News — Match Recap

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,...

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...

The 2020 Major League Rugby season was truly one for the San Diego sports history book, as San Diego Legion finished as the only undefeated team in its league.  Want to relive all the excitement and action-packed matches from 2020? Scroll down and check out the video highlights, final scores and who was named Man of the Match for each game.  We'll kick things off with our first match against the reigning MLR Champions Seattle Seawolves. Some called this a rematch of the 2019 MLR Championship game, yet the ending this time around proved to be in our favor... Final score: 33-24, San...

For the fifth-straight week, San Diego Legion sits top of the MLR table and is now the only undefeated team in Major League Rugby.  On Sunday, March 8, Rugby United New York traveled to take on San Diego Legion. The last time RUNY and Legion saw each other was during the 2019 Semi-Finals, when Legion won with a 79th-minute try from JP Du Plessis.  A lot was on the line for both teams, Rugby United was scratching their way to the top of the East Conference. However, Legion also had a point to prove. Since the start of 2020 Major...

This past weekend, San Diego Legion traveled to New Orleans, LA for the fourth game of the 2020 Major League Rugby season against NOLA Gold. Although the team spent no time on Bourbon Street celebrating Mardi Gras, they found themselves celebrating a BIG win at Gold Mine on Airline Stadium. After a hard-fought 80 minutes, Legion was victorious for the fourth week in a row.  NOLA was first on the board with a maul drive-off from a 5-meter lineout. A few minutes later,  Legion answered back with a try from Man of the Match Ma’a Nonu, which was converted by...

San Diego Legion clinched a thrilling win over the New England Free Jacks on Sunday, February 23, 2020. Embarking on its inaugural Major League Rugby season, the Free Jacks had their work cutout for them as they traveled to America’s Finest City for the first time this year. Legion demonstrated dominance during the match’s first half. The first points on the board came from Luke Burton, who opted to kick for points after a third Free Jacks penalty in under three minutes. The first try of the game came soon after with a chip kick from Burton to Save Totovosau, who successfully...

~ SAN DIEGO, CA  – The top-ranked San Diego Legion had the defending champion Seattle Seawolves on the ropes in Sunday afternoon’s Major League Rugby Championship game. With just under two minutes to play, Legion fly-half Joe Pietersen nailed a penalty goal to give San Diego a 23-19 lead. The lead, which appeared to be the difference in the match, was supposed to be the finishing touches on a match in which the Legion battled back from a 14-6 halftime deficit. Unfortunately for the Legion, it was the Seawolves who had the last offensive serge as Seattle used a last-minute rolling maul to...

Sunday afternoon’s Major League Rugby Championship will feature two sides in the Seattle Seawolves and the San Diego Legion that are extremely familiar with one another. The Championship match at Torero Stadium will also feature two teams that are extremely evenly matched. Between the familiarity and the similarity between the two sides, Sunday’s match has all the makings to be another instant classic. Dating back to last season, the top-ranked Legion and the second place Seawolves come into Sunday’s match having played each other four times. The all-time series is tied at 2-2, with the Seawolves taking the two matches...

~ It’s hard to believe that Major League Rugby’s second-ever regular season is already over. With three teams, the Seattle Seawolves, Toronto Arrows, and Rugby United New York, all clinching playoff spots in Week 19 to join the San Diego Legion in the MLR Championship Series, that leaves five teams out of the tournament. Not everyone can qualify, but not making the playoffs doesn’t necessarily equate to a failed season. Here is a look at how each team fared in 2019.   AUSTIN ELITE RUGBY (0-16) Position: 9th Table Points: 5 2019 was a tough year for Austin Elite Rugby....

MARRERO, LA  – The highly-anticipated Week 16 matchup between the top two teams in Major League Rugby turned into battle of attrition and will as the San Diego Legion (10-3-1) saw off challenger NOLA Gold (9-4-0), 26-19, to replace the League leader atop the standings. The home side fell behind early Saturday and erased three Legion leads, but did not have enough in the tank to maintain the pace of a San Diego team coming off of its first loss since March 10. The Legion’s four-match road trip culminates with a stop in Herriman, Utah, for a Week 17 battle against the Warriors (2-10-1) Saturday, May 18. ~...

~ MATCH PREVIEW: LEGION LOOK TO EVEN SERIES IN TORONTO TORONTO – The San Diego Legion will take their five-game win streak on the road for a tough test against the Toronto Arrows on Sunday morning. San Diego will be in search for a bit of revenge when the two sides meet as Sunday’s match will be the second meeting of the season between the Legion (9-2-1) and the Arrows (6-5). The first matchup ended in a 27-20 Arrows come from behind victory back on March 10. ~ ~ After handing the Houston SaberCats a 40-19 victory and picking up five points in the table last Sunday, the Legion leapt over NOLA Gold and...

~ MATCH PREVIEW: LEGION ON THE ROAD TO FACE HOUSTON HOUSTON – After their largest win of the season, the San Diego Legion will look to pick up their fifth straight victory when they head down to Houston for a clash with the SaberCats on Sunday evening. Since falling to the Toronto Arrows 27-20 on March 10, the Legion (8-2-1) have been on a tear. They battled to a 28-28 draw on the road with the Glendale Raptors, then rattled off four-straight wins against some of the top competition in the league. They laid down a 46-15 beating on the Raptors at home last week, their largest victory of the season,...

~ MATCH PREVIEW: LEGION WELCOME GLENDALE RAPTORS WITH PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Legion will welcome the Glendale Raptors to town for a telling re-match on Saturday afternoon. The third-place Legion (7-2-1) hold just a three-point lead over the fourth-place Raptors (5-3-2) in the Major League Rugby table. The result of Saturday’s match between an evenly matched San Diego and Glendale side will be carry massive weight down the road as five teams continue to scrap it out for just four playoff spots. ~ ~ After putting up 45 points in their victory over Austin Elite Rugby in their last game at home, the Legion will...

~ CONEY ISLAND, NY  – A gutsy, come-from-behind effort by the San Diego Legion (7-2-1) at MCU Park Sunday afternoon resulted in a 29-19 defeat of Rugby United New York (7-2), the team’s fourth unbeaten match on the road during the 2019 Major League Rugby season. Captain Joe Pietersen iced the cake in the last five minutes to create the 10-point gap and take away RUNY’s would-be bonus point in a heated race for MLR Playoffs position. Conor Kearns, Paddy Ryan, and Save Totovosau scored tries at pivotal moments in the match as San Diego ended the host’s five-match winning streak. The Legion improve to 3-0-1 away from Torero Stadium,...

~ MATCH PREVIEW: LEGION TRAVEL TO THE BIG APPLE FOR CLASH WITH RUNY BROOKLYN – After a convincing 45-15 victory over Austin Elite Rugby, the San Diego Legion hit the road to take on third-place Rugby United New York on Sunday in what could be their biggest match of the season so far. The Legion (6-2-1) will have to get through an incredibly tough RUNY (7-1) squad as they fight to climb their way back up the Major League Rugby table and back into one of the four playoff spots. Sunday’s match will be the second time this season that the Legion and RUNY meet. The first meeting,...

MATCH PREVIEW: LEGION WELCOME AUSTIN ELITE RUGBY TO TOWN FOR PRIMETIME TILT SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Legion will look to extend their point streak to three matches when they welcome Austin Elite Rugby to Torero Stadium on Sunday night. After handing the defending Major League Rugby champion Seattle Seawolves their first home loss of the 2019 season and just their second home loss in the last two seasons, the Legion (5-2-1) will look to build on that momentum back at home against an Elite (0-9) side that is trending upwards. BRING OUT THE BROOMS The Legion are looking for the season sweep over the Elite as Sunday night’s match...

MATCH PREVIEW: DEFENDING MLR TITLE HOLDERS SEATTLE SEAWOLVES (5-2) HOST4-2-1 LEGION, SUNDAY AT 5PM SEATTLE – Defending Major League Rugby title holders Seattle Seawolves (5-2) host the 2019 reverse fixture against the San Diego Legion (4-2-1) Sunday, March 31, at Starfire Stadium. Three points ahead of the Legion in the League table, the Seawolves dropped the Week 2 meeting at Torero Stadium in a wet match more fit for the Pacific Northwest. The Week 10 match’s kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT, with the live broadcast available locally on Fox 5 and online on ESPN+. PUSH TO SHOVE Since the campaign’s first loss in San Diego and...

DENVER – One of the best matches of Major League Rugby’s second season ended in a 28-28 draw. If Saturday night’s match between the San Diego Legion and Glendale Raptors was a boxing match, it was a 12-round brawl between two prizefighters. Both Glendale (3-2-2) and San Diego (4-2-1) had their chances to win the match, and each time the opponent countered with a big defensive stand, a try or by flipping the territory to completely turn the momentum around. Clinging to a seven-point lead in stoppage time, the Raptors defense, deep in their own territory, stuffed the Legion a handful of times in an...

SAN DIEGO – Two quick strikes and a 24-0 second-half run by the Toronto Arrows (3-3) disappointed the home crowd at Torero Stadium as the San Diego Legion’s four-match win streak came to an end Sunday, 27-20. Holder of Major League Rugby’s best try-scoring defense through six weeks of play, the Legion (4-2) conceded three in 15 minutes in the second half after holding sway through the first 40 minutes. Captain Joe Pietersen converted both Legion tries and sent over a penalty goal and a drop goal to keep pace with the League’s top point scorers at 56. ~ “We certainly hurt ourselves with our lack of discipline that actually...

ROUND ROCK, Texas – Four tries scored in the first half kicked off a six-try outburst for the San Diego Legion (4-1) Friday night in a 45-17 win over host Austin Elite Rugby (0-5). San Diego now tops the Major League Rugby standings on 18 points with the bonus point victory. The current League leaders have conceded only five tries on their four-match win streak. The Legion will benefit from their first bye of the season having played five matches in a row but didn’t show signs of fatigue in the blitz of Austin. “Difficult to pick out individuals as everyone contributed,” Head Coach Rob Hoadley said. “It is the...

SAN DIEGO – Another wet match day at Torero Stadium resulted in a third consecutive San Diego Legion Major League Rugby victory Sunday as Head Coach Rob Hoadley’s squad defeated the visiting Utah Warriors, 21-10. Captain Joe Pietersen set both JP du Plessis and 20-year-old Devin Short away for first-half tries and connected on four of five kicks as the Legion snagged the lead and held onto it until the final whistle. San Diego remains in second in the League table on 13 points behind NOLA Gold ahead of the first away match of the season at Austin Elite this...

The San Diego Legion needed all 80 minutes of Saturday night’s match against the Houston SaberCats to come out with a victory. Houston (1-1) managed to hold a lead over San Diego (2-1) for 78 minutes of the match, but the defiant Legion kept applying pressure and the SaberCats’ stout defense eventually cracked resulting in a 17-13 San Diego victory in the final minutes. Saturday night’s match really wasn’t so much a tale of two halves as it was the definition of a slow and steady climb for the Legion. Battling a SaberCats team with a lead is difficult enough...

~ San Diego – Amid a torrential downpour, a muddy and slick pitch, and a slippery ball, the San Diego Legion delivered a fantastic victory over reigning Major League Rugby champions, the Seattle Seawolves. Through the leadership of former Australia international Paddy Ryan in the forwards and the elusive running of Mike Te’o and Jasa Veremalua in the back’s, San Diego was able to hold onto victory despite Seattle’s late comeback attempt ~ The pitch, already slick with mud at the start of the match, forced plenty of handling errors in the opening 25 minutes as the two sides settled into...

~ San Diego – San Diego Legion opened the 2019 Major League Rugby with plenty of positives as they dropped their first match of the season to Rugby United New York in a tight 23-25 affair at Torero Stadium. With a strong crowd in attendance boosting the home side, San Diego surged in the second half in an attempt to overcome the first half deficit, ultimately coming up just short of the mark. MLR’s newcomers came out of the gate with fiery pace. Moving the ball while to the wings with speed and precision, New York stretch the San Diego defense...

~ It ain’t about how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take, and keep moving forward…’ – Rocky Balboa Thank you for a great inaugural season, San Diego. We’re amped to have made it this far; it is ONLY the beginning. More importantly, we are proud to have been a part of the first season of Major League Rugby and excited to see the strides made for professional rugby in the United States. For more information on the MLR Championship Game hosted here in San Diego, scroll down. Check...

~ San Diego Legion put in a ferocious performance against the league-leading, undefeated Glendale Raptors on Saturday night. Glendale was kept scoreless through 78 minutes of the match, and San Diego earned a 23-5 victory in their Major League Rugby regular season finale. Another great crowd turned out to Torero Stadium for Women’s Appreciation Night, lifting San Diego Legion to a dominating offensive and defensive display of rugby. The match immediately began with San Diego having possession as scrum-half Nick Boyer, and SD Legion forwards pushing back the Glendale defense deep into their half. In the 3rd minute the referee penalized Glendale Raptors for illegal rucking, giving San...

~ The San Diego Legion clinched a spot in the Major League Rugby Championship Series yesterday with a fantastic win over the Austin Elite Rugby. The large Father’s Day crowd (nearly 3,000 people in attendance) at Torero Stadium pushed the Legion to a 3-try performance that made up for San Diego‘s defeat in Austin just a few weeks ago.   San Diego Legion dominated possession in the match from the very beginning, keeping the ball through several offensive phases per possession and forcing Austin to commit turnovers early and often. Austin‘s defense gave up a penalty deep in their own half just...

~ San Diego Legion returned to winning ways with a vital winning performance against NOLA Gold, 39-22. Several San Diego Legion players were missing having been called up to play with the USA Men’s Eagles team for the summer international match series. San Diego Legion was able to take control of the match early with the young team at their disposal. ~ ~ San Diego made big hits and broke through NOLA’s defensive line several times in the opening 15 minutes, shooting out to a 15-7 lead before NOLA could truly catch their breath. Despite a tight 22-10 halftime score,...

~ SALT LAKE CITY (June 10, 2018) – The San Diego Legion were named the Major League Rugby Team of the Week the League announced today. The Legion notched a six-try victory against the NOLA Gold on the road, earning the bonus point and securing an MLR Playoff spot during Week 8. From the opening kick, it was clear the Legion was going to use the positioning battle to win the match, and the 39-22 score resembled that. The Legion spent almost 70 percent of the match in the Gold’s territory. Glendale’s Harley Davidson earned Player of the Week honors. Davidson...

~ San Diego Legion pushed undefeated league-leaders, Glendale Raptors, all the way to the final whistle in a thrilling 27-31 defeat in Glendale, Colorado. The Mother’s Day crowd at Glendale‘s Infinity Park witnessed one of the tightest matches of the Major League Rugby season and were treated to a display of both offensive and defensive moments of brilliance. San Diego Legion stuttered as they came out of the gate, and we quickly turned the match around thanks to a 15th minute pick-and-drive from prop forward Sione Tu’ihalamaka, who single-handedly broke through the Raptors defense for the opening try. Glendale fought back towards the...

~ ALT LAKE CITY (May 6, 2018) – The Austin Elite was named Major League Rugby Team of the Week the league announced today. In their third week of regular season match play, Austin Elite Rugby notched their first win in a 30-17 victory over the NOLA Gold on Thursday evening. Austin (1-2), picked up a bonus point for scoring four tries in a match they only trailed in once en route to a win over NOLA (1-1). NOLA, coming off a Week 2 bye, took a good portion of the first half to shake off the cobwebs. Austin made...