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Thrilling comeback caps inaugural Major League Rugby season

The MLR Shield. Photo / MLR

The Seattle Seawolves have emerged victorious at the end of the inaugural season of Major League Rugby.

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The United States-based competition ended for the season in thrilling fashion, with the Seawolves edging the Glendale Raptors 23-19 at San Diego’s Torero Stadium.

The Seawolves (7-2) – who are backed by New Zealand’s Canterbury Rugby Union and Crusaders franchise – and the Raptors (8-1) finished the regular season as the top two teams, and earned their places in the final after beating the San Diego Legion and the Utah Warriors in their respective semifinals.

Seawolves flyhalf Peter Smith opened the scoring with an eighth-minute penalty, but the Raptors quickly replied with a try through Zach Fenoglio. The Raptors hooker crashed over from a driving maul set five metres from the line.

Seawolves hooker Ray Barkwill then scored a try almost identical to his opposite Fenoglio to give his side an 8-7 lead and cap an exciting first 20 minutes.

Both sides had tries rubbed out in the first half, with Seawolves fullback Mat Turner having a 60 metre try called back after an obstruction call and Raptors wing Harley Davidson denied a try straight after the ensuing obstruction penalty.

Read more
Major League Rugby: Q&A with MLR commentator Dallen Stanford

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Fenoglio grabbed his second try to open the scoring in the second half from another excellent lineout drive. Glendale then extended their lead to 19-8 after a brilliant counter-attacking try that covered 85 metres and was finished by second-five Bryce Campbell.

A valiant Seattle side refused to lay down, striking back just minutes later when blockbusting midfielder William Rasileka crashed over in the corner.

The momentum from the Rasileka try carried over as Seattle scored again through vice-captain and Number Eight Riekert Hattingh.

Hattingh’s try was another long-range strike as winger Peter Tiberio drew several defenders before passing inside, where the Number Eight scampered 40 metres to score. Peter Smith nailed the sideline conversion to give his side a one-point lead 20-19 with less than 20 minutes left to play.

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A Peter Smith penalty minutes later pushed the lead out to four, and the Seawolves were able to hold out to claim their first Major League Rugby title.

The Raptors suffered just their second loss of the season, both of which ironically came at Torero Stadium.

The fixture capped an exciting first season of Major League Rugby, and with more teams to be added next season the future looks bright.

In other news:

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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