News — Major League Rugby

YOU'RE INVITED TO CHEER WITH A BEER!  San Diego Legion away games need hometown fans to cheer them on!  We’re organizing Official Legion Watch Parties and special viewing locations around the county for all our away games.  Check out the list below and come cheer your San Diego Legion as they march to the championship! This Saturday Feb 26 at 6:00 PM PT. Official watch party location for the 2022 season: Ballast Point Miramar, 9045 Carroll Way, San Diego, CA  More watch party locations: Show up to any Ballast Point or Kings and Convicts Brewing Co. Tap Room venue this season and cheer on your...

(San Diego, CA) February 3, 2022 - San Diego Legion announced today it will be playing in the newest and the most elite rugby stadium in North America. The hallmark deal, beginning in 2023, sees Major League Rugby enter the big leagues with San Diego Legion set to play its home games at San Diego State University’s new Snapdragon Stadium for up to ten years. The soon-to-open Snapdragon Stadium will set a new standard for Major League Rugby. San Diego Legion’s temporary home for the 2022 season will be the SDSU Sports Deck. The Snapdragon Stadium, with a capacity of...

An emerging sport in North America, the “Rise of Rugby” continues its growth and upward trajectory. DALLAS (January 28, 2022) – Major League Rugby (MLR) prepares to kick off its fifth season of competition as the highest level of rugby in North America. The 2022 season begins on the weekend of Feb. 5-6, with six matches on the schedule. Celebrated as an emerging sport by MLR, rugby is a global movement gaining momentum. A game with heart and soul that echoes the best aspects of life, rugby prioritizes the importance of community, emphasizes glory with modesty, while giving mutual respect...

Jack Wiggins joins the San Diego Legion! We are thrilled to welcome Jack Wiggins as San Diego Legion's new Defense Coach and Academy Director. Jack joins the Legion from Hong Kong having spent the past three seasons as Head Coach of Hong Kong Football Club and Assistant Coach of both the Men's National side and Global Rapid Rugby franchise, South China Tigers.   Prior to his time in Hong Kong, Jack was the Director of Rugby at one of the elite rugby high schools in New Zealand, Hastings Boys High, before taking up the Academy Coach role for three years at Wasps Rugby in the Rugby Premiership,...

(San Diego, CA) December 21, 2021 – San Diego Legion today announced that Synergy Orthopedics and Dr. Tal S. David will serve as the exclusive medical provider and official co-presenting partner for the Major League Rugby team’s 2022 season. “The health and wellness of our athletes is paramount to the success they achieve on and off the field," said San Diego Legion President Ryan Patterson. “We look forward to having Dr. David and the Synergy Orthopedics team provide the Legion with unsurpassed personalized medical care and ensure that they have a healthy winning season.”  Dr. David, president of Synergy Orthopedic...

SAN DIEGO, CA (December 14, 2021) - San Diego Legion announced today that it will play the 2022 season at the San Diego State University Sports Deck. The team is excited to welcome fans to the season home opener on Sunday, February 6 against the Utah Warriors.  “After a disrupted 2021 season, the 2022 season cannot come quickly enough,” said San Diego Legion Executive Chairman Darren Gardner. “The SDSU Sports Deck will offer fans an intimate game day experience. We are very much looking forward to seeing everyone there in six weeks.”  The SDSU Sports Deck features a state-of-the-art natural...

The day we've all been waiting for is finally here ! Today, Major League Rugby announced details on the 2022 season schedule with matches beginning on February 5, 2022. Check out San Diego Legion's full season schedule below as well as the official announcement from MLR.  Don't miss a home game this 2022 season, if you are interested in learning more about season tickets or single games, join our waitlist here.  We are excited to be back in San Diego this 2022 season, and can't wait to get back on the field in red and black 🛡  Dallas (November 9, 2021) -- Entering its...

San Diego, CA (October 20, 2021)- Southern California Youth Rugby and San Diego Legion are excited to announce their collaboration benefitting the rugby community of San Diego and south Orange County.   ​​San Diego Legion and SoCal Youth Rugby will work collaboratively to curate and provide programs for SoCal Youth Rugby member high schools and youth clubs, including referees and coaches. San Diego Legion players will work hand-in-hand with the SoCal Youth Rugby members teaching and sharing firsthand their own rugby insights. Furthering the spotlight, the Legion Academy will host key events and matches with SoCal Youth Rugby.  As one of...

With fierce competition among the 12 Major League Rugby clubs and unexpected obstacles brought forth by the recent pandemic, MLR 2021 has been a unique season for the San Diego Legion. We are immensely proud of our players, coaches, front office, game day staff, and volunteers for their endurance this season.  From San Diego to Las Vegas, NV and then the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center and finally back at Torero Stadium, this year had its challenges and the encouragement from fans is what kept us motivated. Watch this video and relive some of our action-packed tackles, plays, and...

Great news for San Diego Legion fans: the next two home matches will be played in the San Diego area! The upcoming games in May will be played at the Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. Saturday, May 15 vs. NOLA Gold Saturday, May 29 vs. Houston SaberCats Please note: both matches will be closed to the public and kick-off is now set for 1pm PT. Watch the matches live on AntennaTV (channel 69.2 in San Diego) or The Rugby Network. Head over to Ballast Point Miramar or another viewing location to watch the game in celebration with fellow...

Great news for Major League Rugby Fans! San Diego Legion vs. New England Free Jacks will be part of an MLR Double Header, kicking off this Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 2:30pm PT. Two teams from the Eastern and Western Conference are ready to battle it out at Los Angeles Coliseum - Home of the LA Giltinis.  For week seven of MLR 2021, the San Diego Legion will take on the New England Free Jacks. Fans may purchase tickets and watch TWO Major League Rugby matches in one day.  **TICKETS START AT $20 AND ARE AVAILABLE VIA TICKETMASTER.**  Following San...

The San Diego Legion is officially back home to Southern California! Training has resumed at the Legion High Performance Center & HQ this week.   For the upcoming game on Saturday, April 17 vs. the Utah Warriors, San Diego Legion will host the match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. The event will be closed to the public.  We are pleased to share that Dignity Health Sports Park will be our home venue for the following games: Saturday, April 17 vs. Utah Warriors Saturday, May 1 vs. New England Free Jacks Saturday, May 15 vs. NOLA Gold Saturday, May...

SD Legion players and coaching staff will relocate to the team’s headquarters in California San Diego, CA (April 5, 2021) - San Diego Legion is returning to its home in San Diego, CA. On April 12, the team will relocate back to San Diego and resume training at the Legion High Performance Center and Headquarters in Carlsbad.  Due to various limitations caused by the pandemic in California, the San Diego Legion temporarily relocated to Las Vegas, NV for the beginning of the Major League Rugby 2021 season. The team is now returning to its home in San Diego for the...

Match two of Major League Rugby 2021 versus Austin Gilgronis is upon us. Here is a quick behind-the-scenes look at our game day roster with comments from co-head coaches Scott Murray and Zack Test. Scroll down to see the full roster to San Diego Legion vs. Austin Gilgronis, March 28, 2021 at 5pm PST. Missing from this week’s roster: Chris Robshaw is still serving his disciplinary sanction. We expect him to be back on the field later this season for week four of MLR 2021 versus Houston SaberCats.Nate Augspurger, Dean Muir and Josh Thiel are not available for this game...

The official craft beer of San Diego’s Major League Rugby team now available in 16-ounce cans SAN DIEGO, CA (March 18, 2021) - Just in time for the kick-off of San Diego Legion’s fourth season of Major League Rugby, Legion Lager by Ballast Point Brewing Co. will be released in 16-ounce can, four packs. Starting today, the official craft beer of San Diego Legion will be available at Ballast Point locations in Southern California, including Home Brew Mart, Little Italy, Miramar, Anaheim and Long Beach. “Ballast Point is a staple among the local San Diego craft brewing community, and we’re...

San Diego Legion home opener presented by and broadcast on KSWB/FOX 5 San Diego San Diego, CA (March 16, 2021) - San Diego Legion Rugby is back! Kicking off its fourth season of Major League Rugby (MLR) on Saturday, March 20, 2021, the SD Legion home opener is presented by FOX 5 San Diego and will broadcast live on KSWB/FOX 5 from 3 to 5 p.m. PST. International fans will be able to tune-in live through The Rugby Network, an online streaming platform powered by The RugbyPass and MLR. Due to COVID-19 health and safety recommendations, the San Diego Legion...

On Wednesday, March 10, 2021, the Major League Rugby reigning champions and our friendly rivals, Seattle Seawolves, joined us in Las Vegas, NV for a pre-season scrimmage. During the scrimmage, both teams engaged in 20-minute game blocks. These provided an opportunity to practice scrum and lineout formations, strike plays and scenario based situations, concluding with a match scrimmage, played in accordance with Major League Rugby rules and referees. Overall, the San Diego Legion performed very well in key areas that will produce much success during the 2021 season of Major League Rugby. While our squad’s performance had moments of brilliance,...

With 45 days until the season kicks off, Major League Rugby unveiled updates to the 2021 season schedule. The new lineup reflects the postponement of the Dallas Jackals inaugural season as well as the temporary relocation of the San Diego Legion and Toronto Arrows.  The San Diego Legion 2021 schedule is listed below along with the full press release from Major League Rugby... MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY ANNOUNCES UPDATED 2021 SEASON SCHEDULE San Diego and Toronto Teams Announce Temporary Venue Relocations   DALLAS (February 3, 2021) – Major League Rugby (MLR) announced today an updated 2021 season schedule reflecting the postponement of...

As you know, the San Diego Legion has announced that its home matches during the 2021 Major League Rugby season will be played in Las Vegas, NV. Here is the club’s official statement... If you are a 2020 season ticket or single-game ticket holder, you are eligible to receive a refund on any remaining credits from 2020. More information is here: Options for season ticket holders Season ticket holders may opt-in to receive a prorated credit toward a 2021season ticket package.  Season ticket holders may opt-in to receive a prorated credit for merchandise sold exclusively on sdlegion.com.  Season ticket holders...

Here is the next installment of San Diego Legion's Rugby 101 series. This round, we're covering 'Who is on the field,' giving you a run down of the different positions in rugby and important role each player has during the game. Be sure to share with your friends and help them understand how rugby is just like all the sports they know, only better. 🏉  

 The countdown to #MLR2021 Kick-Off continues! Today, Major League Rugby announced details on the 2021 season schedule with matches beginning on March 20, 2021. Check out San Diego Legion's full season schedule below as well as the official announcement from MLR.  If you're not a current (2020) season ticket holder and interested in learning more about next season, join our waitlist here.  Thanks for all the support - our team is excited to get back on the field stronger than ever before. 🏉 MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY ANNOUNCES 2021 SEASON SCHEDULELeague to Begin Play March 20; Play 18 Weeks Prior to...

Here is the second edition of San Diego Legion's Rugby 101 series. For this installment, we're covering 'How to Score,' and what it means to have a try, conversion, penalty kick and drop kick happen during a rugby match.  Scroll down and keep reading to learn more...Or if you prefer video highlights, check out the SD Legion Vimeo channel.  More importantly, share with your friends and help them understand how rugby is just like all the sports they know, only better. 🏉

With just a few months until the start of Major League Rugby 2021 season, the San Diego Legion continues to solidify its roster. Join us in welcoming back two familiar names, Josh Furno and Faka’osi Pifeleti. Both players are aggressive and hungry for the season to begin.  Josh Furno returns to the sunny beaches of San Diego. One of the most experienced players to step foot on Torero Stadium, the 37 capped, Italian lock will be back next year. He is an utter powerhouse in the lineout and during open field play. Josh joined the SD Legion squad late in...

San Diego Legion is gearing up for the 2021 season of Major League Rugby! As March 20, 2021 grows closer and the squad begins training, today, SD Legion shared a sneak preview of the designs for its 2021 home and away team kits. This is great news for eager rugby enthusiasts and novices alike, as SD Legion also launched pre-sales for its 2021 home and away replica jerseys available via sdlegion.com. Pre-order your 2021 HOME replica jersey here Pre-order your 2021 AWAY replica jersey here Next season’s team kits will feature sleek designs showcasing the notable red and black SD...

As the 2021 Major League Rugby season draws near, the San Diego Legion is creating excitement by confirming the return of another familiar player. Come March 2021, Lua Li will be wearing our red and black SD Legion colors and jersey once again.  Lua Li is a name many SD Legion fans might remember from the 2020 season; however, due to the season ending abruptly earlier this year, Lua did not have a chance to grace us with his talents on the field. Lua Li is coming to San Diego from New Zealand, where he played with former SD Legion...

San Diego Legion is pleased to share that our very own Chief Operations Officer Guy Hagen has been appointed as Director of Youth Development by Major League Rugby.  This is another important step for MLR in growing rugby in the U.S. More details are available below...  DALLAS (October 28, 2020) – In another important step for grassroots rugby growth, MLR has appointed Guy Hagen as Director of Youth Development. Hagen currently is the Executive Director of the Legion Community Foundation and the Chief Operations Officer for San Diego Legion. A former rugby player since 1990, Hagen previously served as a...

The countdown is on to March 20, 2021 - the official start of Major League Rugby’s 2021 season, and the San Diego Legion roster continues to solidify. This week, SD Legion welcomes back Pete Malcolm, USA Eagle No. 505.  Pete Malcolm is not new to the MLR competition. He joined SD Legion this season after playing with the Austin Gilgronis, where his versatility and aggression on the field caught the eyes of SD Legion coaches. Paul is a player that will hit tackles, mauls and rucks consistently throughout the entire game. He plays with tireless effort, and we look forward...

As the 2021 season of Major League Rugby draws near, the San Diego Legion is creating excitement as it confirms the resigning of Joe Pietersen. But wait, there’s more…Last week, SD Legion welcomed two new players to join its squad. Bjorn Basson and Cecil Afrika will be putting on red and black jerseys come March 20, 2021.  Joe Pietersen re-signs for his fourth season with San Diego. During the 2019 season, Joe was selected for the MLR First XV  at fly half. He has led the team with his tremondous experience and knowledge and with an incredibly efficient boot, is...

Leading up to the start of Major League Rugby next year, the San Diego Legion is thrilled to welcome two new players to its squad. Bjorn Basson and Cecil Afrika will be putting on red and black jerseys come March 20, 2021.  Starting in 2008 with Emerging Springboks winning the IRB Nations Cup, Bjorn stood out in the competitive South African landscape. After competing against the British and Irish Lions twice in 2009 and breaking the Currie Cup record for most tries in a season, he secured his first Super Rugby contract with the Cheetahs. In 2011, Bjorn was named...

Today, Major League Rugby announced key dates for its 2021 season. For rugby fans in San Diego, the SD Legion is thrilled to share that the next season of MLR will officially commence on March 21, 2021** with a Championship Final on August 1, 2021. More details and the full press release is available below...   **Update: Major League Rugby announced an updated schedule to reflect Dallas Jackals postponement of its inaugural season. The San Diego Legion home opener is now slated for Saturday, March 20, 2021. ** DALLAS (September 22, 2020) — In advance of its fourth season, Major League...

As we remember our exciting, undefeated 2020 Major League Rugby season, the San Diego Legion continues preparing for 2021 and announcing its much-anticipated roster. This week, we’re thrilled to confirm the returns of Nathan Sylvia and Tevita Tameilau. Nathan Sylvia, a Cal Poly graduate and Collegiate all-American will return for his fourth season with SD Legion. Nathan is a passionate advocate for the growth of the sport via his involvement in coaching community rugby. On the field, he is a skilled tight head prop with the ability to use his strength and power to control his opposition in the front row....

SAN DIEGO, CA (Sept. 9, 2020) – San Diego Legion is excited to welcome Eddie Jones, with his extensive rugby experience, to support the team where he will consult on operations at every level – both virtually and for limited time periods on the ground in San Diego. Said Jones: “My primary commitment remains to my England duties and other international commitments, but I have a passion for growing the game of rugby. I was very impressed by the vision and ambition shown by San Diego and its ownership in delivering a professional rugby outfit with the clear aim of...

As the San Diego Legion’s 2021 roster continues to take shape, two more names - Keni Nasoqeqe and Ryan Matyas - were officially added for the already threatening squad. Both are very versatile players, who have been critical to the team’s winning streaks as well as building the rugby community in Southern California. .  Keni Nasoqeqe, a hard-nosed player who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, will return as a lock and number 8 option for the SD Legion forward pack. Keni first picked up a rugby ball in Fiji, and since moving to the United States, he played an...

As the Major League Rugby 2021 Season draws near, the San Diego Legion builds excitement as it confirms the return of more fan favorite players. This week SD Legion released the names of three additional players - Josh Thiel, Ben Mitchell, and Save Totovosau - who will be joining the ranks for next season. All three offer something unique to the squad making the San Diego Legion’s roster intimidating, to say the least.  Josh Thiel comes from a rugby family, and even at a young age, he carries a great deal of knowledge about the sport. Josh played at center...

The San Diego Legion is proud to support the XV Foundation in their mission to fund the USA Women's 15s pathway to the 2021 Rugby World Cup. In addition to a monetary donation, San Diego Legion donated a signed match ball from the 2019 season to the silent auction, as part of the virtual Building the Champion Mindset event. To learn more and register for the event, visit xvf.givesmart.com. September 18 broadcast will raise funds and feature Olympic and World Cup athletes DALLAS (August 26, 2020) — With just over a year before Rugby World Cup New Zealand 2021, Major League...

Excitement for the 2021 Major League Rugby season continues to build, and the San Diego Legion roster is shaping out to be full of threats. This week, the two names released by SD Legion were Siaosi “CC” Mahoni and Aaron Mitchell. Both players have been with SD Legion since year one and played a huge role in the team’s success on the field, especially in looking at the impact of our scrum.  Siaosi Mahoni, also known as ‘CC,’ came to us from Northern California and is a four-time HS All-American. Coming in at 6’8”, Mahoni is easily recognized by his...

As we relive the memories of our short-lived, undefeated 2020 season, San Diego Legion continues to look ahead to 2021 and announce its new roster. This week, we’re thrilled to confirm - Psalm Wooching will be back next year. Psalm Wooching, raised in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i, joined the San Diego Legion for its 2019 & 2020 seasons. Prior to jump starting his rugby career, Psalm was a college football star at the University of Washington, playing as Outside Linebacker for the Huskies’ defense during his tenure. Luckily for SD Legion and Major Leaguer Rugby, in 2017 Psalm chose to pursue his...

DALLAS (August 11, 2020) – Major League Rugby (MLR) today announced the renewal of Paladin Sports as the Official On-Field Kit Provider for the 2021 MLR season. During the shortened 2020 season every team, was outfitted with Paladin kits providing a professional look and feel on and off the pitch. Paladin will continue to work with MLR teams to design and create player kits, and is developing new designs for the 2021 season. Paladin Sports has a strong international reputation for producing quality sporting apparel, particularly within professional rugby. Established during the 2019 season, the MLR-Paladin partnership represents a foray...

In preparation for the next season, San Diego Legion is excited to announce its 2021 roster. The first names to be unveiled this week are last year’s starting hooker, Dean Muir, and former captain, Nate Augspurger. With the goal of making 2021 equally as memorable as the 2020 season - strong, efficient and undefeated - Dean and Nate will play a valuable role on the SD Legion squad.  Joining the SD Legion for a third season, Dean is bringing his scrummaging expertise back to the forward pack. He performed valiantly in the scrum, and in the 2020 season, Dean made...

San Diego Legion finished the 2020 season of Major League Rugby as the only undefeated team in the league. With a powerful mix of players, both on attack and defense, the squad was able to make 20 successful tries before the season was abruptly cut short in March 2020.  For those wanting to relive the excitement from our action-packed matches, here’s a look at the top five tries of 2020 - as selected and re-told by SD Legion co-head coaches Scott Murray & Zack Test.    #5, Josh Furno vs. Rugby United New YorkOur team put great pressure at the...

San Diego, CA (July 1, 2020) - San Diego Legion, a Major League Rugby (MLR) franchise, is joining forces with Ballast Point to release Legion Lager. Starting today, the special release beer will be available in pints, crowlers and growlers at Ballast Point locations in Southern California, including Home Brew Mart, Little Italy, Long Beach and Miramar. “San Diego is the ‘Capital of Craft Beer,’ and we wanted to partner with a local craft brewery to create a delicious beer that lives up to this accolade,” said SD Legion President & CEO Ryan Patterson. “Much like Ballast Point is regarded...

San Diego, CA (June 17, 2020) - Internationally acclaimed England national rugby team captain, Chris Robshaw, will join the San Diego Legion for its 2021 and 2022 seasons.  “Signing a player with Chris’ profile, talent and experience is another major step for us, both on and off the field,” said SD Legion Chairman Darren Gardner. “Not only will Chris add a new and very significant dimension to our team, Ryan and I believe Chris has the skill set and capability to transform how rugby is played across Major League Rugby as a whole.” A twice-named Aviva Premiership Player of the...

Major League Rugby held its first-ever MLR Collegiate Draft 2020 on Saturday, June 13. With more than 400 players who applied to join this weekend's draft, the competition was fierce as only 24 players were selected by 10 participating MLR teams, including San Diego Legion. Congratulations to Patrick Madden and Cole Zarcone, who were selected as the 12th and 24th MLR Collegiate Draft picks (respectively) by Legion co-Head Coaches Scott Murray and Zack Test.   Join us in celebrating these rising stars and welcoming them to the San Diego Legion. Here's more information on the new lads joining Legion, as written by...

San Diego, CA (June 10, 2020) - In recent days, Major League Rugby and San Diego Legion have made exciting announcements. From welcoming two new franchises to planning its first-ever MLR Collegiate Draft, MLR is setting up the league's 13 clubs and rugby in North America with a vibrant path ahead.  Here's a recap of the recent news... Last week, MLR introduced its two newest teams - Dallas, TX and Los Angeles, CA - bringing the franchise total to 13.  San Diego Legion announced that Scott Murray and Zack Test will be leading the charge as co-Head Coaches.  Also, this weekend MLR...