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Major League Rugby returns for its fourth season on Saturday after a long COVID-induced layoff. An exciting campaign was cut short five weeks in, dashing the hopes of the undefeated San Diego Legion and other top contenders such as the Toronto Arrows and Old Glory DC. Gone are stars Ma’a Nonu and Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira, but in come Chris Robshaw and Cecil Afrika to provide plenty of star power to this North American league. The expansion LA Giltinis join the league after a busy offseason with a roster that looks to contend right out of the gate. 

MLR’s two-time and only champion Seattle Seawolves dug itself a big hole to start out 2020. Will the fresh start see the squad crowned once again? Or is there a new champion amongst us, hiding in plain sight? 

The story of MLR’s fourth season begins to unfold Saturday with six exciting matches. 

NOLA Gold vs. Old Glory DC
Sunday 4p.m. EST

This is a rematch of last season’s opener that NOLA Gold took in dominant fashion, 46-13. It proved to be Old Glory’s only loss of the abbreviated season, while NOLA was also standing strong at 3-2 before the shutdown. 

NOLA has a history of starting fast, infamously leading the league for the majority of the 2019 season before a late-season collapse saw the Gold miss the playoffs altogether. It will be interesting to see if the boys can continue in that fashion against one of MLR’s top teams from 2020.

Both squads return the majority of the 2020 rosters, with a few exciting acquisitions. For NOLA, it’s JP Du Plessis coming over from the San Diego Legion to join a core of stalwarts Eric Howard, Cam Dolan, and Holden Yungert. 

On the Old Glory side, most of the explosive backline returns, bolstered by a number of signings to a forward pack that found itself on roller skates more often than not last season. Former Harlequins’ lock Stan South will hopefully get his visa issues cleared up ahead of this match, and is joined by Scottish premiership prop Steven Longwell. The team is high on young Jack Iscaro, a local product who will be returning from injury.   

The word out of DC is this team is hungry after its promising debut season was cut short, and it hopes to start by avenging its blowout loss to NOLA. Expect a high-paced affair decided by which forward pack produces the most clean ball for its finishers in the backs. 

Prediction: Old Glory 41, NOLA 38

Rugby ATL vs. Toronto Arrows
Saturday 7 p.m. EST

Here’s a match between two teams that figure to make a lot of noise in the MLR’s Eastern Conference. If anyone was going to stop the San Diego Legion last season, it seemed like the Toronto Arrows would be it. The Canadians ended the year with just one loss, and an even better point differential than the Legion at +62. 

Rugby ATL looks to improve after a promising year one. Though just 2-3, ATL boasted one of the league’s better defenses and was +6 in differential, playing every match tight despite being down one in the win-loss column.

While standout prop Chance Wenglewski bolsters the engine in the ATL front row, talented Robbie Petzer joins the squad from the now-defunct Colorado Raptors to see if he can spark the offense from the #10 position. 

ATL’s defense will need to hold strong to knock off this Arrows’ squad which features a host of capped Canadians. 

Prediction: Toronto 28, ATL 20

San Diego Legion vs. RUNY 
Saturday 7 p.m. EST

This East-West clash between two of MLR’s top teams from a year ago has “Game of the Week” material written all over it. These teams pick up right where they left off, as they faced each other in the fifth and final week of the 2020 season. In that match, San Diego faced its stiffest test of the year, closing the match with 20 minutes of shutdown defense to escape with a 24-20 win and stay undefeated. 

After another busy offseason, the Legion debut international stars Chris Robshaw and Cecil Afrika against one of the league’s most complete teams. RUNY has a new coach from a year ago, but returns explosive backs Ben Foden and Troy Lockyear. Nick Civetta, Anthony Parry, and Samoan National Zak Taulafo were signed to bolster an already strong pack, while All Blacks’ veteran Andy Ellis was brought in to steer the ship at #9.

Prediction: Legion 31, RUNY 28

Houston SaberCats vs. Seattle Seawolves
Saturday 8 p.m. EST

This match features two teams on the opposite ends of the MLR record books. The Seawolves are two-time MLR Champions looking to prove it merely did not have enough time to dig itself out of its slow start in 2020. Meanwhile, Houston has yet to find its footing as a contender, and was sitting in last place after five matches a year ago. 

Seattle returns most of its championship core in the forms of Riekert Hattingh and Shalom Suniula, while #9 Devereaux Ferris left rival San Diego to join the frey. Houston is not short of talent, with danger men in the backline like Sam Windsor and Zach Pangelinan surrounding the steady veteran Taylor Howden. A Week One win would send a big statement to open the season and build confidence for Houston moving forward. 

Prediction: Seattle 28, Houston 17

Austin Gilgronis vs. Utah Warriors 
Saturday 8 p.m. EST

This is a matchup of two teams who have tantalized with talent, but have yet to put it all together for a consistent on-field product. Austin has been building, and has a strong front row with Jamie “Whoppa” Mackintosh, Mason “The Hit Man” Pedersen, and Jake Turnbull powering the engine. Will Magie, Bryce Campbell, Zinzan Elan-Putick, and veteran Kurt Morath are sure to put up points in the backline.

Utah was right in the thick of things at 2-2-1 last season as it tried to find its footing in the Western Conference. The Warriors have a new fly half in rookie Danny Giannascoli, who exploded onto the scene during the 2019 USA Club 7s season. Could he be the piece that sees Mikey Te’o, Paul Mullen and company provide a few more wins, and thrust the Warriors into the thick of the playoff race? 

Prediction: Austin 21, Utah 20

LA Giltinis vs. New England Free Jacks
Saturday 8:30 p.m. EST

New England may have finished the 2020 season just 1-4, but will prove a stiff test for the star-studded LA Giltinis in the expansion team’s debut match. A year ago, New England put a shock into the MLR world with a win in its debut match over top contenders in RUNY before going on to lose four straight in some tightly-contested matches. 

LA has won the offseason by rolling out one big signing after another. The team just recently announced Matt Giteau would be joining fellow Australian star Adam Ashley-Cooper in the backline. LA has also signed Irish and American-eligible fly half Luke Carty, as well as two of MLR’s most explosive try scorers in the forms of John Ryberg and Mika Kruse. Fellow Colorado Raptors castoff (and former captain) Luke White leads the pack along with former Auckland Blues’ props Marco Fepulea’i and Super Rugby twins JP and Ruan Smith. 

The Free Jacks have been busy in their own right, bringing over former Seattle standout Vili Toluta’u, Currie Cup veteran Tera Mtembu, and New Zealand 7s specialist Beaudein Waaka to bolster a solid veteran squad. 

Prediction: LA 41, Free Jacks 25