New England Free Jacks and Seattle Seawolves Clash in MLR Championship

This final is expected to be a significant step forward for rugby in the United States

Allen Clarke's Seattle Seawolves are aiming for their third MLR championship title and their first since 2019 /

The New England Free Jacks and Seattle Seawolves will face off in the Major League Rugby (MLR) championship game. The highly anticipated match will be a showdown between two of the league's top teams as they compete for the title. As the MLR continues to grow in popularity, this final is expected to be a significant step forward for rugby in the United States.

Snapdragon Stadium which is the venue for the highly anticipated match has already hosted a rugby sellout this year, surpassing even the attendance of Manchester United's recent friendly against Real Betis.

Nic Benson, chief executive of MLR said:

“The San Diego team owners hosting the game are putting a lot into it, It’ll be a great event. Ticket sales are great. We’re looking like we’re going to come out ahead of last year [when around 10,000 saw the Free Jacks beat the San Diego Legion in Chicago]. We’ve got a great window on Fox. So we’re excited.”

The New England Free Jacks made a dramatic exit from Quincy on Thursday, escorted by the city police. Typically reserved for post-match celebrations, this pre-game send-off added a touch of Hollywood to the Major League Rugby champions' departure for the championship game in California against the Seattle Seawolves. The team, known for its savvy marketing, turned their departure into a pre-game spectacle.

As the Free Jacks prepare to defend their title for the second consecutive year, full-back Reece MacDonald credits their one-game-at-a-time strategy for their success.

“At the start of the year, we talked about it a little bit,” said Macdonald. “But we also said that this was a new year, a new bunch of boys, and we wanted to leave our own legacy. “We just take it one game at a time. Every win we take, and we have got this far.

Allen Clarke's Seattle Seawolves are aiming for their third MLR championship title and their first since 2019. Meanwhile, the New England Free Jacks are seeking a repeat victory after their thrilling 25-24 win over the San Diego Legion in the previous year's final.

This year's MLR Championship marks a historic showdown between two former champions. The Seattle Seawolves, aiming to end a five-year title drought, will face the defending champions, the New England Free Jacks.

When asked if the MLR could draw inspiration from the US women's thrilling bronze medal win in the Olympic sevens, Benson prioritized celebrating the women's achievement. He stated, "First of all, it's a women's moment. They should have their moment."

“We need to be evangelists of the game … so anything that gets a young boy or young girl excited about the game, looking into the game, researching the game, finding out more, is great for me. I don’t care if you’re a women’s sevens fan or an All Blacks fan, if you’re a rugby fan in the United States, that’s a win. Eventually you’ll be an MLR fan,” he added.