprights.
For a game of such intensity and intrigue to end in the way that it did, the result felt underwhelming to plenty watching on ESPN2 in the USA and further afield.
“Major League Rugby expresses its most sincere apologies to our fans, and we are committed to ensuring such an error does not occur again,” the statement read.
SaberCats get job done in Utah
To reach their first-ever Championship Final the Houston SaberCats beat the Utah Warriors 33-19 to win the Western Conference Final.
From minute one Pote Human’s Houston were hell-bent on silencing Zions Bank Stadium and imposing themselves on the Warriors.
Despite having played a game just five days prior, after their Western Conference Semifinal with Rugby Football Club Los Angeles was postponed by a day, the side dominated.
Andre Warner dotted down in the third minute, and the game was put out of sight with AJ Alatimu, Tautalatasi Tasi, Drake Davis and Seth Smith’s scores.
To say the Texans’ performance was impressive is perhaps understating it.
The side only conceded five points in the entirety of the first half and watched Paul Lasike and Tu Vugakoto dot down for the hosts in the final five minutes.
High tackle call leaves sour taste in mouth of Warriors
There is a universe where things could have gone very differently in Utah.
At the end of the first half Houston wing Drake Davis made a challenge on his opposite number, Joey Mano, which referee, Robin Kaluzniak, brought in the TMO, Derek Summers, to review on the stroke of half-time.
In real-time the 28-year-old’s challenge was head-on-head, high and no arms seemed to be used as the Warriors wing was pushed into touch. With replays things looked a little worse.
After less than two minutes it was determined that Davis had wrapped his arms sufficiently and not even a penalty was awarded.
When considering the emphasis that World Rugby has put on head contact and the welfare of players, it feels like more time and care could have been put into the decision.
A yellow card or red card (which last 20 minutes) may not have affected the result, such was Houston’s dominance, but could have helped the Western Conference topping Utah get into the tie.
One game left in 2025
Now we know that the New England Free Jacks and Houston SaberCats will be slugging it out to lift the MLR Shield this Saturday.
Both will make the trip to Rhode Island for a shot at glory. In the case of New England an unprecedented treble is on the cards, while Houston are hoping to add a first star to their jersey.
So set aside a couple of hours on Saturday for the 14:00 ET (19:00 BST) kick-off for a taste of finals rugby in North America in 2025.
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