NEWS

Sam Windsor, New Orleans Gold illuminate Major League Rugby Season 2 opening weekend

MLR announces Player, Team and First XV of the Week

Salt Lake City, UT; January 28, 2019: The opening weekend of Major League Rugby Season 2 saw Sam Windsor score all of his side’s points in the Houston SaberCats’ road-victory over Austin Elite Rugby, earning himself Week 1 Player of the Week. NOLA Gold took Team of the Week with a league-high six tries earning the win over the Toronto Arrows, despite the Canadian debutants’ fierce 24-point second-half surge.

30-year-old Windsor kicked seven penalties from seven in a rain-soaked Texas derby in Austin and the fly-half dictated the tempo of the game with smart kicking out of hand. His immaculate display from the kicking tee included the game-winner as the SaberCats held on for the narrowest of opening weekend wins.

NOLA Gold’s offense powered them to the top of the Week 1 table with 36 opening week points and six tries – four of them in the first half as they built a commanding half-time lead over Season 2 newcomers the Toronto Arrows. But the Arrows, in the Canadian franchise’s first-ever match, stormed back in the second half cutting the deficit to 24-19. NOLA responded to the fightback with two tries of their own, before holding off the Arrows’ last-ditch attack in the 80th minute to secure the 1-0 start to the season. This is NOLA Gold’s second ever Team of the Week honors, winning one in Week 5 of the 2018 season.

MLR’s First XV of Week 1:

Loosehead Prop (No. 1), Blake Rogers, Glendale Raptors

Hooker (No. 2), Chris Schade, Austin Elite Rugby

Tighthead Prop (No. 3), Paddy Ryan, San Diego Legion

Lock (No. 4), Taylor Krumrei, Seattle Seawolves

Lock (No. 5), Joshua Larsen, Austin Elite Rugby

Blindside Flanker (No. 6), Kyle Baillie, NOLA Gold

Openside Flanker (No. 7), John Moonlight, Toronto Arrows

No. 8, Cam Dolan, NOLA Gold

Scrum-half (No. 9), Santiago Arata, Houston SaberCats

Fly-half (No. 10), Sam Windsor, Houston SaberCats

Wing (No. 11), Connor Wallace-Sims, Rugby United New York

Inside Center (No. 12), Shalom Suniula, Seattle Seawolves

Outside Center (No. 13), Tristan Blewett, NOLA Gold

Wing (No. 14), Brock Staller, Seattle Seawolves

Fullback (No. 15), Luke Hume, Rugby United New York

ABOUT MLR

MLR is a professional rugby league launched in April of 2018. It’s an initiative of the American rugby community, in partnership with private investors, who believe that American rugby can thrive at the highest levels: as a commercial enterprise; as an influential player on the international scene; and as a participation sport at the youth and senior level. MLR will be the pinnacle of American rugby, and provide a rallying point for local communities, a focal point for American rugby fans, and an aspirational destination for young athletes.

The teams competing in MLR Season 2 are Austin Elite, Glendale Raptors, Houston SaberCats, New Orleans Gold, San Diego Legion, Seattle Seawolves, Utah Warriors plus new additions Rugby United New York and Toronto Arrows. Agreements are already in place to add at least a further three teams from major North American markets for Season 3.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Major League Rugby: Press Office, 323-476-0016, press@usmlr.com