Major League Rugby

In Today's Edition

📰 HEADLINES

MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY

Honors: First XV Week 14 (Major League Rugby)

  • Takeaway: As MLR Stats guru James Deeley pointed out yesterday, eight new players, including Miami Sharks lock Rick Rose, were named to the MLR First XV in Week 14.
  • Player of the Week: Old Glory DC prop Steven Longwell earned Player of the Week honors after becoming the first prop in MLR history to score a hat trick. 

New Signing: Wallaby Henry Speight Signs with RFCLA for Remainder of the Season (RugbyFCLA)

  • Takeaway: 36-year-old center/wing Henry Speight, who earned 19 caps for Australia and made 122 appearances in Super Rugby, signed with RFC Los Angeles. 

RUGBY WORLD CUP

Qualification Process: Rugby World Cup 2027 Qualifying Pathway Shakeup (Americas Rugby News)

  • Takeaway: ARN's Paul Tait shared that World Rugby will alter the qualifying pathway for Rugby World Cup 2027, which will expand from 20 to 24 teams. 
  • Who's In: 12 teams have already qualified for RWC27 - the teams that finished first, second, or third in their respective pools at the last RWC. 
  • Who's Next: The 10 regional qualifier winners. 
  • Who's Left: Two additional spots to be "determined via interregional playoff matches."
  • Men's Eagles: South America 1 qualifier and North America 1 qualifier is out. In its place is a combined region featuring Americas & Oceania, via the Pacific Nations Cup, with the top three - likely Samoa, Tonga, and USA because Fiji and Japan have already qualified - advancing to RWC 2027. 

📊 MLR POWER RANKINGS

The Rankings:The Houston SaberCats became the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs and retained the No.1 seed in the MLR Power Rankings.

  1. Houston SaberCats
  2. Seattle Seawolves
  3. San Diego Legion
  4. New England Free Jacks (+1)
  5. Chicago Hounds (+1)
  6. NOLA Gold (-2)
  7. Dallas Jackals
  8. Old Glory DC
  9. RFCLA (+2)
  10. Utah Warriors
  11. Miami Sharks (-2)
  12. Anthem RC

🏉 QUICK HITS

Canada: 28 Players Named to Women's Canada Selects Squad for Spain Tour (Rugby Canada)

High School Rugby: Boys HS Club Top 50 Week 20 (Goff Rugby Report)

High School Rugby: Girls HS Rankings May 2024 (Goff Rugby Report)

High School Rugby: Detroit Central Catholic to Face Traverse City in Michigan Final (Goff Rugby Report)

Melbourne Rebels:Sir John Kirwan Proposes Radical 'Heineken Cup-style' Competition after Rebels' Super Rugby Pacific Demise(Planet Rugby)

Poll Question

WXV 1 Pick'Em Time: USA vs. France?

USA
France

Yesterday's Poll Answer

Do you think Australia will beat New Zealand on Saturday?

93% of respondents voted that Australia would not beat New Zealand on Saturday.