NEWS

MLR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL REVIEW: FREE JACKS RETAIN SHIELD IN 2024

The New England Free Jacks crowned themselves back-to-back Major League Rugby champions with a 20-11 win over the Seattle Seawolves.

Scott Mathie’s team was guided to consecutive MLR Championship Final victories, thanks largely to the kicking of playmaker Jayson Potroz and a brilliant first-half try for Le Roux Malan.

Played in front of a record 12,085 crowd at the San Diego Legion’s Snapdragon Stadium, the men from Massachusetts were durable across the fixture to bring the Shield home for a second year.

In the opening exchanges, what each team wanted to bring to the winner-takes-all encounter became clear.

New England hoped to keep the ball in play and tire out their opponents, while Seattle looked to attack in high values with an almost surgical approach.
After testing blows opened the match beneath the blazing sun in California, it was the Free Jacks that struck first.

Divan Rossouw did not roll away quick enough for referee Luke Rogan, and Jayson Potroz received the opening place kick of the game, which he dispatched with ease.

From the following kick-off Josh Larsen conceded a penalty for the same offence, however Seattle fly-half Mack Mason missed the kick.

A serene lineout move helped Namibia international Malan score a try worth of the occasion in the 14th minute.

Hooker Andrew Quattrin looked to break away from a developing maul, who passed the ball against the grain to roaming wing Toby Fricker.

After trading carries with Quattrin toward the try line, Oscar Lennon spread the ball to the near touchline with a bullet pass to Malan, who contorted his body to dot down in the corner.

Following the water break, Mason found his range from the kicking tee when the Free Jacks did not roll away again.

Potroz did kick his team another three points ahead, but the Seawolves all but erased an early eight-point lead.

Winning a lineout deep in New England territory, the side produced a trick move that confounded everyone at Snapdragon Stadium.

Joe Taufete’e threw the ball into Jean Droste, the blindside flanker handed the ball off to Rhyno Herbst, whose offload made its way to Taufete’e to register his team’s opening try.

To take in a 14-8 lead at half time Potroz struck a third penalty of the half following a no-arms tackle from Seawolves lock Herbst to concede his team’s sixth penalty of the opening 40 minutes.

In the opening exchanges of the second half Potroz and Mason traded penalties and kept the game in the balance.

That six point buffer between the two teams soon extended to nine when the officials returned to an earlier dangerous tackle after Fricker was pushed into touch diving toward the corner.

USA Eagles Pite Lopeti was ultimately shown a yellow card for his indiscretion.
It could have been red for the center if there had not been mitigation for Malan’s last-second change of direction.

Seattle survived the 10 minute period playing with a player down.
It was not for lack of trying on the Free Jacks’ front, with a Malan kick towards the touchline drifting into the Seattle in-goal area and several other attacks came to nothing.

When restored to their full complement, the Seawolves looked to take advantage of playing with equal numbers.

Consistently venturing into Free Jacks territory came to nothing, with the excellent defence from the 2023 champions confounding their opponents.
The odds continued to be stacked against Seattle when injury to Droste meant that the Western Conference champions finished the game with 14 players on the field.

Despite being a player down, the Seawolves looked to end the game with a score.

Each time, New England was able to frustrate their opponents with last-gasp turnovers and steadfast belief in the player standing next to them.

Jed Melvin, Player of the Match, said: “The coaches have pushed the Free Jacks to be more than just a rugby team.
“We are a community, a family; we look out for each other. The brotherhood in this team is incredible.

“Doing it back to back is pretty special.
“Seattle is a pretty physical team—a big team. We just wanted to keep working them and working them around the park.
“It went down to the wire. The boys were getting cramps, but we got it done.”