NEWS

San Diego Legion, New England Free Jacks To Battle For Major League Rugby Championship Shield
(CHICAGO) July 3, 2023 – The San Diego Legion and New England Free Jacks will face off in the Major League Rugby Championship Final on Saturday, July 8, after winning their respective conferences. This is the Free Jacks’ first visit to the Championship Final, while the Legion will try for a second time to capture the shield.
MLR’s new expansion team, the Chicago Hounds, will host the championship match on July 8th at 3:00 p.m. EST at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois. DJ Diesel, otherwise known as Shaquille O’Neal, and American Celtic band Dropkick Murphys are set to perform before and after the championship match. The day of festivities will include the Dawg Town Block Party fan festival, showcasing the best of Chicago rugby and culture through Windy City-themed vendors, musicians, and drinks, as well as a youth rugby tournament, high-performance combine, social sevens tournament, and rugby 101 sessions.
“It’s been a competitive, and exhilarating season from both of these teams“, said MLR CEO Nic Benson. “They’ve competed fiercely all year, and next week will be the culmination of their quest for the MLR shield and a showcase of the best rugby North America has to offer. We are incredibly proud of our players, and of the coaches and staff who support them, for the dedication, passion, and integrity they’ve showcased throughout the 2023 MLR season.”
MLR will announce the winner of the S. Marcus Calloway Community Impact Award Presented by Fastenal during halftime of the championship match. Named after the late S. Marcus Calloway, the founder of Rugby ATL and prominent rugby and MLR advocate who passed away in December of 2021, the annual award is given to the player who shows excellence on and off the field, inspires others to action, shows strength in character, aids those less fortunate, and embraces the core values of rugby, while displaying solidarity, discipline, and respect.
Tickets for the MLR 2023 Championship match are now on sale and include access to all of the day’s festivities.
#####
About Major League Rugby:
Major League Rugby is a professional sports league in its sixth season that represents the highest level of rugby competition in North America. The League evolved from seven teams in 2018 to 12 teams in 2023, featuring 11 from the United States and one from Canada. Matches are televised on Fox Sports, among other national and local market platforms. Select matches are available to stream live in North America on The Rugby Network, and all matches are available on The Rugby Network for international fans. MLR prides itself in fostering intense and high-stakes competition, while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. For more information about MLR, visit www.MajorLeague.Rugby.
Recent Posts

Gallagher Premiership Rugby Rights Acquired by Major League Rugby’s OTT Platform The Rugby Network
DALLAS (August 20, 2023) – Major League Rugby (MLR) today announced a

Inter Miami CF’s Florida Blue Training Center and the Miami Sharks Rugby Club Strike Landmark Deal
The Professional Rugby Team Secures the AutoNation Sports Field at the Florida

Rugby World Cup France 2023 | Watch Parties
For seven consecutive Fridays, NOLA Gold is making an event of every

Meet The 2023 MLR Draft’s First Overall Pick, Ricky Rose
Written by Joe Harvey | Photos Provided by Rick Rose Ricky Rose

Meet The 2023 MLR Draft’s Second Overall Pick, Max Schumacher
Written by Joe Harvey Picked second overall in the 2023 Major League
Categories
- Chicago Hounds
- Dallas Jackals
- Expansion
- Games
- Headlines
- Highlights
- Houston SaberCats
- In the News
- League Announcements
- Miami Sharks
- MLR Collegiate Draft
- MLR News
- New England Free Jacks
- New York Ironworkers
- NOLA Gold
- Old Glory DC
- Press Releases
- Rugby ATL
- San Diego Legion
- Seattle Seawolves
- Team News
- Toronto Arrows
- Trades
- Utah Warriors
- Videos
Archives
- September 2023 (4)
- August 2023 (7)
- July 2023 (19)
- June 2023 (43)
- May 2023 (41)
- April 2023 (46)
- March 2023 (28)
- February 2023 (17)
- January 2023 (4)
- December 2022 (4)
- November 2022 (7)
- October 2022 (7)
- September 2022 (4)
- August 2022 (3)
- July 2022 (8)
- June 2022 (46)
- May 2022 (71)
- April 2022 (56)
- March 2022 (58)
- February 2022 (55)
- January 2022 (13)
- December 2021 (8)
- November 2021 (10)
- October 2021 (15)
- September 2021 (11)
- August 2021 (17)
- July 2021 (60)
- June 2021 (63)
- May 2021 (67)
- April 2021 (49)
- March 2021 (35)
- February 2021 (14)
- January 2021 (15)
- December 2020 (14)
- November 2020 (7)
- October 2020 (13)
- September 2020 (13)
- August 2020 (11)
- July 2020 (17)
- June 2020 (14)
- May 2020 (8)
- April 2020 (3)
- March 2020 (24)
- February 2020 (42)
- January 2020 (13)
- December 2019 (7)
- November 2019 (7)
- October 2019 (9)
- September 2019 (7)
- August 2019 (5)
- July 2019 (11)
- June 2019 (51)
- May 2019 (75)
- April 2019 (88)
- March 2019 (77)
- February 2019 (76)
- January 2019 (51)
- December 2018 (7)
- November 2018 (10)
- October 2018 (8)
- September 2018 (12)
- August 2018 (14)
- July 2018 (10)
- June 2018 (46)
- May 2018 (43)
- April 2018 (34)
- March 2018 (25)
- February 2018 (31)
- January 2018 (37)
- December 2017 (10)
- November 2017 (25)
- October 2017 (25)
- July 2017 (1)
- March 2017 (2)