NEWS

News Jun-4-2019

Week 19 Awards: Brad Tucker Helps Seawolves Clinch Playoff Spot While SaberCats Win Fourth Straight

MLR announces Player, Team and First XV of Week 19

Salt Lake City, UT; June 4, 2019: During a week in which the final three seeds of Major League Rugby’s Championship Series were filled, it was the Houston SaberCats’ 31-27 road victory over the Utah Warriors that put the finishing touches on an undefeated fourth quarter of the 2019 season that earned them the MLR Week 19 Team of the Week award. With four teams battling for three playoff spots on the last day of the season, big players were going to have to rise to the occasion. That’s what Seattle Seawolves’ lock, MLR Week 19 Player of the Week, Brad Tucker did. His bruising performance on both sides of the ball helped the Seawolves lock up the second seed in the MLR Championship Series by defeating Austin Elite Rugby 38-26 on Sunday evening.

The SaberCats traveled west to take on the Utah Warriors just four days after handing the Glendale Raptors a 32-17 loss at AVEVA Stadium on Wednesday night. They picked up that victory after defeating Austin Elite Rugby 36-15 just four days earlier. If they wanted to close out their season with an unblemished fourth-quarter record, they would have to do it on the road in Utah. Despite playing three matches in a week’s time, the SaberCats jumped out to a 24-10 halftime lead on tries from Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, Malacchi Esdale, and Deion Mikesell. The fatigue appeared to settle in a bit in the second half as the Warriors used tries from Johnny Ika and Joshua Reeves and a kick from Franco van den Berg to take the lead in the 60th minute. With time expiring, the resilient SaberCats received from a try from fullback Osea Kolinisau in the 65th minute to put the Warriors away and lock up their fourth victory in as many matches and earn them the title of the MLR Team of the Week for the second time this season.

With a spot on in the MLR Championship Series and an opportunity to host one of the two semi-final matches on the line, the Seawolves needed to beat the Elite on Sunday evening. Despite coming into the match winless, the Elite didn’t go down without a fight. Fortunately for Seattle, lock Brad Tucker came to play. He punished Austin on both offense and defense in an 80-minute performance that earned him MLR Player of the Week, his first of the season. On offense, Tucker carried the ball 14 times for 108 meters, one line break, one offload, and two tries. On defense, he made all 21 of his tackles to help the Seawolves pick up the 38-36 bonus-point victory and secure the second seed in the MLR Championship Series.

MLR’s First XV of Week 19:

Loosehead Prop (No. 1), Rob Brouwer, Toronto Arrows

Hooker (No. 2), Andrew Quattrin, Toronto Arrows

Tighthead Prop (No. 3), Paddy Ryan, San Diego Legion

Lock (No. 4), Nikola Bursic, New Orleans Gold

Lock (No. 5), Brad Tucker, Seattle Seawolves

Blindside Flanker (No. 6), Jasa Veremalua, San Diego Legion

Openside Flanker (No. 7), Matt Hughston, Rugby United New York

No. 8, Luke Campbell, Toronto Arrows

Scrum-half (No. 9), Mike Petri, Rugby United New York

Fly-half (No. 10), Sam Malcolm, Toronto Arrows

Wing (No. 11), Jeff Hassler, Seattle Seawolves

Inside Center (No. 12), JP du Plessis, San Diego Legion

Outside Center (No. 13), Tristan Blewett, New Orleans Gold

Wing (No. 14), Dan Moor, Toronto Arrows

Fullback (No. 15), Osea Kolinisau, Houston SaberCats

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.