2022 Major League Rugby Grab Bag: Round 16

Welcome to the Major League Rugby Grab Bag where I highlight some of the best things I’ve seen from around the league every week.

Don’t look now, but the Toronto Arrows are making a strong final push for the postseason.

Had they not put a stop to the New England Free Jacks 10-match win streak, they’d be making plans three weeks from now. Instead, they pulled off a big upset and have kept their postseason alive.

Their biggest match of the year will take place this weekend. They have a huge opportunity to make up some ground and make a serious run at a playoff spot when they take on Rugby ATL, who sit in second place with 47 table points, seven points ahead of the Arrows.

They will need to win their final two matches against Atlanta and Old Glory D.C., but if they can handle their business and get some help with a Rugby New York or Rugby ATL loss, the Arrows will have successfully punched their ticket to the 2022 postseason.

These are the types of scenarios that seem to appear every season in Major League Rugby, and I love it.

There is still plenty to play for with two weeks left in the regular season.

Now let’s get into the Grab Bag!

Hello L.A.

It took way longer than I think most people expected, but it finally happened. The L.A. Giltinis finally dethroned the Austin Gilgronis and claimed the top spot in the Western Conference.

Austin has had a tough month of May. They got things started on the right foot when they picked up a solid victory over a hungry Seawolves team back on May 1, but their latest two-match skid to the Giltinis, and now the Utah Warriors have bumped them down to second in the West. If the table holds, Austin still punches a ticket to the postseason but they don’t get that coveted first-round bye that the leaders in each conference get.

L.A. has quietly put itself in a solid position to make a run at their second consecutive championship shield. Austin’s slip-ups have made that path easier for them.

As for Austin, the end of their schedule is no cakewalk. They’ll take on the Houston SaberCats and the San Diego Legion, which will undoubtedly be two tough matchups as they try to build up momentum with the postseason rapidly approaching. If Austin isn’t careful, they could find themselves in the third and final playoff spot as they head into the tournament.

If Austin can put together two good performances in the final two weeks and the Giltinis let off the gas, Austin could move back up to the top spot. But as it stands now, it looks like Austin will be squaring off against Houston in the opening round of the postseason.

Utah’s Social Person

Not only did the Gilgronis take a loss on the field on Saturday night, but the Utah Warriors’ social media team did their best to bury them online after the match.

Is there some secret feud between the Austin Gilgronis social media manager and the Utah Warriors social media manager that we don’t know about? Did Utah’s social admin get fired from their job with the Gilgronis? Based on some of the stuff that ended up on the Warriors’ Twitter and Instagram accounts something had to be going on.

Look at some of these!

#ForTheNation pic.twitter.com/8dX0ouTusf

— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 22, 2022

Can’t spell giLgronis without the L pic.twitter.com/0rlzdpXAa6

— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 22, 2022

That’s just a taste of what Utah’s social person was

Utah was trying to meme the Gilgronis to death after they beat them between the lines. They took out all of their pent-up aggression from a disappointing season out on the poor Gilgronis social media team.

I think this stuff is funny.

The Warriors have the upper hand because they ultimately won the match, but they better be ready to take it on the chin the next time that Austin beats them.

Try of the Week

Look at 38-year-old Joe Pietersen get this long try started for the San Diego Legion.

To. The. House.

A spectacular try from @SDLegion 🔥

🎥 @usmlr pic.twitter.com/Jy41OjIPTl

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) May 23, 2022

He still runs like he’s 28.

Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @DNVR Rugby.