Major League Rugby 2019 Season: Week 3 Power Rankings
February 12, 2019Week 3 of the Major League Rugby 2019 season has passed and did not fail to entertain. Team depth was once again tested as a multitude of players were unavailable due to the Americas Rugby Championship. Players filled the roles of the missing key players seamlessly and gave us an exciting weekend filled with scoring and nail-biting play. Here are The Fan Verdict’s MLR power rankings after three weeks of play:
1. NOLA Gold (3-0|15pts)
Last week ranking: 1st
Week 3 result: Win 41-31 (vs.SEA)
The NOLA Gold continue to distance themselves from the rest of the league with a statement win over the reigning MLR Champions, Seattle Seawolves. The NOLA Gold have made a name for themselves over the past few weeks with a back line that has been explosive and has an ability to create big plays. In this game, they complimented their effective back play with a forward game that played with dominance. They showcased a forward pack that can become a force to be reckoned with. Adding strong forward play only opens more space for a back line that is already deadly. When NOLA has both their forward and back line play going, there is no doubt they are the hardest team to stop in the league defensively. NOLA has scored more than 36 points in all their games so far and have scored over 40 in their past two. NOLA stays at the top after Week 3 and is unquestionably the best team in the league right now.
Week 4 matchup: vs. Rugby United New York
2. Seattle Seawolves (1-2|6pts)
Last week ranking: 2nd
Week 3 result: Loss 41-31 (@NOLA)
The Seattle Seawolves lose their second match in a row against a tough NOLA Gold opponent in Week 3. The Seawolves will be disappointed in their execution this week as their flow of play was constantly interrupted with errors that made it hard for them to get anything going. However, once things started to roll for them in the second half, they were able to showcase how their speedy ball movement in combination with attacking the gain line with hard hitting and dynamic lines are killer. Although letting up 41 points does not show it, the Seawolves defense is fierce and resilient. Besides letting up a few explosive scoring plays, that at this point seems inevitable by a high-powered NOLA Gold offense, they made sure every try scored against them was earned. Regardless, to keep up with the Gold, your offense needs to show up for the full 80 minutes which the Seawolves were not able to do this week. They will be given the benefit of the doubt, remaining in the 2nd spot due to the tough opponents they have had to face and the glimmers of superior rugby they have shown. But, they will enter this week in a must win situation game if they want to prevent falling further down the rankings.
Week 4 matchup: vs. Toronto Arrows
3. Glendale Raptors (0-2|2pts)
Last week ranking: 3rd
Week 3 result: Bye
The Glendale Raptors had time off this week to improve on last week’s game that was riddled with handling errors that interrupted their flow of play and made it difficult for them to get anything going. There were positives to take from the game as once Glendale got into the groove of things, they moved the ball quickly and were able to build phases. They began to look like the lethal team they were in Week 1 that dominated most parts of their game against the Seawolves. The Raptors are still a strong side that just looked off in Week 2. Like Seattle they are getting the benefit of the doubt but, another loss will surely drop them in the rankings next week. They will look to bounce back this weekend in a must-win game against a weak Austin Elite team who is also looking for their first win of the season.
Week 4 matchup: @ Austin Elite Rugby
4. San Diego Legion (2-1|9pts)
Last week ranking: 5th
Week 3 result: Win 17-13 (vs.HOU)
The San Diego Legion’s resilience provides them with two wins in back to back weeks and moves them up a spot in the power rankings. Once again in Week 3, they were faced with the challenge of playing in wet conditions. Early on, the San Diego offense turned the ball over often and struggled to build phases. However in the second half, the defense came up big, shutting the SaberCats out and gave opportunity for the Legion’s persistent pressure on offense to finally breakthrough. In a game where they trailed for 78 minutes, San Diego’s resilient character showed through which, ultimately enabled them to work back and win in the final moments of the game. They made a statement against Houston after not finishing games strong in the previous weeks. This match was not the case. They will try to continue their winning streak against the Utah Warriors this week.
Week 4 matchup: vs. Utah Warriors
5. Rugby United New York (1-0|4pts)
Last week ranking: 4th
Week 3 result: Bye
Rugby United New York wrap up their long break in Week 3 and now prepare to face the league’s best NOLA Gold. They opened the season with a win in Week 1, largely attributed to strong ball carrier support that ran dynamic lines off the ball, opening holes in the Legion defensive line. RUNY was able to create an ample amount of scoring opportunities but sometimes failed to capitalize with late phase play mistakes and handling errors. They only fall in the rankings because it is tough to ignore the San Diego Legion resilient two-win streak. However, RUNY can easily find their way back up the rankings as Week 4 is filled with key matches, including the Glendale Raptors and Seattle Seawolves who are each hanging onto their spots by a thread. A statement win by RUNY against the league’s top team this week would surely help their case as well. They will look to end NOLA’s hot streak and start one of their own in Week 4.
Week 4 matchup: @ NOLA Gold
6. Utah Warriors (1-0|4pts)
Last week ranking: 6th
Week 3 result: Bye
The Utah Warriors had this week to rest after starting their 2019 MLR campaign with a win against Austin Elite Rugby in Week 2. The Warriors showcased their ability to run hard into contact with good support and dynamic lines off the first receiver that opened gaps in the defense. They were methodical on offense, showing patience and an adept ability to build phases which frequently caused opposing team frustration. Utah also had a powerful maul that was a key part of this win. However, Utah struggled with their lineouts and will have to improve on their success to utilize their strong maul going forward. The Warriors also struggled receiving kicks with pressure and had a hard time catching the ball on the full. The Warriors show a huge amount of potential and will hope to continue improving their play in their match against the San Diego Legion this week.
Week 4 matchup: @ San Diego Legion
7. Toronto Arrows (1-1|6pts)
Last week ranking: 7th
Week 3 result: Win 23-19 (@AUS)
The Toronto Arrows get their first franchise win against the Austin Elite in Week 3. The Arrows returned from their bye moving the ball much more effectively across the pitch. They were able to build phases and spread the ball out wide into open space. The Arrows set piece was very effective, especially looking strong and dominant in their scrums. However, their lack of discipline could have easily cost them the game. The Arrows conceded too many penalties that gave the Elite ample of opportunity to come away with this game. They cannot expect to win matches going forward if they give chances like these to better teams in the league. They will have to quickly celebrate their first franchise win and prepare for a challenging matchup in Week 4 against the defending champions, Seattle Seawolves, who are hungry for a win.
Week 4 matchup: @ Seattle Seawolves
8. Houston SaberCats (1-1|5pts)
Last week ranking: 8th
Week 3 result: Loss 17-13 (@SDL)
The Houston SaberCats lose in heart-breaking fashion to the San Diego Legion in Week 3. In poor weather conditions, the SaberCats dominated possession in the first half and led for a vast majority of the game. Houston did well at causing turnovers at the point of contact and played well defensively. However, the constant San Diego pressure continued to mount in the second half. Strong defensive play that Houston has so heavily relied on faltered late in the game, handing the SaberCats their first loss of the season. Houston’s offense continues to struggle as they have only scored one try in their first two games. Going forward, Houston will have to improve on the offensive side of the ball to alleviate the pressure and ease the load that their defense must carry. They have a bye this weekend to recover from the tough loss and solve their offensive woes.
Week 4 matchup: Bye
9. Austin Elite (0-3|2pt)
Last week ranking: 9th
Week 3 result: Loss 23-19 (vs.TOR)
The Austin Elite remain at the bottom of the rankings this week after a tough loss to the Toronto Arrows. It was once again another match that was defined by missed opportunities and lack of capitalization in crucial moments. A multitude of errors interrupted their flow of play and frequently halted scoring opportunities when they got deep in Arrows territory. They were not able to capitalize on an undisciplined Arrows team that conceded many penalties. In a tight game that is within one score, taking advantage of these opportunities will prove to be the difference maker. The Austin Elite will try to break out of this slump against a struggling Glendale Raptors team in Week 4.
Week 4 matchup: vs. Glendale Raptors
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