NEWS

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.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Major League Rugby: Press Office, 323-476-0016, press@usmlr.com
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)