MLR 2025: New England Free Jacks vs Seattle Seawolves

The penultimate round of the Major League Rugby regular season concludes at Fort Quincy on Sunday afternoon. Last year’s finalists meet in another high stakes clash. New England are fighting to keep hold of home field advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs, while Seattle need a win to take push ahead of rivals San Diego for the fourth and final postseason spot in the West.

CURRENT STANDINGS

9-5-0 (L2) East 2nd

7-6-1 (W3) West 5th

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

	IN	OUT
10	Jayson Potroz	Dan Hollinshead
14	Simon-Peter Toleafoa	Jack Reeves

	IN	OUT
2	Dewald Kotze	Kerron van Vuuren
4	Malembe Mpofu	Siaosi Mahoni
7	Devin Short	Riekert Hattingh
9	JP Smith	Nick Boyer
13	Mika Kruse	Duncan Matthews

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(10) – Quattrin, von Dadelszen, LeSage, Webster, DeWitt, Steeves, Larsen (Canada), Koroiduadua (Fiji), Conradie, Malan (Namibia)

(11) – Kotze, Mackail (Canada), Zeiss (Argentina), Noa, Iona (Samoa), Smith, Kruse, Futi, Mahoni, Boyer (USA), Rossouw (Namibia)

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Connal McInerney (HO), Dan Hollinshead (FH), Jack Reeves (CE/WI)

– Kerron van Vuuren (HO), Riekert Hattingh (N8), Duncan Matthews (FB)

PREDICTION

Warm but gusty weather welcomes the Seawolves, who are forced to travel coast-to-coast and front up at an awkward kickoff time. Seattle are also absent captain Riekert Hattingh and playmaker Duncan Matthews, though they do welcome the return of star scrumhalf JP Smith. The Free Jacks slipped up in Tukwila in March and against DC last weekend, but outstanding flyhalf Jayson Potroz is back from a 10-game absence to make it a virtually full-strength lineup. New England are slight favorites at home.

LINEUPS

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Malakai Hala-Ngatai, 2 Andrew Quattrin, 3 Jone Koroiduadua, 4 Piers von Dadelszen, 5 Sam Caird, 6 Jed Melvin, 7 Joe Johnston (capt.), 8 Wian Conradie, 9 Cam Nordli-Kelemeti, 10 Jayson Potroz, 11 Paula Balekana, 12 Le Roux Malan, 13 Ben LeSage, 14 Simon-Peter Toleafoa, 15 Brock Webster

Replacements: 16 Foster DeWitt, 17 Kyle Ciquera, 18 Kyle Steeves, 19 Josh Larsen, 20 Jerónimo Gómez Vara, 21 Oscar Lennon, 22 Wayne van der Bank, 23 Harrison Boyle

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Cameron Orr, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 5 Rhyno Herbst (capt.), 6 Charles Elton, 7 Devin Short, 8 OJ Noa, 9 JP Smith, 10 Rodney Iona, 11 Toni Pulu, 12 Dan Kriel, 13 Mika Kruse, 14 Lauina Futi, 15 Divan Rossouw

Replacements: 16 Jesse Mackail, 17 Dewald Donald, 18 Mason Pedersen, 19 Siaosi Mahoni, 20 Huw Taylor, 21 Nick Boyer, 22 Eddie Fouché, 23 Malacchi Esdale

MATCH INFO

Date: Sunday, June 1
Venue: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy
Kickoff: 14:00 local (11:00 Pacific)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 64°F (18°C), wind W 17-26mph (27-42km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Fox 13 Seattle, NBC Sports Boston, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network