Major League Rugby Teams List

Major League Rugby is a newly established professional sports organization in the United States. The sports league was founded in 2018 and consisted of only seven professional teams at the time, but now there are 13 teams in total. Although rugby has been a favorite sport in countries like England and New Zealand for quite some time, the sport has only recently gained more popularity in the US. Listed below are the current professional teams who make up Major League Rugby.

What Are The Teams in Major League Rugby?

• Austin Gilgronis
• Dallas Jackals
• Houston SaberCats
• LA Giltinis
• New England Free Jacks
• New Orleans Gold
• Old Glory DC
• Rugby New York
• Rugby ATL
• San Diego Legion
• Seattle Seawolves
• Toronto Arrows
• Utah Warriors

Austin Gilgronis

• Date Founded: 2017
• Conference: Western
• Arena/Stadium: Bold Stadium
• Location: Austin, Texas

The Austin Gilgronis, also known as AG Rugby, is a professional rugby team based in Austin, Texas. After a series of name changes, AG Rugby settled on renaming itself the “Gilgronis,” which is a combination of the Negroni cocktail and the name of Adam Gilchrist, the owner of F45 Gyms. The team was previously known as the Austin Elite before changing its name. AG Rugby plays at Bold Stadium and draws a wide fan base from the greater Central Texas area. 

Dallas Jackals

• Date Founded: 2020
• Conference: Western
• Arena/Stadium: Choctaw Stadium
• Location: Dallas, Texas

The Dallas Jackals were founded in 2020 but didn’t play its inaugural season until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the rugby team’s goals is to support rugby clubs, especially youth rugby, throughout the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth community. The rugby team is just one of three Major League Rugby teams based in Texas. The Jackals are a competitive rugby team that is slowly growing its influence in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas.

Houston SaberCats

• Date Founded: 2017
• Conference: Western
• Arena/Stadium: Aveva Stadium
• Location: Houston, Texas

The Houston SaberCats, founded in 2017, is a Houston-based professional rugby team. The team is one of the founding seven teams in Major League Rugby. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Houston SaberCats had finished seventh out of nine teams in the 2019 season. Although the rugby team has struggled to make it to the finals and win a Major League Rugby Championship, the Houston SaberCats aspire to be named the top rugby team in the US this upcoming season.

LA Giltinis

• Date Founded: 2020
• Conference: Western
• Arena/Stadium: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
• Location: Los Angeles, California

The LA Giltinis are a newly established rugby team. The rugby team’s unusual name is derived from a premium cocktail that is similar to the Martini. The Giltinis won its first Major League Rugby Championship in 2021, its first year in the league. The LA Giltinis are owned by Loyals Rugby, an organization that is funded by Austin Gilgronis owner Adam Gilchrist, and they have already attracted a large fan base in southern California. 

New England Free Jacks

• Date Founded: 2018
• Conference: Eastern
• Arena/Stadium: Veterans Memorial Stadium
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts

The New England Free Jacks are a rugby team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and are the only Northeastern team to be part of Major League Rugby. The team’s name, “Free Jack,” is defined as an individual who is empowered and free from anyone’s control. The rugby team finished fourth overall in Major League Rugby in the 2021 season. The New England Free Jacks, with some impressive wins in recent years, look toward winning the Major League Rugby Championship in the upcoming season.

New Orleans Gold

• Date Founded: 2017
• Conference: Eastern
• Arena/Stadium: Gold Mine
• Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Gold, also known as NOLA Gold, is a rugby team based in Louisiana and is one of the founding members of  Major League Rugby. The rugby team has yet to make it to the Major League Rugby playoffs, but the team has focused on becoming competitive in the upcoming season. NOLA Gold has flourished due to the backbone of the New Orleans Rugby Football Club, which was founded in 1973. The rugby team is now one of the most successful teams in the American southeast.

Old Glory DC

• Date Founded: 2018
• Conference: Eastern
• Arena/Stadium: Segra Field
• Location: Washington, D.C.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Old Glory DC rugby team joined Major League Rugby in 2020 to add more competition to the Eastern Conference. This team, which is backed by the Scottish Rugby Union, joined the league along with Rugby ATL and the New England Free Jacks. Old Glory DC could only play five matches before the pandemic halted the season. Although, with a winning first season, Old Glory DC will continue climbing to the top of Major League Rugby rankings.

Rugby New York

• Date Founded: 2018
• Conference: Eastern
• Arena/Stadium: Cochrane Stadium
• Location: New York, New York

Rugby New York, also known as RUNY, is a Brooklyn-based rugby team that joined Major League Rugby in 2019. During their first season, the rugby team nearly made it to the finals but lost to San Diego Legion at the very end of the match. In 2022, Rugby New York’s fifth season, the team won the Major League Rugby Championship. With the catchphrase “New York Rugby Tough,” RUNY plans to dominate the upcoming season by bringing home another championship title.

Rugby ATL

• Date Founded: 2018
• Conference: Eastern
• Arena/Stadium: Silverbacks Park
• Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Rugby ATL, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the best rugby teams in the American southeast. A newly-established team in Major League Rugby, Rugby ATL beat teams like NOLA Gold and Utah Warriors in its first competing season. The rugby team is composed of players from all over the world, including New Zealand, Argentina, and Fiji. Rugby ATL plans to dominate the Eastern Conference and fight for the Major League Rugby Championship next season.

San Diego Legion

• Date Founded: 2017
• Conference: Western
• Arena/Stadium: SDSU Sports Deck
• Location: San Diego, California

Based in San Diego, California, the San Diego Legion are one of the original rugby teams established in the Western Conference and part of Major League Rugby. The team almost made it to the MLR Finals in 2019 but lost to the Seattle Seawolves. However, the San Diego legion are still considered one of the most successful rugby teams in the League despite not winning the championship match. The team hopes to claim the Major League Rugby Championship title in the upcoming season.

Seattle Seawolves

• Date Founded: 2017
• Conference: Western
• Arena/Stadium: Starfire Stadium
• Location: Seattle, Washington

The Seattle Seawolves, a rugby team known for dominating the Western Conference, were back-to-back champions of the Major League Rugby Championship in 2018 and 2019. The Seawolves are the only rugby team in the league’s history to claim back-to-back wins. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rugby team had trouble finding its footing in the 2021 season and hopes to fight for the championship title in the upcoming seasons. 

Toronto Arrows

• Date Founded: 2017
• Conference: Eastern
• Arena/Stadium: York Lions Stadium
• Location: Toronto, Ontario

The Toronto Arrows are the only Canadian rugby team to be included in Major League Rugby. Formerly known as the Ontario Arrows, the rugby team was one of two new teams to join in 2019 and made it to the semi-finals in its first season. The name “Arrows” is derived from the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow, which is one of the most elite aircrafts ever built. The Toronto Arrows bring fierce competition to the Eastern Conference in Major League Rugby. 

Utah Warriors

• Date Founded: 2018
• Conference: Western
• Arena/Stadium: Zions Bank Stadium
• Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

The Utah Warriors are a Salt Lake City-based rugby team, also from the Western Conference, in Major League Rugby. The rugby team is very involved in their surrounding community, even starting a foundation to support youth rugby. The Warriors also have their own mascot called Koa the Panther. The team made it to the semi-finals during their first season and has yet to make it back. In 2019, the Utah Warriors lost to the now-disbanded Colorado Raptors. However, the Warriors aim to redeem themselves in future seasons.