The kickoff is at noon at York Lions Stadium in Toronto, and the match will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Washington and the Rugby Network.

Little Change in the Lineup Offers Late Season Consistency

With the offensive output producing back-to-back 40-plus point efforts, the coaching staff has only made two changes to the starting 15. With Luke Campbell out with a concussion, Fintan Coleman steps in at No. 8, and Rob Irimescu returns to hooker as Mo Katz slides to the bench.

Jack Iscaro and Kyle Stewart reprise their roles at prop while Stan South and Tevita Naqali are back in the engine room. Cory Daniel is one tackle away from the league leader in tackles and should take the season title against the Arrows. Felix Kalapu joins Daniel at flanker, who will bring his toughness on both sides of the ball to Canada.

Consistency breeds success as head coach Nate Osborne will roll out the same backline that has produced 22 tries in the last five games. Captain Danny Tusitala helms the ship, and his second mate Rohan Saifoloi has come on strong as of late. The Aussie flyhalf notched an MLR First XV selection against New York and has scored four tries, and is 19 for 24 from the tee since the Dallas match five weeks ago. Inside center William Talataina leads the team with five tries in that span of Osborne’s tenure, and Doug Fraser has found a home in the centers. The back three of Peni Lasaqa, Junior Sa’u, and Renata Roberts-Te Nana keep racking up the tries with six in the last two games.

Osborne will go with the 6-2 split on the bench. John Rizzo and John Lefevre will spell the backline as Jake Ilnicki, Mo Katz, Will Vakalahi, Josh Brown, Dom Bailey, and Brady Daniel fill out the forwards. Brady is Cory’s brother and will look to make an impact after proving himself with the American Raptors in Glendale, Colo.

“I like that the Daniel family is built differently,” Osborne noted. “He’s a little shorter than his brother, but if you watched him the [Young Glory] U23 game, he scored two tries and made all his tackles. He runs hard and has no respect for his own body. Those wrestlers know how to tackle, and I joke that Cory is playing so well that we brought his brother in for a tryout. I believe Brady has the same ability as Cory, and they could be the future of Old Glory in the back row.”

Missing the Mark Against Atlanta, Toronto is Tough at Home

After being eliminated from playoff contention last weekend, Toronto and its 8-7 record will look to complete the season sweep of OGDC on Sunday. Most recently, the Arrows blanked Dallas and then upset the league-leading Free Jacks only to fall to Atlanta 34-23 on Saturday. The loss ended Toronto’s playoff dreams, but like Old Glory, the squad from the Great White North wants to finish strong and show their fans a preview of what’s in store for next season.

The Arrow forward pack is the strength of their team with the likes of Lucas Rumball, Andrew Quattrin, Mike Sheppard, and Kyle Baillie. Each player lives to jackal the ball and dominate in the set-piece. In the backs, Sam Malcolm ignites the offense, is deadly accurate with his boot and is fourth in the MLR with 92 points.

“[The games between Toronto and DC] are always tight encounters,” Osborne said. “What I know as a coach and as players is that it’s not about winning. Of course, everyone hates losing, but that fire that you build from your losses and trying to improve and be better within yourself is a huge deal. That is something we need to carry into this week and build on the last few weeks. We haven’t quite got the results, but I know that we’re good enough to put 49 and 42 points against playoff teams, and we’re good enough to put up another 40 or 50 points on Toronto. We just need to defend better and want it more.”

Osborne sees the game as a test of forward packs. “We need to break them down. If the tight five can win the set-piece battle and we can win the middle, then our backs can cut loose. If we struggle with that, kick poorly, and give away stupid penalties, then we’re going to struggle again.”

A Battle for Pride to End the Season

The fight and resolve of Old Glory have surpassed expectations and show how much heart this club has. “It’s unbelievable,” Osborne exclaimed. “I got here at 0-9, and they haven’t missed a beat… We’re doing a lot of things right, but it’s the little things we’re doing wrong that is hurting us. So to go through a whole season with that burden and still come out week after week with a smile on their faces proves that we have a really strong core of guys here. There is a core of guys here that can win a championship.”

Many lessons have been learned this season as the team has grown through adversity. “This season has taught me that I’m dealing with a bunch of men that will listen and work hard every single day,” Osborne added. “A group of men that never die or quit. It has taught me that they are a group of men that can win a championship. I believe that given the opportunity and adding a couple of pieces, we will win the MLR Championship next year. If you look at the records and the teams in the playoffs we’ve played against, it’s been a bounce of the ball, a referee’s call, or a missed tackle, and we could be playoff contenders.”

“The biggest key for us is finishing strong, understanding what our base is, and knowing that if we can play that way next year and build on top of that, it will be interesting to see.”

The post Last Dance with a Familiar Foe to End the 2022 MLR Season appeared first on Old Glory DC.

The Zigzag Road Through the S&C World

Following his masters, Mark wanted to get exposed to the full gamut of the S&C world and not limit himself to rugby. To accomplish this, he took the long and winding path through four countries and seven different sports.  

“I introduced myself and said if you ever need any help from an S&C perspective,” Mark said. “I spoke with Andrew [Douglas] and talked about how he likes to play rugby, how typically New Zealand teams play, and how we could approach it. Then I spoke to Chris Dunlavey about having been in Georgia and talking about the developmental aspects and wider public health.”

 

 

“I needed to understand how Andrew envisions his culture, how Chris envisions the culture of Old Glory as a brand, and how then we would approach developing these guys,” Mark said. “We had guys from Ireland, Scotland, England, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, America, and Canada. So the cultural understanding piece of what I did earlier in my career became so important because it’s the understanding of how our squad would look, how Andrew wants things to look, and ultimately what’s best for the player.”

Pictured: Matt Bales

Pictured: Mathew Skyner

Additionally, his S&C department works hand in hand with Meghan Wilkinson and her Medstar Health team. 

“Medstar has been massive for us,” Dixon elaborated. ” Medstar Health has been a long-time partner. We’ve grown together. The support they have given us has taken us in a direction toward the holistic viewpoint. We can give the players what they need to succeed. They are our partners and a sponsor, but they are part of our team. They are colleagues.”

 

Pictured: Meghan Wilkinson

“It’s not a simple case of getting there and running this as hard as you can,” Mark continued. “If someone turns around and tells you no, what’s your response? Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the nose. For me, it comes down to understanding what someone else’s purpose is in their performance because, ultimately, I’m here to support them to be the best they can be.  

The post Building Old Glory’s S&C Foundation: Meet Mark Dixon appeared first on Old Glory DC.

Sunday is Military Appreciation Day at Segra Field. Old Glory will honor those who have served with a limited-edition military-themed kit, which will be auctioned off with proceeds donated to Veterans Moving Forward. Additionally, the team will launch the Tries for Troops campaign that will dedicate tries scored by both sides to military members of the Old Glory community on our social media and website.

Adding to the festivities, Old Glory has a host of guests planned throughout the day. The organization welcomes back OGDC and Springbok legend, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, for a Meet and Greet at the Veterans Moving Forward tent from 11:45-12:00 pm. On the concourse, the Premier Rugby Sevens, a domestic professional sevens league for men and women, will be on hand to promote their tournament stop at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, July 16.

For the curtain-raiser, Young Glory U23 will take on the NY Foundry, Rugby New York’s U23 squad, at noon. Finally, at halftime of the MLR match, NOVA Women’s Rugby will be celebrated for winning their second consecutive D1 Club National Championship.

Fireworks Expected for New York Rematch

For the penultimate test of the year, the coaching roster has shaken up the rotation. There are four new starters in the forwards, with Stan South taking over for a suspended Api Naikitini at lock, Kyle Stewart returning to tighthead, Luke Campbell back at eight-man, and Felix Kalapu at blindside flanker. In addition, Jack Iscaro and Mo Katz return to the front row, along with Tevita Naqali at second row and Cory Daniel at flanker.

In the backs, the halfback tandem of Danny Tusitala and Rohan Saifoloi are back for their seventh straight pairing together. William Talataina, who scored a pair of tries against Houston, will be joined by Doug Fraser in the centers. Junior Sa’u and his seven tries move to the wing to partner with the elusive Peni Lasaqa (tied for fifth in the MLR with eight tries) and the Super Saiyan blue-haired Renata Roberts-Te Nana in the back three.

Coach Osborne will go for the 6-2 split in the reserves with Rob Irimescu, Jake Ilnicki, Will Vakalahi, Dom Bailey, Josh Brown, Dacoda Worth in the forwards, and John Rizzo and John Lefevre in the backs.

A Lot to Play for on Sunday

When Rugby New York comes to Segra Field on Sunday, there will be a ton on the line. New York has their playoff lives at stake and has to keep pace with the two other contenders in the hunt. Old Glory finds itself in the role of spoiler with nothing to lose in the last games of the season.

Before last weekend’s 38-3 loss to Atlanta, New York was on a three-game roll with wins over NOLA, Toronto, and Seattle. Atlanta won the physicality battle with an aggressive, stout defense and took advantage of their opponent’s mistakes with quick ball on offense. Old Glory will attempt to replicate that strategy and punish NY upfront in the forwards.

The game in New York in early April was the first step in Old Glory’s resurgence and the team hopes to tap into that energy, minus the discipline issues that plagued that match and last Saturday.

“We changed it all up and decided to play fast and aggressive footy [in April],” Roberts-Te Nana said. “It showed in that game, and similar to Houston, discipline didn’t help us in the end, but we were there against them. ATL paved the blueprint for us to follow. If we bash them upfront, our backs will have a field day. They have some world-class backs, but just how ATL showed, it doesn’t matter whom they have on paper. It’s about who shows up on the day.”

One of the biggest strengths of New York is its back three of Ed Fidow, Andrew Coe, and former All-Blacks’ Nehe Milner-Skudder and Waisake Naholo.

“They got two All Blacks and a Samoan international on the wings and fullback,” Head Coach Nate Osborne said. “If they are not winning the middle, not getting good go-forward ball, and we disrupt their lineout and scrum, their boys aren’t going to touch the ball. So it’s going to be a battle up front and whichever team can take the ascendency through the tight five… We have to start fast, and we got to understand that as soon as that whistle blows, it’s that mindset of not giving them anything.”

Time to Show the Real Old Glory at Segra

With only two games left, players are playing not just for the win on Sunday but for all those who have supported them in the good times and bad. Everyone knows change is expected in the offseason, and the team wants to show that potential for the future.

“We all know we can beat any team,” Roberts-Te Nana stated. “We got the capability within our squad to do it, and we’ve shown it in glimpses. The margin for error is getting smaller every year. We need to take a good look in the mirror from 1 to 15 to 23 everyone in the office. If we want to do a good job, we need to be on the same page.”

“It’s been a tough year,” Roberts-Te Nana concluded. “To watch it all season, from me and all of us at Old Glory, we do appreciate all the support everyone gives us week in, week out. We might not often deserve it, but behind the scenes, we are trying as hard as we can. We don’t plan to lose. This is our last home game, and we are going to give everything left in the tank and look forward to putting on a great performance.”

The post Old Glory Aims to be Spoilers in New York’s Playoff Run appeared first on Old Glory DC.

The post Know Before You Go | Old Glory DC vs Rugby New York appeared first on Old Glory DC.

The post Pacific Islander OG Spotlight appeared first on Old Glory DC.

With 13 Old Glory players hailing from Pacific Islander communities, Old Glory DC is proud to bring Pacific Islander Day to Segra Field on Saturday. The team will highlight the culture of this great community throughout the week. Entertainment accompanied by steel drums and Pacific Islander musical guests will be in VIP and on the concourse, and a representative of the Asian American Justice Center will present the game ball before the match. For the curtain-raiser, the Young Glory U23 side plays the Pittsburgh Forge U23 at 10:30 am.

A Stark Defeat in NOLA

Under sweltering conditions last weekend, Old Glory couldn’t match the pace and intensity of NOLA Gold and lost 50-21. DC could not recover from the three-try barrage to begin the match and played catch-up from the opening whistle.

“It was a rough game,” Cory Daniel said. “We definitely didn’t play our best and got away from the good things we were doing in the past few weeks. Our defense wasn’t there, our spacing was pretty poor at times, and we didn’t have much attack until the end of the game. We need to correct those things to get back to play how we know that we can play.”

“Defensive assignments went out the window for a little bit there,” head coach Nate Osborne echoed. “It’s something we’ll work on this week, and it’s an understanding of what our roles and responsibilities are in the patterns of defense. Likes James Willocks said in his review, it’s very hard to attack when you turn the ball over so frequently and quickly… To lay an egg like that is something we don’t want to do again and something we take responsibility for.”

New Lineup for Houston

The coaching staff is switching up the lineup, hoping change can usher in different results, especially in the forwards. Stan South and Luke Campbell have the week off while five new starters enter the fray in the pack. Jack Iscaro is joined by Mo Katz and Jake Ilnicki in the front row and Api Naikitini takes over for South in locks with Tevita Naqali. The new back row features Dom Bailey and Cory Daniel at flanker and Fintan Coleman making his first start at eightman.

In the backs, Renata Roberts-Te Nana returns from injury at fullback. His experience should stabilize the backline as it remains mostly unchanged. The unit of captain Danny Tusitala, Rohan Saifoloi, Junior Sa’u, Willie Talataina, and Peni Lasaqa are back, with John Rizzo slotting in at wing.

Coach Osborne has decided on a 5-3 split on the bench. One of the original OGs is back as Josh Brown joins Kyle Stewart, Rob Irimescu, Felix Kalapu, and Will Vakalahi as the forward reserves. John Lefevre, Owen Sheehy, and Doug Fraser will be the impact subs in the backs.

Houston on a Mission

The SaberCats have been on a tear lately, with their first visit to DC coming on Saturday. At 8-5, Houston is in third place in the MLR Western Conference and only trails LA by three standing points. However, the next three tests are crucial for Houston’s playoff hopes, and a team it has never beaten is on deck this weekend.

“They are very South African [with many players and coaches],” Osborne said. “They have a very good set-piece and very good at controlling the territory by kicking a lot… We’re expecting them to be physical and play the territory game. We are looking forward to the physical encounter and proving people wrong. As much as we all would like to forget last week, we want to prove we’re better than what we showed [against NOLA].”

Houston is led by captain Dean Muir, who along with center Louritz van der Schyff, each have three tries in the last three games. With solid performances on both sides of the ball, Juan Pablo Zeiss and Dan Coetzer were named the MLR’s First XV in last weekend’s 31-27 win over Utah. Combine that with Eagles Christian Dyer, Siaosi Mahoni, Malon Al-Jiboori, and Matai Leuta, the Sabercats are playing their best rugby of the season.

“Houston is a very physical team,” Daniel said. “They have a lot of big strong ball carriers, and they want to punish you upfront. A lot of phases are around the corner with their forwards and eventually get the ball out to the backs. It’s a pretty simple game plan that they have, but they execute it very well.”

Return to Winning at Segra Field

Getting back to the comfort and security of home is exactly what Old Glory needs after a grueling road trip. DC won its last two games at Segra and hopes to shock the MLR on Saturday.

“We just need to be better on defense,” Osborne said. “They are going to give us a lot of ball, and we are either going to hang ourselves or look like cowboys. So when they give us opportunities, we need to take them.”

“We need to find the space and exploit it in attack and kicking,” Daniel added. “After our forwards run up and hit the middle, we need to do a better job of getting the ball out and letting our playmakers go to work. Find that kick and running space and exploit it.”

“This week is about beating them up as a team and winning and losing as a team,” Osborne said. “It’s a ‘prove it’ week for them and for us as well, as they have never made the playoffs. It’s one of those games where they need to win to get in, and we need to end some people’s seasons.”

The post Old Glory Returns Home to Face Houston in First of Final Two Home Matches appeared first on Old Glory DC.

The post Know Before You Go | Old Glory DC vs Houston SaberCats appeared first on Old Glory DC.

Lessons Learned Versus the Free Jacks

Despite the loss against New England, Old Glory took many positives from the effort and will use them going forward into its final four games.

“Knowing that we can go toe-to-toe with the best team in the league and only lose by six points gives us confidence that we can beat or be at the level with any other team in the league,” William Talataina said.

“More than anything, it gives us confidence that if we buy into the game plan, we can win,” Coach Osborne stated. “Talking to the playmakers, they realize that they went away from the plan a little bit and got a little scoreboard pressure. It was the first week we emphasized a game plan on how to beat our opponent, and everyone realizes that if we stuck to it, we would have given ourselves more of a chance to win that game… If we get our understanding right and our effort, we’ll be really hard to beat.”

Little Change in Lineup for Saturday

For the first time all season, Old Glory DC will roll out an almost identical lineup as last weekend. The front row of Jack Iscaro, Rob Irimescu, and Kyle Stewart nearly played the entire game and combined for 38 tackles. Tevita Naqali and Stan South are the locks with Felix Kalapu, Cory Daniel, and Luke Campbell handling the back row. Campbell led the team with 17 tackles, Daniel was one behind at 16 (174 total, fourth in the MLR), and Kalapu was among the team leaders with 12 ball carries for 65 meters. Api Naikitini, Dom Bailey, Fintan Coleman, Jake Ilnicki, Mo Katz, and Jack Carroll will come off the bench in the forwards.

The coaching staff was impressed by the production from the backline against New England. Danny Tusitala earned an MLR First XV nod against the Free Jacks and his linemate Rohan Saifoloi contributed with his 13 kicks for 435 meters. Junior Sa’u scored his sixth try to equal Peni Lasaqa and added 13 tackles returning to inside center. William Talataina lines up at outside center with Lasaqa, Doug Fraser (two tries versus NE), and Owen Sheehy making up the back three. John Rizzo and Danny Thomas fill out the 6-2 split in the reserves. Renata Roberts-Te Nana is still on the mend and probably won’t be back until the New York game.

Intensity on Deck Against NOLA

“[The Gold] is an interesting team, and they play from everywhere,” Osborne said while describing his former outfit. “One of the things NOLA does really well is that they stick to their plan no matter what the score is. You will see that they are down 28-7 at halftime and if you look at the score at the end of the game is 36-33, and they had a chance to win. They don’t blink and they believe in [their plan] and stick to it.”

Although the Gold has a 3-9 record, NOLA should not be taken for granted. Multiple Eagles and capped internationals fill out their roster, and head coach Kane Thompson is poised to set his squad in the right direction. Captain Cam Dolan is the steadfast leader of the team, and the dynamic backline of Damian Stevens, Robbie Coleman, JP du Plessis, Juan Cappiello, Nick Feakes, Harley Wheeler, and JP Eloff can be lethal if not kept in check.

“Dolan is super-smart, and it’s hard to gameplan against him because he’s NOLA’s brains,” Osborne said. “Robbie Coleman is an unreal playmaker. We can’t give him time and space because he will make us look dumb. Moni Tonga’uiha is their physical presence. He’s a guy who moved from wing center to back row and ended up being capped by the Eagles. He carries hard and gets them on the front foot… They got so much talent across the board, but if we can rattle Dolan, make Robbie play early, and take Moni’s physicality away, that will go a long way to winning the game.”

“The last time we played NOLA, they were a physical side that surrounds the ball a lot,” Talataina explained. “They don’t kick too much. Unfortunately, they haven’t won since we played them, but hopefully, we can go in there this week with the same mentality and performance against New England. We just need to get the job done this time.”

A Lot at Stake in the Big Easy

With the opportunity to get out of the MLR cellar, secure its first win against NOLA, and get their head coach a victory versus his former club, Old Glory will be playing for more than a simple notch in the win column.

“This will be good for Coach,” Talataina added. “It won’t be the only thing he wants, but he will be preparing us the best he can, as well as Cully and James. They will be prepping us the best they can so we can put out a good performance for each other. The game will be won upfront. If we can get good go-forward ball, we can release our backs such as Rohan, Peni, Junior, and Dougie. They will be looking to win the battle upfront as well.”

“Both teams want to run the ball and play expansive rugby,” Osborne said. “We need to win the middle and be more physical than them… If you look at New York, Utah, and even the last game, we were the more physical, brutal team, and they had no answer. So we need to stick to our plan and win the middle.”

This game has circled for a while, and going back to NOLA will be a special day for Coach Osborne. “[It will be my] 50th game as an MLR coach, and going back to NOLA [will be emotional. However,] one of the things I’m really pushing this week is that Old Glory as a franchise has never beaten NOLA. It’s more important for me to get these guys to buy into the ‘we.’ It’s not about me, not about them wanting to play for me, it’s not about me winning. It’s about us and going down there and getting the first victory over NOLA.”

The post With Chance to Escape the MLR’s Basement, Old Glory Faces NOLA appeared first on Old Glory DC.

Recharged After the Bye

The bye week came at a good time for Old Glory by breaking the season up into three sections. For the first five weeks, the team struggled with many lopsided losses. However, the next six games saw the score lines get tighter until breakthrough wins against Utah and Dallas. After the bye, the boys have found their confidence, joy, and drive to power through the season’s final matches.

“It was perfect timing to give the boys a refresh and come back for the last block of the season,” Peni Lasaqa said. “It was well-earned after the last two games.  The boys know they have nothing to lose and just to throw it all out there. If it comes our way, it comes our way. Playing with no regrets.”

Roster Shuffle Due to Injuries

The bye week brought rejuvenation and reflection to the team and some unfortunate news on the availability front. Thretton Palamo is out for the season with a broken thumb, and Renata Roberts-Te Nana may miss Saturday with a knee issue. Additionally, Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz has been suspended for ten weeks for unsportsmanlike conduct following the Dallas game.

“It’s a big loss,” Osborne said. “Thretts is a great player and he’s a great leader. He was one of the first guys in Monday morning with a big smile on his face and was helping the boys out in training. His presence and attitude are good things. Junior [Sa’u] was starting to play well [at center] before Thretts returned and had his best game in the first half versus New York. It’s a good replacement that we have Junior in the centers.”

With those developments, Sa’u moves back to inside center, and Owen Sheehy will come in at fullback. Danny Tusitala and Rohan Saifoloi are the halfbacks, William Talataina is on the outside, and Peni Lasaqa and Doug Fraser are on the wings. Danny Thomas and John Rizzo will come off the bench.

In the forwards, Stan South is back and will rejoin Tevita Naqali at lock. The front row of Jack Iscaro, Rob Irimescu, and Kyle Stewart returns with Dante Lopresti, Mo Katz, and Jack Carroll backing them up. The blindside flanker will be Felix Kalapu and Cory Daniel will man the open-side with Luke Campbell moving back to No. 8. Api Naikitini, Dom Bailey, and Fintan Coleman complete the 6-2 split on the bench.

Into the Hornet’s Nest of the Best Team in the East

“Consistency sets them apart,” Osborne said, describing the Free Jacks. “Last year around this time, I said the same thing about Atlanta, and they won the East. Atlanta never really had a game when they were down, and it seems like New England, even in their one loss to LA, only lost by four points.”

New England has playmakers across the pitch but is led by their explosive flyhalf Beaudein Waaka. He is slippery and dastardly with ball in hand, with seven tries and a league-leading 109 total points. Hooker Pieter Jansen (5 tries) and back-rowers Jesse Parete, Joe Johnston (168 tackles), Slade McDowall (6 tries, MLR-high 190 tackles), and Wian Conradie make up a powerful and dynamic forward pack. Combine that with Mitch Wilson, Paula Balekena, and Dougie Fife in the back three and Le Roux Malan and Wayne van der Bank in the centers, New England has found the winning combination leading to a 10-1 record.

“The back row is all over the place making tackles and are all over the ball,” Osborne explained. “Their centers lay a good platform and get the really good go-forward ball. When their centers go forward, Waaka is given a lot of time and space, and he makes people look silly. We just have to be on our game defensively. Our communication and want to get up and make tackles have to be there this week.

“They are very dangerous in transition, with 50% of their tries coming from turnovers or poor kick chase. We need to be on with that and be ready all the time. If teams go to sleep for a little bit against them, that’s when they run up the score. We’re ready for an 80-minute arm wrestle and stay in the fight the whole time.”

Finish the Season Strong

“For us, we have to go out there and play our game,” Osborne indicated. “The players and coaches believed they had an opportunity to beat them earlier this season. A couple of things went the wrong way, but it was something that Danny Tusitala said, ‘We can’t just sit there and talk about how we could have beaten these teams. We got to go out and do it.'”

Lasaqa agreed to say, “Keep playing the way we’ve been playing. Have faith in what we’ve been training throughout the week, and have fun out there. We got nothing to lose, give it back to our fans and families and finish the year out strong.”

“The goal is to win the final five games of the season,” Osborne concluded. “Win all five games and end some people’s playoff hopes. We need to finish on a high and build into next season. Nobody expects anything from us, so we’re ready to continue what we’ve been doing for the last four weeks and fire shots.”

The post On a Hot Streak, Old Glory Challenges the MLR’s Best in New England appeared first on Old Glory DC.

Major League Rugby (MLR) announced its third annual Collegiate Draft today where 39 of the best young rugby players in North America will be selected over 3 rounds. The MLR Draft Show will air on Thursday, August 18th at 7 PM ET on FS2, with the latter picks on The Rugby Network. 

After the success of the inaugural edition of the Draft in 2020, 2021 didn’t disappoint either. Last year’s No. 1 pick Eric Naposki has established himself as an integral part of the Dallas Jackals while No. 3 pick Tavite Lopeti has represented the Seawolves and the USA Eagles since being drafted. A complete list of the 2021 MLR Draft picks can be found here.

“Draft Day is a big, big day,” said MLR Commissioner George Killebrew, “It’s the culmination of years and years of work for these athletes on the pathway to Major League Rugby and we are incredibly excited about the next set of stars.”

This year’s draft is open to US and Canadian collegiate athletes and will consist of three rounds, with the order of selection being determined by the inverse order of standings from the 2022 MLR season. Once selected, teams will use a draft-and-follow approach and will have until the mid-point of the MLR season after the player’s collegiate eligibility ends to reach an agreement with the player.

An exciting change from last year is that MLR has partnered with PlayWize as this year’s draft registration platform. PlayWize is a marketplace that allows athletes to connect with playing and commercial opportunities across the world. Athletes must download the PlayWize app from the App Store or Play Store, create a profile, and fill in the MLR Draft eligibility questionnaire to be added to the prospect list.  

All 2022 draft information can be found here and all related questions can be directed to draft@usmlr.com. 

MLR Combines

This year, MLR is also introducing Official MLR Combines held in association with various partners. “The launch of MLR Combines provides multiple opportunities for athletes to display their talents to teams and earn their spot in the MLR” said Commissioner Killebrew. These events are not limited to Draft eligible players.

• June 4: Academy & Draft Combine with Houston SaberCats (Houston, TX) 
• June 25/26: MLR Draft & Academy Combine with Rhinos Rugby Academy (San Clemente, CA)
• July 30: Rugby Pro Day with Wisconsin RFU (Madison, WI)

The MLR Combines will fall either side of the Collegiate Rugby Shield that was announced earlier this year, which will take place on July 2 at Herriman, Utah.  

“It’s important to us to host a combine for the MLR. As the only purpose-built stadium in the league, we pride ourselves on hosting as much rugby as we can. Events like these will continue to help grow the game in the US,” said JT Onyett, President of Houston Sabercats.

“We are honored to be one of the few selected organizations to support the MLR talent identification process. We look forward to welcoming and assessing the athletes aspiring to earn a professional contract with the MLR teams, as well as helping these athletes develop in a high-performance environment for a better chance at an MLR contract,” said Andreea Trufasu, CEO of Rhinos Rugby.

“The groundwork for the future of rugby is happening right now, and we want to be a part of it. We want to challenge and promote our talent. This is going to be really cool,” Robert Prochniak, President of Wisconsin Rugby Football Union.

Stay tuned to MLR social channels for more information in the coming weeks.

The post 2022 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft Set for August 18 appeared first on Old Glory DC.