Toronto Arrows’ historic win earns Team of the Week honors, while Eloff leads NOLA Gold points machine

MLR announces Player, Team and First XV of Week 3

Salt Lake City, UT; February 11, 2019: In the third week of their inaugural season, the Toronto Arrows followed a late try with a valiant defensive stand in the final minutes to tally the franchise’s first ever win and the Major League Rugby Team of the Week award. Fullback JP Eloff led the high-octane NOLA Gold offense with 14 of his side’s 41 points to take Player of the Week.

On the road against Austin Elite Rugby, the Arrows reshuffled their starting line-up and scored first through Avery Oitomen’s 16th minute try. The two teams traded strikes, with the home side eventually grabbing a 19-18 lead in the 65th. But with five minutes remaining and the ball deep in Elite territory, Arrows outside center Dan Moor charged down an Austin clearance attempt and scooped up the loose ball for the game-winning try, securing the club’s first ever victory. Toronto’s 23-19 win vaulted them to third in the overall standings.

Jean-Pierre Eloff scored 14 of NOLA’s 41 points with four conversions and two penalty goals, finishing the match kicking six-for-six. In the 74th minute, Eloff set up a NOLA try with a massive line break, running half the field before the ball eventually ended up in the hands of JoJo Tikoisuva, who’s converted try duly extended the Gold lead to 41-24. Eloff’s 14 points and his 153 meters carrying the ball topped the league, while his Player of the Week marks the second consecutive week a NOLA Gold player has won the award, after Taylor Howden won in Week 2.

MLR’s First XV of Week 3:

Loosehead Prop (No. 1), Jamie Dever, Houston SaberCats

Hooker (No. 2), Matt Harmon, New Orleans Gold

Tighthead Prop (No. 3), Morgan Mitchell, Toronto Arrows

Lock (No. 4), Lou Stanfill, San Diego Legion

Lock (No. 5), Apisai Naikatini, Seattle Seawolves

Blindside Flanker (No. 6), Eric Duechle, Seattle Seawolves

Openside Flanker (No. 7), Zack Stryffeler, New Orleans Gold

No. 8, Riekert Hattingh, Seattle Seawolves

Scrum-half (No. 9), Marcelo Torrealba, Austin Elite

Fly-half (No. 10), Joe Pietersen, San Diego Legion

Wing (No. 11), Josua Vici, Houston Sabercats

Inside Center (No. 12), Spencer Jones, Toronto Arrows

Outside Center (No. 13), Dan Moor, Toronto Arrows

Wing (No. 14), Tristan Blewett, New Orleans Gold

Fullback (No. 15), Jean Pierre “JP” Eloff, New Orleans Gold

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