MLR Season Wraps, One Playoff Spot On The Line

MLR Season Wraps, One Playoff Spot On The Line

The inaugural Major League Rugby season comes down to this coming weekend to finalize the playoff spots.

Jun 21, 2018 by Alex Goff
Eagles, Sabercats Visit Cancer Center

Major League Rugby's inaugural regular season is set for a thrilling finale this Saturday, with three teams vying for the last of the league's four playoff spots.

Glendale and Seattle are already safely ensconced as the top two, and San Diego, by virtue of a 31-17 defeat of Austin, has secured one of the remaining two playoff places.

It all now comes down to the final weekend to see who will be the fourth semifinal team. The only team that is out of it is the Houston SaberCats. That Houston team takes on Utah, which was just edged 46-43 by NOLA Gold last week. A win for Utah would have clinched a playoff spot. Now the Warriors need to do it one more time against the visiting SaberCats.

Meanwhile, San Diego hosts Glendale in what could be a semifinal preview. San Diego will want to ensure a third-place finish, and a close loss with four tries will do that. But undefeated Glendale, winners last week despite missing some key USA personnel, will be favored.

Sitting on the sidelines this weekend is Austin, which will be hoping for a Utah loss. If the Warriors lose and get no bonus points, then Austin Elite will take the fourth semifinal place. But a tie or a close loss with four tries will guarantee Utah moves up.

Either way, the stage is set for the semifinals on June 30 at Infinity Park in Glendale, CO. The first semi will be at 7 PM ET and the second at 9:30 PM.

It will also be a late night for the final, with Torrero Stadium in San Diego hosting the first-ever Major League Rugby championship game July 7 at 9 PM.

The league's 2018 season has already been a success. Teams have been able to draw fans, for the most part, and all seven teams will have finished their seasons. The MLR players who have moved on to the USA team have performed well, showing how valuable this challenging playing time is for the athletes.