New England Free Jacks win rugby championship in dramatic fashion
Logan Airport’s Terminal C better make room for more championship banners.
The New England Free Jacks captured their first Major League Rugby title in franchise history in dramatic fashion Saturday. Le Roux Malan’s second try of the match catapulted New England to a 25-24 lead over the San Diego Legion with just two minutes remaining in the match.
Le Roux Malan has scored another massive try to give @NEFreeJacks the one-point lead with only minutes left on the clock!
📺 @FOXTV | #SDvNE | #QuestForTheShield | #MLR2023 pic.twitter.com/I0GPJq1AET— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) July 8, 2023
More than 10,000 fans packed SeatGeek Stadium in Chicago, Illinois to watch the back-and-forth affair and to see New England conquer a 17-13 halftime deficit.
Both San Deigo and New England were the No.1 seeds in their respective conferences. The Free Jacks arrived in Chicago on an 11-game win streak while San Diego entered having won 16 of their 7 matches on the year.
Although San Deigo made a desperate push in the games’ final moments, a knock-on gave the Free Jacks a scrum and Potroz kicked a touch to push the finishing touches on New England’s fairy tale season.
Founded in 2018 the Free Jacks, have played their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium off Hancock Street in Quincy since moving from Weymouth in 2022.
Major League Rugby expanded from seven to 12 teams in 2023.
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