NEWS

News Apr-23-2019

Week 13 Awards: Arrows’ bonus-point win keeps them in playoffs picture, while Legion lock Veremalua evokes Olympic memories with virtuoso try

MLR announces Player, Team and First XV of Week 12

Salt Lake City, UT; April 23, 2019: Week 13 Team of the Week the Toronto Arrows secured a crucial bonus point win over the visiting Houston SaberCats, the first win on Canadian soil for the MLR Season 2 newcomers that keeps them clinging to playoff contention. San Diego Legion’s resident Olympic Champion Jasa Veremalua earned Player of the Week with a try-scoring performance against Glendale, one barnstorming run and finish in particular bringing back memories of his run to Olympic gold at Rio 2016 with Fiji’s sevens team.

The Toronto Arrows needed a big result to reel in fourth-placed RUNY and Glendale in fifth. The Canadians duly notched their first home win and an all-important try-scoring bonus point with impeccable timing, while RUNY barely squeaked by the Utah Warriors and the Raptors took hiding in San Diego. Toronto raced into a 21-0 lead with less than half an hour played, before Houston forced their way back into the game with three tries of their own. But the SaberCats were eventually dispatched back to Houston with tails between their legs after Arrows lock Mike Sheppard secured the four-try bonus point in the 58th minute and substitute Kainoa Lloyd made the game safe with Toronto’s fifth converted try at the death. The final score of 35-21 reflected the Arrows’ superiority, but their playoffs credentials will come under further scrutiny in the coming weeks with back to back games against high-flying Seattle and San Diego.

Jasa Veremalua was a key part of the sevens team that took home Fiji’s first ever gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. That Olympic pedigree and lung-busting work-rate were in full view this Saturday. The athletic second row collected an errant line-out 45 meters out and burst through the despairing Raptors cover for the game’s first try midway through the first half. Veremalua racked up a total of 100 meters with the ball in hand and weighed in with 13 tackles over the 80 minutes. It was a commanding performance from the Californians against their playoff rivals, the 46-15 final score a statement of the Legion’s intent as the business end of MLR Season 2 approaches.

MLR’s First XV of Week 13:

Loosehead Prop (No. 1), Anthony Parry, Rugby United New York

Hooker (No. 2), Eric Howard, New Orleans Gold

Tighthead Prop (No. 3), Marco Fepulea’i, Glendale Raptors

Lock (No. 4), Mike Sheppard, Toronto Arrows

Lock (No. 5), Jasa Veremalua, San Diego Legion

Blindside Flanker (No. 6), Brad Tucker, Seattle Seawolves

Openside Flanker (No. 7), Nakai Penny, Seattle Seawolves

No. 8, Riekert Hattingh, Seattle Seawolves

Scrum-half (No. 9), Nate Augspurger, San Diego Legion

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

Wing (No. 11), Connor Wallace-Sims, Rugby United New York

Inside Center (No. 12), Guiseppe Du Toit, Toronto Arrows

Outside Center (No. 13), Gannon Moore, Utah Warriors

Wing (No. 14), Nick Boyer, San Diego Legion

Fullback (No. 15), Mikey Te’o, San Diego Legion

ABOUT MLR

MLR is a professional rugby league launched in April of 2018. It’s an initiative of the North American rugby community, in partnership with private investors, who believe that North 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 North American rugby, and provide a rallying point for local communities, a focal point for North American rugby fans, and an aspirational destination for young athletes. There are already over 40 internationals and players from more than 15 countries playing in the MLR. Twenty-two MLR stars represented the USA Eagles and Canada national teams in the opening round of the 2019 Americas Rugby Championship, with more than 30 called up over the course of the tournament.

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. In 2020, New England Free Jacks, Old Glory DC and Rugby ATL will bring the total to 12 teams for MLR Season 3.