NEWS

Major League Rugby Week 2 Recap

The second week of the 2025 Major League Rugby season has been and gone. 

There was history made as Dylan Fawsitt hit 100 MLR appearances, the Utah Warriors made their season debut, and teams looked to get off the mark after defeat in Week 1.

From the 1st whistle to the 100th match, thank you, @DylanFawsitt, for shaping rugby's future in America and leaving your mark on MLR 🔪@HoundsChicago | @USARugby | #MLR2025 pic.twitter.com/Vt0lO3FS23

— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) February 23, 2025

With Old Glory DC, the New England Free Jacks, and Seattle Seawolves all having their first bye week, it was a condensed weekend of action.

Boy, did it deliver.

Here is everything that happened in Week 2 of the 2025 MLR regular season…

ANTHEM RC 5-52 SAN DIEGO LEGION

San Diego Legion doubled down on their opening weekend win with a comprehensive 52-5 bonus point victory over Anthem RC.

It did not take long for the deadlock to be broken at American Legion Memorial Stadium as Tavite Lopeti latched onto Marcel Brache’s looped pass out wide to touch down in the fifth minute.

Erich Storti registered Anthem’s only points of the game 20 minutes later, only for any hope of a home fightback to be dashed as Tomas Aoake, Djustice Sears-Duru, and Ryan James dotted down before half-time.

Legion refused to be idle when the game got back underway and grew their lead through Vili Helu, Shilo Klein, and Richard Judd’s efforts.

With the game in its final stages, Ethan Grayson capped off a fine individual performance with a try after easing through the blue-shirted defensive line and concluding his team’s business on the East Coast.

CHICAGO HOUNDS 31-45 UTAH WARRIORS

Greg Cooper’s Utah Warriors started their 2025 campaign with a 45-31 win on the road at the Chicago Hounds.

Liam Coltman crossed the try line for the Warriors with just a minute on the clock as Utah’s driving maul found its feet early on and also laid the foundations for Blake Makiri’s score four minutes.

Soon the Hounds got on the scoreboard when Nate Augspurger opportunistically made his way across the try line, only for the Warriors to respond with Joey Mano and D’Angelo Leuila efforts.

NATE AUGSPURGER gets Chicago on the board with an automatic 7 under the sticks 🏉@usmlr @HoundsChicago pic.twitter.com/5PODPR6778

— The Rugby Network (@therugbynetwork) February 23, 2025

To end the first half, Chicago registered tries through Mason Flesch and Dylan Fawsitt, who celebrated becoming MLR’s first 100 cap player on Sunday afternoon.

The hope of a Hounds fightback was sparked when Mitch Short made his way over the whitewash, but when Charlie Abel received a red card for a high tackle in the 46th minute, it meant the pressure was coming to the host’s way.

A barrage of Utah pressure at SeatGeek Stadium saw Matt Jensen, Spencer Jones and Mano put the visitors out of sight and got their season off to the best possible start after watching on in Week 1.

MIAMI SHARKS 30-25 NOLA GOLD

The Miami Sharks recovered to register their first win of 2025, 30-25, against the NOLA Gold.

Cooper Coats opened the scoring for the visitors in the third minute after latching on to Isaac Te Tamaki’s chip over the onrushing home defense.

It was a lead that doubled less than 10 minutes later when Xavier Mignot scored for a second weekend running.

Martin Elias got the home side on the board shortly after the Frenchman’s score with a penalty goal and used his kicking tee again shortly afterward to convert Alex Tucci’s first try since 2022.

Before the break, Elias and Gold fly-half Dorian Jones traded a penalty each.

Following a quiet start to the second period, Miami took the lead thanks to Manuel Ardao and Ben Bonasso’s tries.

Coats added a second score of his afternoon just before the hour mark to keep the mood tense in Florida.

Before the full-time whistle, Jones and Elias traded penalties again, and this all-Eastern Conference tussle finished with the hosts on top.

First win of the season for @miasharksrugby 🦈@nolagoldrugby's late comeback comes up short, while Martin Elias takes home 13 points#MIAvNOLA | #MLR2025 pic.twitter.com/3GPD07z4dY

— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) February 23, 2025

RFCLA 28-45 HOUSTON SABERCATS

After opening weekend defeat, the Houston SaberCats are off the mark for 2025 thanks to a 45-28 win over Rugby FCLA.

Houston scored four tries in the final 20 minutes to blow their opponents out of the water after a closely contested opening hour in California.

Young Houston full-back Max Schumacher opened the scoring with five minutes played, only for his early efforts to be wiped out by Rory van Vugt, Jack Shaw, and Nick Chan tries.

Nathan Den Hoedt kept the SaberCats in the contest with a short-range drive toward the try line, only for Van Vugt’s second of the day to keep clear daylight between the two teams.

If the first half was Los Angeles’, then the second was almost certainly Houston’s.

LA go into the half up 28-12! Can they get their first win of the season?

Get all the 2nd half action⬇️
📺 https://t.co/gljFHRpHZO #LAvHOU | #MLR2025 pic.twitter.com/XRQqsTyKfB

— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) February 24, 2025

Sam Tuifua’s acrobatic finish for the road team was backed up with a Jeremy Misailegalu effort in the 62nd minute as the hosts played with 14 men after Declan Leaney’s yellow card.

Things only went from bad to worse for LA as Houston was awarded a penalty try late on, and Jason Damm was sent to the sin bin for his part in halting the SaberCats’ progress.

Justin Basson scored for Houston to finish the contest, and Dom Akina finished the victory minutes with an 80-meter score after Leaney received a second yellow card.

Watch the 2025 MLR season live on ESPN+