The Defending Champions' lineup to face the #CaliforniaLegion in San Diego!
6 #MLR debuts in the Starting XV with another 4 waiting on the bench, and another 6 #FreeJacks debuts overall! Only 2 players from this 23 started for NE in last year's playoffs🤯
#MLRStats #LetsRide
A full slate of games in Rd 2 of @usmlr!
@seawolves.rugby host @oldglorydc.bsky.social under the Friday Night Lights, before @anthemrugby.bsky.social’s home opener against the #ChicagoHounds and the #CaliforniaLegion attempt to the the Old Mate from the #FreeJacks!
#MLRStats #MLR
Preview of #MLR2026 Rd 2!
Friday April 3rd:
(0-0) @seawolves.rugby v @oldglorydc.bsky.social (0-0) - 10:30pm ET
Saturday April 4th:
(1-0) @anthemrugby.bsky.social v #ChicagoHounds (0-0) - 4:00pm ET
(0-1) #CaliforniaLegion v #FreeJacks (0-0) - 7:00pm ET (Old Mate Match)
#MLRStats #MLR
A hugely different looking #FreeJacks side gears up to defend their #MLR title for the 3rd straight season!
Just look at all those Canadian flags in the 'Departures' section! 🥲
#MLRStats #MLR2026 #LetsRide
For more information on the #FreeJacks, their NARDB Team Page can be found below!
#MLRStats #MLR2026 #LetsRide
2026 Pre-Season Summary: #NEFreeJacks
The 3x #MLR Champions remain the team to beat in #MLR2026!
The #FreeJacks have had more turnover than any other side in the competition as they've pivoted away from their Canadian contingent to new faces (to MLR, anyway)!
#MLRStats #LetsRide
The #UtahWarriors withdrew late in 2025, but there are still 10 players from last season's Warriors squad representing 4 different sides in #MLR2026!
The #CaliforniaLegion, @anthemrugby.bsky.social, #FreeJacks, and @seawolves.rugby all have former Warriors in their squads!
#MLRStats
Player Turnover for each #MLR side in #MLR2026!
The #ChicagoHounds & @oldglorydc.bsky.social each have 15 players returning from their 2025 squads!
The #FreeJacks had the most turnover with 10 returnees due to their reliance on Canadians over the last few years, now deemed non-domestic.
#MLRStats
My prediction for a #FreeJacks Starting XV in #MLR2026!
Lots of unknowns for the Champs, who've brought in many players completely new to #MLR. Likes of LeSage, Ciquera, B. Wilson will be regular reserves, and McVeigh will likely tandem with Lennon at 9.
What do you think?
#MLRStats #LetsRide
The #FreeJacks only have 2 fewer wins than @seawolves.rugby in 24 fewer regular season games, that could be close!
At the other end, @anthemrugby.bsky.social have a bit of a buffer but will be fighting with the #CaliforniaLegion all year!
#MLRStats #MLR2026
A tiny asterisk here: Pago Haini played with the #FreeJacks during their exhibition season, but didn't get a chance to represent them at #MLR level before the 2020 season was cancelled.
Regardless, Haini is a legend and remains heavily involved in community rugby with @seawolves.rugby!
#MLRStats
US States that have hosted a #MLR match!
With the #ChicagoHounds hosting the #FreeJacks in Nashville in #MLR2026, Tennessee will become the 19th state to host a #MLR match!
Games have also been held in Canada in both Ontario & BC, and a 2025 pre-season game in Fiji!
#MLRStats
The Defending Champion New England #FreeJacks are the 4th team to reveal their complete roster for #MLR2026!
That leaves just the @seawolves.rugby and #CaliforniaLegion!
#MLRStats #MLR
Journeymen of #MLR: Lindsey Stevens!
The US-born, Australian raised, Canada capped hooker has represented 5 MLR teams across 7 seasons, earning 19 starts in 38 games, scoring 8 tries and lifting a Shield each with the LA Giltinis (2021) and the #FreeJacks (2025)!
#MLRStats #MLR2026
The #MLR Championship Game will return to Chicago for the Finale of #MLR2026!
The Shield match was last held at Seatgeek Stadium in 2023, when the #FreeJacks took a nailbiting 1pt victory over the San Diego Legion!
#MLRStats #Rugby
This will be the first time a #MLR game has ever been played in Tennessee!
GEODIS Park will play host to a repeat of the nail-biting 2025 Eastern Conference Final between the #ChicagoHounds and
NE #FreeJacks!
#MLRStats #MLR2026 #Rugby #Nashville
Former #FreeJacks front row Cole Keith has signed with the #DoncasterKnights in the English Championship!
The Canadaian international and 3x #MLR Champion has 47 starts in 79 games between NE & Toronto from 2019-2025, with over 500 tackles made and over 1,100m gained!
#MLRStats #MLR2026
Valley RFC in Hong Kong announce the signing of 2024 #MLR Draftee and former #FreeJacks scrum-half Emanuel Lai!
The Hong-Kong qualified Connecticut native was drafted 36th overall by NE, and earned his pro debut with the Free Jacks in their Shield-winning 2025 season!
#MLRStats #MLR2026
By my count, there are now 9 Canadian players announced for #MLR2026:
#ChicagoHounds
Flesch
Oworu
Rumball
Webster
#FreeJacks
Von Dadelszen
LeSage
@oldglorydc.bsky.social
Martinez
@seawolves.rugby
Botchar
Kotze
Down from 47 in 2025.
#MLRStats #Rugby
The Top 10 Single-Game Meter Eaters in #MLR History!
Dylan Taikato-Simpson's record of 229m lasted over 4 years, before #FreeJacks' Le Roux Malan broke it with 234m gained in 2023, still the current record!
Will this list look any different at the end of #MLR2026?
#MLRStats #MLR
The #FreeJacks' new signing Kienan Higgins is stopping off at
#Edinburgh on a short-term deal before heading to Boston for #MLR2026!
The exact length of the contract is unknown, but it's a cool move for the Scottish-qualified back!
#MLRStats #MLR #Rugby
Winningest coaches in #MLR history - By Win %!
Scott Mathie tops this list with an almost 80% win rate, and current #FreeJacks HC Ryan Martin is 5th!
The Top 3 have all lifted the Shield, with 5 Shield-Winning Coaches in the Top 6!
*Only counts HCs with 15+ games in charge
#MLRStats #MLR2026
The Winningest Head Coaches in #MLR History!
@seawolves.rugby HC Allan Clarke tops the list with 47 wins, ahead of Houston's Pote Human and #FreeJacks' Scott Mathie in 3rd!
Clarke is one of only 2 active HCs on this list, with Mathie's successor at NE, Ryan Martin, in 9th!
#MLRStats #MLR2026
Former #MLR-ers Lucas Bur (DAL, LA) and Jero Gomez Vara (DAL, #FreeJacks) join Capibaras XV in #SuperRugbyAmericas for 2026!
Bur: 31 starts in 33 MLR games from 2023-25, 684m gained, 347 tackles
Gomez Vara: 2025 Champion, 12 tries in 41 games 360 tackles!
#MLRStats #MLR2026
A very good pickup here by the #FreeJacks. It feels like Bailey Wilson is pretty underrated given his defensive skills.
750+ tackles puts him comfortably in the Top 25 #MLR tacklers EVER!
#MLRStats #MLR2026 #LetsRide
The #FreeJacks sign USA Eagle #570 Bailey Wilson for #MLR2026!
Wilson joins his brother Mitch in NE having earned 80 appearances (67 starts) for the Utah Warriors since 2020. He has 7 tries on 2,183m gained and recorded his 5th successive 100+ tackle season in 2025!
#MLRStats #LetsRide
The #FreeJacks announce the signing of #NPC veteran Kienan Higgins for #MLR2026!
The New Zealander has played with the #HawkesBayMagpies for the last 5 seasons, starting 13 of his 21 appearances and scoring 4 tries!
#MLRStats #MLR #LetsRide
The #FreeJacks announce the addition of US-eligible winger Max Lehmann for #MLR2026!
The San Francisco born rugby league man has represented
@theparraeels.bsky.social, & #Rabbitohs in the NSW Cup, as well as Easts Tigers, and England's @officialbullsrl.bsky.social!
#MLRStats #MLR2026 #LetsRide
Player Moves around #MLR: Dec 15-21, 2025!
Some busy last minute holiday shopping, including 4 re-signings across the league and the #FreeJacks sign 3 Draftees to pro contracts!
There was a lot of business between @anthemrugby.bsky.social & the #ChicagoHounds, too!
#MLRStats #MLR2026
#NARDB's Most Popular Player Profiles last week!
#FreeJacks' Filimone Manu is 1st, with NEC Green Rockets' new signing Pono Kayoshi 2nd!
Divan Rossouw & James Scott signed with @seawolves.rugby & @anthemrugby.bsky.social, and USA #SVNS' Tahna Wilfley is back in the Top 5!
#MLRStats #MLR2026 #WER
