NEWS

The Major League Rugby Eliminator Round Returns.

Written by Joe Harvey | photos by Caean Couto, Bigshotsnapsshots, Getty & Paris Malone

The number 2 and three teams from the Western and Eastern Conference will face off for a chance at reaching the Conference Finals.

Two teams who played in the 2022 Championship Final, the Seattle Seawolves and the New York Ironworkers, will play this weekend. Each team hosts its Eliminator Round, hoping home support can drive them forward.

Ahead of the action getting underway, MLR’s Correspondent, Joe Harvey, heard from all the teams involved as they prepare for knockout rugby.

WESTERN CONFERENCE ELIMINATOR | SATURDAY 24 JUNE, 6:00 ET, FS2 | SEATTLE SEAWOLVES V HOUSTON SABERCATS

At the conclusion of a highly competitive regular season in the Western Conference, the Seattle Seawolves and Houston SaberCats are playing for the opportunity to take on the San Diego Legion in their Conference Final.

Finishing with a 12-4 record at the end of the regular season, the Seawolves may even have frustration at not finishing top, with Allen Clarke’s team only bettered by San Diego’s mesmeric run this campaign.

While dominant over 18 weeks, the Seawolves’ season can be split into two parts, with six-game winning streaks bookended by consecutive losses.

The most recent of those defeats was last Sunday on the road to Legion, who ended up on the positive side of the 40-19 scoreline.

Resting several First XV regulars for the match, no cloud will likely be hanging over the squad as they prepare for Houston coming to Starfire Sports Complex.

Photo by Caean Couto

One of the few regulars that made their way to Snapdragon Stadium, Ben Mitchell, is predicting a strong challenge from the Texas side on Saturday afternoon.

“Houston, they are pretty predictable, right?” Mitchell said. “Really strong set piece, a lot of physicality, they like to go around the corner really hard, catching the ball on the line, trying to win the gain line battle, so they are probably a bit of an easier team to plan for in that sense.

“You have got to match their physicality, and if you don’t match them for a few minutes in the game, they can be on top of you like that.

“At the same time, we have beaten them twice, so we are really confident going into the weekend.

“Playing at home is obviously a huge advantage for us. Getting the Starfire crowd behind us is going to be a massive part as well.”

A year ago, it was the SaberCats hosting the Western Conference Final. Ultimately, Heyneke Meyer’s side became unstuck against a rampant Seattle 27-46 on that occasion.

Fast forward 12 months, and the SaberCats are competing to lift the MLR Shield for a consecutive season.

At the end of the regular season, Houston had a 10-6 record, a campaign to be proud of, although two of those defeats came at the hands of a ruthless Seawolves side.

Danny Barrett and his teammates hope history does not repeat itself when visiting the west coast this weekend.

Since he arrived in Texas, the two-time Olympian has been a regular installment in the SaberCats’ back-row and one of the catalysts to take the team to compete at the top of their division.

Photo by BigShotsSnapshots

Playing Saturday’s opponents twice, Houston is yet to finish an encounter with Seattle on the winning side and is fully aware of the two-time champions’ strengths.

“I think what it comes down to for us is; we do what we do well and do it better than what they do,” Barrett said.

“That’s what we pride ourselves on. We are going to be physical. That’s who Houston is. It’s ingrained in us.

“We are a group of physical human beings that want to be aggressive and go out and raise that standard of physicality.

“As long as we can withstand their best punch, then I think we’ll be alright. We are our biggest enemy, and we have proven that throughout the year.

“For the most part, we are looking at ourselves, looking at what we can control and going from there.” 

EASTERN CONFERENCE ELIMINATOR | SUNDAY 25 JUNE, 6:00 ET, FS2 | NEW YORK IRONWORKERS V OLD GLORY DC

Like a year ago, the New York Ironworkers will have to reach the Championship Final the long way.

Stepping up at this stage of the competition to blow away the Seattle Seawolves at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, no doubt that many lining the field at Memorial Field will be hoping for much of the same this time around.

Their title defense season has been far from perfect, with their record 8-8 after 16 games, and they finished the regular season with a loss to the Utah Warriors.

Although it was enough to secure a home spot for the Eliminator Round.

When it comes to defending titles, Brad Tucker has seen it all. Arriving in MLR four years ago, the New Zealander helped the Seawolves to back-to-back titles in 2019 with his last-gasp try against the San Diego Legion, the same campaign he was the league’s Player of the Year.

Photo by Getty

Traded to New York in the offseason, the 30-year-old is hoping to lift his second Shield with the side that denied him that opportunity just a year ago.

“You know when a team has won a title that every single week, every team is going to want to beat you, and if you don’t put your best performance out, then that team is going to try to put out their best performance against you.

“It has been a really tough season, but the guys have been epic all year, and the goal was to make the playoffs and give it a real nudge at defending the Championship.

“At the end of the day, we have put ourselves in the position to do that. Reflecting on it, we are where we want to be, and our fate is in our hands now. Which is all you can ask for.”

When Old Glory DC bettered New York 42-31 in April, it felt like a significant moment for a team that just a year prior had finished at the foot of the Eastern Conference.

Under Josh Syms, the team has been rejuvenated and battled into the playoffs, thanks to a 7-8-1 record.

Securing their Eliminator spot with time to spare, the team has taken the opportunity to rest players and prepare for whatever task would be coming next.

Canada international Doug Fraser has been with Old Glory every step of the way.

Photo by Paris Malone

Reaching the end of his fourth season at Segra Field, the 31-year-old is experiencing the postseason for the first time with his teammates.

It is a challenge that all associated with the side are clearly relishing, the opportunity to knock the reigning champions of the competition out motivation alone.

You then add a heavy regular season loss in New York and a preseason defeat; it is a chance to level a series of fixtures in 2023 too.

“Everyone is excited, and that is any team in any sport going into a playoff, right?” he said. “Nerves come with that, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

“It depends on how you control those nerves, and I have always thought, and I have always been told, having nerves means you are ready, that you are excited and looking forward to it.

“It is how you control all that. Training has been good the past few days, but you can definitely tell there are nerves and excitement.

“Early in the week, that is to be expected, but also is a good thing; as opposed to people shying away from their jobs.

“We are just looking forward to it, looking forward to seeing what we can do on a bigger stage.”