Round 4 of Major League Rugby brought another weekend of thrilling finishes, dominant performances, and key upsets as teams continued to battle for early-season momentum.
Chicago outmuscled Miami on the road, while Houston handed Utah their first loss of the season with a statement win. The Seattle Seawolves edged the Free Jacks in a thrilling home opener, and San Diego remained unbeaten after a hard-fought victory over RFC Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Old Glory DC staged a comeback against Anthem RC, securing a dramatic win in Germantown.
- Miami Sharks 18 – 31 Chicago Hounds
- Old Glory DC 26 – 22 Anthem RC
- Utah Warriors 17 – 37 Houston SaberCats
- San Diego Legion 36 – 28 RFC Los Angeles
- Seattle Seawolves 27 – 24 New England Free Jacks
Here’s a full recap of all the Round 4 action, scores, and highlights:
CHICAGO HOUNDS OUTMUSCLE MIAMI SHARKS TO CLAIM ROAD WIN
Miami Sharks 18 – 31 Chicago Hounds (HT: 10-17)
The Chicago Hounds dominated from the outset and secured a 31-18 victory over the Miami Sharks at AutoNation Sports Field, handing Miami their first home defeat of the season. Chicago’s forward pack controlled possession and territory early, setting the tone with tries from Mac Jones and Mason Flesch, giving them a 17-10 halftime lead. Miami fought back in the second half, with replacement Kirby Myhill scoring to close the gap to 17-15. However, Chicago’s pack regained control, as Conall Boomer crashed over to extend the lead before Ollie Devoto sealed the win with a late try. The Sharks, known for their late comebacks, couldn’t break through Chicago’s defense, allowing the Hounds to claim the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
MIAMI SHARKS
- Tries: Ardao (28’), Myhill (43’)
- Conversions: Videla (29')
- Penalties: Videla (37', 58')
CHICAGO HOUNDS
- Tries: Jones (14’), Flesch (40’), Boomer (66’), Devoto (76’)
- Conversions: Hilsenbeck (15’, 40', 67’, 77’)
- Penalties: Hilsenbeck (7')
OLD GLORY DC EDGES ANTHEM RC IN NAIL-BITER
Old Glory DC 26 – 22 Anthem RC (HT: 14-22)
Old Glory DC staged a second-half comeback to edge out Anthem RC 26-22 in a thrilling battle in Germantown. Despite holding an 8-point halftime lead, Anthem struggled to break through after the break, while Old Glory scored all 26 of their points while down a man. Anthem started strong, with Junior Gafa’s first try of the season and Connor Mooneyham’s long-range score giving the visitors an early edge. Connor Robinson extended the lead before halftime, but the second half saw Old Glory take control, with Logan Weidner’s late try sealing the victory. Anthem RC came close in the final minutes, but Old Glory’s defense held firm, denying the visitors their first-ever MLR win.
OLD GLORY DC
- Tries: Grigg (21’), McVeigh (25’), Fa’anana-Schultz (60’), Weidner (68’)
- Conversions: Robertson (22’, 26’, 69’)
ANTHEM RC
- Tries: Gafa (15’), Mooneyham (29’), Robinson (36’)
- Conversions: Latu (16’), Loubser (37’)
- Penalties: Latu (10’)
HOUSTON SABERCATS HAND UTAH WARRIORS FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON
Utah Warriors 17 – 37 Houston SaberCats (HT: 20-5)
The Houston SaberCats delivered a clinical performance to defeat the Utah Warriors 37-17 in Herriman, handing the home side their first loss of the 2025 MLR season. Houston’s fast start and ruthless finishing set the tone, with Drew Wild scoring a first-half hat trick to put the visitors in control early. David Coetzer added 14 points with his boot as the Sabercats dominated possession and territory. Despite trailing 20-5 at halftime, the Warriors fought back in the second half, cutting the lead to 27-10 after Nic Benn’s try, following a red card to Houston. Joel Hodgson added another score late, but a crucial forward pass in the 72nd minute denied Utah a fourth try and a bonus point. Houston’s early dominance and late defensive stands secured the victory, moving them to 3-1 on the season, while Utah falls to 2-1 as they prepare to face the Miami Sharks next week.
UTAH WARRIORS
- Tries: Kofe (26’), Benn (51’), Hodgson (68’)
- Conversions: Hodgson (69’)
HOUSTON SABERCATS
- Tries: Wild (6’, 34’), Den Hoedt (47’), Tasi (54’)
- Conversions: Coetzer (7’, 35’, 48’, 55’)
- Penalties: Coetzer (13’, 73’)
- Drop Goal: Wild (29’)
SAN DIEGO LEGION REMAIN UNBEATEN WITH HARD-FOUGHT WIN OVER RFC LOS ANGELES
San Diego Legion 36 – 28 RFC Los Angeles (HT: 10-14)
The San Diego Legion remained undefeated in the 2025 MLR season after overcoming a determined RFC Los Angeles side 36-28 at Torero Stadium. Trailing 10-14 at halftime, San Diego rallied in the second half, scoring four tries—including a penalty try—to outlast their California rivals in an exciting Cali Cup clash. RFC Los Angeles started strong, with Mike Sosene-Feagai (14’) and Will Timson (30’) crossing for first-half tries, while Christian Leali’ifano’s accurate boot gave them a four-point lead at the break. However, San Diego responded quickly after the restart, with captain Brad Wilkin (42’) touching down to reclaim the lead. A penalty try in the 56th minute extended San Diego’s advantage before Shilo Klein (66’) and Ryan James (75’) secured the victory. Los Angeles refused to go away, with late tries from Gonzalo Bertranou (48’) and Timson (71’) keeping them in the contest, but San Diego’s superior forward play and defensive resilience proved decisive. With the win, San Diego moves to 4-0 and remains atop the Western Conference, while RFC Los Angeles falls to 0-3, still seeking consistency in their debut season.
SAN DIEGO LEGION
- Tries: Roach (23’), Wilkin (42’), Penalty Try (56’), Klein (66’), James (75’)
- Conversions: Grayson (24’, 43’, 67’)
- Penalties: McClutchie (4’)
RFC LOS ANGELES
- Tries: Sosene-Feagai (14’), Timson (30’), Bertranou (48’), Timpson (71’)
- Conversions: Leali’ifano (15’, 31’, 49’), Van Gugt (72’)
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES EDGE FREE JACKS IN THRILLING HOME OPENER
Seattle Seawolves 27 – 24 New England Free Jacks (HT: 15-24)
The Seattle Seawolves secured a dramatic 27-24 victory over the New England Free Jacks in their 2025 MLR home opener at Starfire Stadium. In a rematch of the 2024 MLR Championship Final, Seattle overcame a 9-point second-half deficit, with Malacchi Esdale’s late try sealing a much-needed win for the home side. Despite a strong start from the Free Jacks, who led 24-15 at halftime, Seattle mounted a second-half comeback led by Rossouw and Kruse. With New England leading 24-22 heading into the final moments, Esdale produced a moment of brilliance with a solo try down the sideline, securing Seattle’s first win of the season. Seattle’s resilience under pressure, combined with a powerful forward display and clinical finishing, proved decisive. Meanwhile, New England suffered their second consecutive defeat, unable to hold off Seattle’s late-game surge.
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
- Tries: Orr (14’, 22’), Rossouw (26’), Kruse (46’), Esdale (78’)
- Conversions: Iona (47’)
NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
- Tries: Toleafoa (5’), Johnston (10’), Toleafoa (28’)
- Conversions: Potroz (6’, 11’, 29’)
- Penalties: Potroz (26’)
STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 4
That wraps up Round 4 of Major League Rugby. With teams settling into the season, the competition is becoming even more intense, and every match is proving to be a battle. Some teams are making strong early statements, while others are still searching for consistency in this unpredictable league.
Who impressed you most in Round 4? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s talk rugby.
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