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2022 Major League Rugby Grab Bag: Round 4

February 28, 2022

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.

The month of the season is done and dusted and there have been quite a few surprises early on.

I never would’ve guessed that the Warriors would be winless at this point in time. I also didn’t think that the Austin Gilgronis would be the only undefeated team in the Western Conference.

That’s one thing I like about MLR. The results of each week are always a mystery. My Superbru record is the perfect indication of that.

As with any sport, it’s not necessarily about how you start but rather how you finish. As we get into the second month of the season, we will really start to see who is for real.

Let’s get into the Grab Bag!

All In

One team I think is for real plays down in Texas. I could not be more in on the Austin Gilgronis this season. They’ve risen to every challenge they’ve faced through four rounds and picked up their biggest win of the season when they defeated the 3-0 Seattle Seawolves 25-18 on Saturday night. Defeating the Seawolves was a much tougher task than Austin has been used to so far in 2022. They had to grind it out on a cold, wet evening in the Pacific Northwest, and they did just that when things weren’t quite going their way in the first half. They overcame a small halftime deficit and flipped the momentum in the second half. They will again have their hands full in Round 5 with the reigning champion Los Angeles Giltinis coming to town. They have the advantage of a home game and an extra day’s rest. Based on the way they’re playing through the first month of the season, it’s tough to pick against Austin.

Black Eyes

Saturday was a bad day to be an eye in the MLR.

Rugby New York hooker Wilton Rebolo looked like a rugby player on Saturday night. He scored a try and got a bunch of cool photos in a blood-stained jersey. Those will surely get a ton of likes on social media.

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A post shared by Rugby New York (@rugbyunitedny)

Now, look at Lucas Rumball.

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A post shared by Toronto Arrows (@torontoarrows)

He picked up this shiner during the Arrows 29-5 victory over Old Glory D.C. on Saturday afternoon, but it didn’t necessarily occur as the result of a rugby play.

Right in the middle of the screen. Watch Old Glory #8 Jamason Fa'anans-Schultz hitting Arrows #7 Lucas Rumball. The TMO has completely missed this. https://t.co/9frwdbrhV5

— Bryan Ray (@raysrugby) February 26, 2022

Those strikes looked like they came from Conor McGregor in his prime. Rumball didn’t come back into the match after this incident. There is no place for that in the game of rugby. I understand that logic is low when emotions are high, but you can’t punch people in the face. It’s probably safe to assume that Jamason Faʻanana-Schultz’s name will appear in the MLR’s brand new disciplinary wire this week. If he doesn’t receive a suspension, the third black eye to come from Saturday’s action will be the one left on the league.

Hit of the Week

Remember the ESPN segment ‘Jacked Up!’ that aired during halftime of the Monday Night Football broadcasts? That segment was awesome.

If that segment were still around, LA Giltinis prop Charlie Abel’s hit on New England Free Jacks fullback Mitch Wilson would surely make the cut.

I'm surprised he was able to stand up after that MASSIVE tackle from @Giltinis' prop Charlie Abel 🧨 #MLR2022 pic.twitter.com/Mq6WfEuPrP

— The Rugby Network (@therugbynetwork) February 28, 2022

Its hits like this that remind me that I might actually die if I tried to play in the MLR. This clip from MLR’s inaugural season is always a good reminder as well.

Imagine trying to tackle a guy like Rugby New York’s Pago Haini when he’s running at you with a full head of steam like he is in the first clip of the second slide? No thanks.