Another weekend and Major League Rugby (MLR) has done it again.
Whether it was heartbreak for Anthem RC beneath the Friday night lights or San Diego Legion maintaining their unbeaten start to 2025, there’s plenty to catch up on from across the pond.
Here are five takeaways after Week 3 of MLR’s 2025 season.
Warriors make a splash against NOLA Gold
After soundly beating the Chicago Hounds in their first outing of the season, the Utah Warriors saw off the NOLA Gold 55-21.
Despite conceding an early Luke Carty penalty Greg Cooper’s side were not deterred and over the next 80 minutes saw five different players cross the whitewash.
It was a particularly busy afternoon for Warriors wing Joey Mano, who scored a hat-trick at Zions Bank Stadium and spent 10 minutes in the sin bin.
Ex-All Blacks hooker Liam Coltman also made his way across the whitewash, as did Jordan Trainor, Tu Vugakoto and Nic Benn.
In their early season outings Utah have shown an extra abrasiveness in what they do and could well have turned the corner on their fifth-place finish in the Western Conference last season.
Next up for the Warriors is a visit from the Houston SaberCats and a stern test of their credentials as contenders.
Hounds stake claim to be new Eastern Conference power
In response to defeat a week ago the Chicago Hounds responded in the perfect fashion.
Beating back-to-back champions, the New England Free Jacks, 36-7 at SeatGeek Stadium, the Midwest club’s performance was nothing short of emphatic as ex-England and Exeter Chiefs centre Ollie Devoto scored a second-half try in the effort.
Recovering from that 45-31 loss to the Utah Warriors will come as relief for the Hounds, who hoped to build on their first foray into knockout rugby in 2024.
Supporters of New England will hope the loss will just be a bump in the road.
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Agony for Anthem RC in close defeat
For those new to MLR, coming into their second season Anthem RC are still on the hunt for their first ever win.
A team set up as part of a collaboration between the league, USA Rugby and World Rugby, the club was hastily put together weeks before the 2024 campaign and the side endured a 0-16 record.
After significant investment and a longer run-up to 2025 the side are hoping for better fortune.
Friday’s meeting with the Miami Sharks in North Carolina was their closest call yet.
Tomas Bekerman’s 72nd minute try and Santiago Videla’s conversion handed Miami a 32-31 win.
Number one overall pick from the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft, Erich Storti, enjoyed a dominant performance for Anthem and may just suggest that the future could yet be bright for the men in blue.
Legion go three from three
To continue their perfect start to the season San Diego Legion beat Old Glory DC 26-10.
It was a victory that lacked the sparkle of their previous wins over the Seattle Seawolves and Anthem RC, but was comprehensive nonetheless.
John Manenti’s team scored tries through James Vaifale, Brad Wilkin, Tomas Aoake and Christian Poidevin to take another bonus point win back to southern California.
Simply put, San Diego work hard.
In many ways this was probably the performance that their head coach was looking for.
After dazzling attacking displays this defensive display, in which Legion conceded an Owen Sheeky try and James Robertson penalty, proves that San Diego can get into the trenches if needed.
Seattle ill-discipline lands Seawolves in hot water
Two late red cards consigned the Seattle Seawolves to a 24-21 loss at the hands of the Houston SaberCats.
Before the fixture Seattle had never received a red card in franchise history, but Pago Haini and Njabulo Gumede’s dismissals brought that record to an end.
It was a closely fought contest in the Western Conference as Pita Anae-Ah Sue’s 72nd minute try for Houston landed the Texas club with a second win of the season.
This continued a frustrating start to 2025 for the Seawolves, who were subjected to a 40-26 loss against the San Diego Legion on Week 1 of the new season.
The challenge doesn’t get any easier for Allen Clarke’s team as they host two-time champions, the New England Free Jacks, at Starfire Sports next Saturday night and travel to Rugby FCLA a week later.
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/major-league-rugby-five-takeaways-as-ex-all-blacks-hooker-scores-for-abrasive-utah-warriors-while-former-england-centre-leads-chicago-hounds-to-emphatic-win-over-champions
