Week 10 of the 2025 Major League Rugby season brought high-stakes action, late drama, and key shifts in the playoff race.
The Utah Warriors dominated on the road in San Diego, the Miami Sharks edged Old Glory in a wild shootout, and the Free Jacks tightened their grip on the East with another clinical win. Elsewhere, the SaberCats rebounded at home, and Seattle put on a show to take down Chicago in front of their home fans.
- Anthem RC 6 – 26 New England Free Jacks
- Seattle Seawolves 28 – 22 Chicago Hounds
- Old Glory DC 35 – 37 Miami Sharks
- Houston SaberCats 17 – 15 NOLA Gold
- San Diego Legion 18 – 31 Utah Warriors
Here’s a full breakdown of all six matchups from Round 10:
FREE JACKS TOO STRONG AS ANTHEM RC FALL 6–26 IN CHARLOTTE
Anthem RC 6 – 26 New England Free Jacks (HT: 6–14)
Defending MLR champions New England Free Jacks showcased their class with a clinical 26–6 win over Anthem RC on Friday night at American Legion Memorial Stadium. Despite a spirited home crowd and a pair of first-half penalty kicks from former Free Jack Mitch Wilson, Anthem couldn’t crack the visitors’ unyielding defensive wall. Wilson opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a confident penalty to give Anthem an early lead, but New England responded quickly. Wing Paula Balekana crossed for his first try in the 15th minute, giving the Free Jacks a 7–3 advantage. Anthem kept pace thanks to another Wilson penalty midway through the half, cutting the deficit to 7–6. But a crucial moment came in the 28th minute when the Free Jacks appeared to score from a counterattack, only for the TMO to rule out the try for a forward pass. Still, New England had the last word before halftime—capitalizing on a stolen lineout to send Balekana over for his brace and a 14–6 lead at the break. The second half was a defensive grind, with both sides struggling to find rhythm. Anthem pressed hard but couldn’t breach the Free Jacks’ discipline, while New England patiently waited for opportunities. Jed Melvin extended the lead with a try in the 69th minute after sustained pressure, and just four minutes later, Isaac Olson punished a costly Anthem turnover near their own line, walking in untouched to seal the result. The loss leaves Anthem still hunting for consistency, while the Free Jacks continue to look like serious contenders for back-to-back titles.
ANTHEM RC
- Penalties: Wilson (5’, 21’)
NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
- Tries: Balekana (13’, 37’), Melvin (68’), Olson (72’)
- Conversions: Lennon (14’, 38’, 73’)
SEAWOLVES STRIKE ON KID’S NIGHT TO EDGE CHICAGO IN THRILLING WIN
Seattle Seawolves 28 – 22 Chicago Hounds (HT: 15–8)
Seattle made it a night to remember at Starfire Stadium with a hard-fought 28–22 win over the Chicago Hounds in front of a packed Kid’s Night crowd. Ina Futi opened the scoring early after jumping a passing lane and linking with Divan Rossouw for a sharp finish. Chicago answered with a structured try, but the game shifted in the 35th minute when fly-half Tim Swiel was shown a red card for a high tackle. Capitalizing on the man advantage, captain Riekert Hattingh muscled over just before halftime to send the Seawolves into the break up 15–8. Seattle extended their lead in the second half with Futi grabbing his second of the night. Though Chicago rallied with a try and a pair of penalties, Seattle’s discipline and set-piece strength held firm. Scrum-half JP Smith celebrated his 100th MLR cap, and co-owners Marshawn Lynch and Marcus Peters were in the stands to witness a win filled with purpose, power, and pride.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
- Tries: Rossouw (7’), Hattingh (37’), Futi (61’)
- Conversions: Iona (38’, 62’)
- Penalties: Iona (22’, 45’, 29’)
CHICAGO HOUNDS
- Tries: O’Keeffe (13’), Rumball (55’), Higgins (76’)
- Conversions: Hilsenbeck (56’, 77’)
- Penalties: Baska (25’)
SHARKS SURVIVE SECOND-HALF SURGE TO EDGE OLD GLORY IN THRILLER
Old Glory DC 35 – 37 Miami Sharks (HT: 14–31)
The Miami Sharks withstood a ferocious second-half comeback from Old Glory DC to claim a crucial 37–35 win on the road in a back-and-forth Eastern Conference clash. DC struck early through Perry Humphreys in the second minute after Miami’s Tomás Cubelli was yellow-carded, with Jason Emery converting for a 7–0 lead. But the Sharks roared back with 31 unanswered points in a devastating 27-minute spell, including tries from Sean McNulty, Matías Orlando, Martín Elías, and Tomás Cubilla, alongside a penalty from Shane O’Leary. Tevita Naqali clawed one back for DC just before halftime to close the gap to 31–14. DC came out flying in the second half. Nick Grigg scored from a five-meter scrum, and replacement Facundo Gattas pounced on a lineout error to crash over, cutting the lead to 31–28. But O’Leary calmed the Miami nerves with two clutch penalties, making it 37–28. Despite a late try from Brady Daniel that secured a pair of bonus points for Old Glory, the Sharks held on in a tense finish to secure a key away win.
OLD GLORY DC
- Tries: Humphreys (2’), Naqali (40’), Grigg (48’), Gattas (59’), Daniel (80’)
- Conversions: Emery (3’, 40’, 49’, 60’, 80’)
MIAMI SHARKS
- Tries: McNulty (5’), Elias (12’), Orlando (18’), Cubilla (20’)
- Conversions: O’Leary (6’, 13’, 22’), Auto-Conversion (18’)
- Penalties: O’Leary (33’, 63’, 72’)
SABERCATS GRIND OUT CRUCIAL HOME WIN OVER NOLA GOLD
Houston SaberCats 17 – 15 NOLA Gold (HT: 5–12)
The Houston SaberCats snapped a two-game losing streak and held onto first place in the Western Conference with a gritty 17–15 win over NOLA Gold in a tense Week 10 showdown at SaberCats Stadium. Pita Anae-Ah Suh opened the scoring for Houston in the first half, but early momentum was with NOLA, who responded through tries from Nikolai Foliaki and a spectacular 100-meter solo effort from Ruben de Haas. Despite the missed conversion, the Gold took a 12–5 lead into halftime. Houston stormed back in the second half. Tries from Taulatasi Tasi and Sam Tuifua—whose explosive run capped a 107-meter performance—flipped the scoreboard in Houston’s favor. Max Schumacher added the vital conversion to edge the SaberCats ahead 17–12. Luke Carty brought NOLA back within two with a late penalty, but Houston’s defense held firm in the closing moments to secure the win.
HOUSTON SABERCATS
- Tries: Anae-Ah Suh (8’), Tasi (42’), Tuifua (45’)
- Conversions: Schumacher (46’)
NOLA GOLD
- Tries: Foliaki (4’), de Haas (40’)
- Conversions: Carty (5')
- Penalties: Carty (54')
UTAH WARRIORS DOMINATE ON THE ROAD AGAINST SAN DIEGO LEGION
San Diego Legion 18 – 31 Utah Warriors (HT: 15–19)
The Utah Warriors continued their strong Major League Rugby season with a commanding 31–18 road win over the San Diego Legion at Snapdragon Stadium. Utah surged to a 19–3 lead behind first-half tries from Joey Mano, Jordan Trainor, and Kalisi Moli, only to see the Legion fight back with two scores before halftime to cut the deficit to just four points. But the second half was all Warriors. Liam Coltman powered over from a maul in the 51st minute, and after San Diego narrowed the gap with a penalty, Zion Going sealed the win with Utah’s fifth try. The Warriors’ defense stood tall in the final stages to deny San Diego any bonus points and preserve the 13-point victory. Utah improves to 6–2 with 31 points and continues to build momentum in the Western Conference playoff race. Next up: a home clash with the Chicago Hounds on April 26.
SAN DIEGO LEGION
- Tries: Hokafonu (23’), McClutchie (30’)
- Conversions: McClutchie (24’)
- Penalties: McClutchie (11’, 58’)
UTAH WARRIORS
- Tries: Mano (6’), Trainor (13’), Moli (19’), Coltman (50’), Going (60’)
- Conversions: Leuila (7’, 14’ 61’)
STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 10
With just six rounds left in the regular season, the playoff picture is tightening across both conferences.
The Free Jacks and Utah continue to lead the way, but competition is fierce behind them. Round 11 promises more defining moments as teams look to separate from the pack or keep their postseason hopes alive.
Who impressed you most in Round 10? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s talk rugby.
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