MLR Quarterfinals Preview: Knockout Rounds Are Here. Here's What To Know

A total of 12 teams — some familiar, some new — helped usher in the seventh season of the MLR way back in early March. Now, in late July, only eight remain.

Jul 19, 2024 by Briar Napier

MLR Quarterfinals Preview: Knockout Rounds Are Here. Here's What To Know

The international break between the end of Major League Rugby’s regular season and the start of its playoffs has felt awfully long, hasn’t it?

No need to wait much longer, as the 2024 MLR playoffs finally have arrived.

A total of 12 teams — some familiar, some new — helped usher in the seventh season of the MLR way back in early March. Now, in late July, only eight remain.

There is no second chance, do-over or makeup week anymore; it’s knockout rugby time, where the winner moves on, and the loser is eliminated, simple as that. And it will continue that way until the MLR crowns its sixth champion following the league final Aug. 4 in San Diego.

Are you pumped up yet?

Here’s all you need to know ahead of the quarterfinal round of the 2024 MLR season, part of FloRugby’s coverage and analysis of the United States’ top professional rugby league all season long:

NOTE: All kickoff times are listed in Eastern Time.

Dallas Jackals (West No. 4) At Houston SaberCats (West No. 1), 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Previous meetings: Houston 30-27 (Week 5), Houston 29-28 (Week 18)

A bit of a surprisingly close matchup during the two times these two Texas teams have faced off already this season, Dallas unquestionably has earned the right to be a potential MLR playoff spoiler — a title the Jackals would especially exemplify if they stunned the SaberCats in Houston this weekend.

Dallas’ attack can be absolutely devastating at times, as it led the league in tries scored in the regular season with 71, and that exciting style gives the Jackals a chance against anyone in the league, if their opponents aren’t up to par on the day. The only problem with that against Houston, however, is that it rarely has an off night.

The West’s well-deserved No. 1 seed, and the favorite to lift the MLR title in San Diego in a few weeks, the Cats have the deepest squad in the MLR and have responded to challenge after challenge this season with victory after victory, rarely looking out of their depth. Instead, they usually look like the undisputed dominant side in matches.

That being said, however, Houston can’t just rely on brute force and physicality to advance to the Western Conference final, and it probably would’ve preferred not to have had both of its wins against Dallas this year clinched via Davy Coetzer penalty kicks. But, with a 6-0 record all-time against the Jackals, the odds most definitely are in the SaberCats’ favor come knockout time in front of home support.

San Diego Legion (West No. 3) At Seattle Seawolves (West No. 2), 9 p.m. Sunday

Previous meetings: Seattle 25-19 (Week 1), San Diego 45-33 (Week 18)

A classic showdown between two MLR originals with eight wins going to each club in their 16 meetings all-time, San Diego stomped its foot down and won against a West Coast rival in the final week of the regular season with both their spots in the postseason already secure.

In the rubber match this weekend, however, the stakes have been raised, as the loser goes home in the fifth time Seattle has met San Diego in a postseason game — a bit of a wild stat, considering that the MLR has only been around since 2018. It's also a testament to how consistently strong both teams are.

Seattle was strong early on in both prior meetings against the Legion this year but tended to fade late, needing a last-minute Tavite Lopeti try on opening weekend to win at home, before San Diego scored 28 second-half points to make up a halftime deficit in their most recent matchup, a playoff preview at Snapdragon Stadium.

The league’s top point-scorer, Seawolves fly-half Mack Mason, is the host’s talisman and helps make up a fearsome set of backs that includes star wing Jade Stighling, Namibia international Divan Rossouw at fullback and newly capped USA Eagle Conner Mooneyham, among other options.

Meanwhile, in San Diego, the Legion will be trying to extend the careers of two legends in Wallabies icon Matt Giteau and all-time great All Black Ma’a Nonu, both of whom are in their early 40s and could be making their last hurrahs on a rugby pitch in their decorated careers. A strong squad featuring the United States' captain Greg Peterson at lock, and others, will be trying to help get Giteau and Nonu another piece of silverware before more questions about their retirements loom.

Old Glory DC (East No. 4) At New England Free Jacks (East No. 1), 5 p.m. Saturday

Previous meetings: Old Glory 35-34 (Week 2), New England 31-30 (Week 15)

The year has been rocky at times for the defending league champion Free Jacks, who had to deal with a host of injury issues to top stars throughout the season and had their share of moments where they didn’t look at their best (see a stretch when they lost three matches from five, with one of those defeats coming to a Miami Sharks team that missed the playoffs).

But quality certainly can help a squad break through, and thanks to the many stars still left standing in the New England setup, it was able to push through the adversity, get the East’s No. 1 spot and avoid seeing its season crumble before its eyes.

A rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference final, it was Old Glory getting revenge over New England in Week 2 in the sweetest of ways - by ending what was a 14-match Free Jacks winning streak in front of their own home supporters.

New England got the better of DC in their rematch — but only barely — as the Free Jacks clinched a postseason berth with the victory. Now, with their seasons on the line, they’ll be pushing to end Old Glory’s playoff hopes and dreams right away.

Former league MLR Player of the Year Jayson Potroz, super fullback Reece MacDonald and crushing center Wayne van der Bank are some of the heavy hitters of New England’s core, but the Flags clearly have found ways to disrupt the Free Jacks machine from getting into a flow, as regular-season league tackle leader Cory Daniel (254 tackles) is always down to put his body on the line for his team.

It’s another high-stakes matchup in a great MLR rivalry, and there’s serious potential for the newest chapter in the history of New England-DC games to be the best one yet.

Chicago Hounds (East No. 3) At NOLA Gold (East No. 2), 6:30 p.m. Sunday

Previous meetings: Chicago 38-21 (Week 6), NOLA 25-13 (Week 13)

Welcome to the postseason party, NOLA Gold, which became the last of the five original MLR teams still playing in the league to make the playoffs with their qualification this season.

And to make matters even better for one of the competition’s most surprising teams of the year, it’ll get to mark its playoff opener in front of home fans in the often party-friendly Bayou.

The Gold pushed the Free Jacks to the brink for the East’s top seed and would’ve loved to have had a chance at home-field advantage, but a second-place finish after the regular season is nothing to sneeze at, either.

First-year coach Cory Brown has done a magnificent job getting the best out of NOLA’s difference-makers on the pitch all season, especially through the likes of breakout wing Taniela Filimone (11 tries), South African fly-half Reece Botha and former Super Rugby back-rower Jonah Mau’u, among others.

NOLA split the season series with Chicago — itself having a great season after past troubles, considering that the Hounds only went 3-13 in their inaugural season in 2023 — as they also will be making their playoff debut, and even with some internal turmoil, as the club and coach Sam Harris parted ways in June, the Hounds have been unbeaten under interim boss and former England international Rob Webber.

He’ll be out the door too after this season, as he’s accepted a coaching role at English club Saracens, but Chicago most certainly can make some noise while he’s still around with veterans such as Dylan Fawsitt and Nate Augspurger both having been MLR players since the league’s founding six years ago. One of these teams will make history Sunday night — and it’s too close to call at the moment on which one it’ll be.