The New England Free Jacks hosts Rugby New York on Friday, June 3 at 7 pm at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Massachusetts. The match will be the final regular-season match for both teams with both teams earning a playoff spot along with Rugby ATL. The match will be streamed on The Rugby Network.
Last Sunday, New England beat NOLA Gold 57-5, while Rugby New York won 59-49 over Old Glory DC. Both teams are playoff-bound with the Free Jacks claiming the top seed in the Eastern Conference and a bye next week with Rugby New York facing Rugby ATL at a location to be decided based on the outcome of this match, and Rugby ATL against NOLD Gold.
Preceding the MLR match, the New England Independents will play the New York Foundry at 4 pm.
New England Free jacks
Player stats include Le Roux Malan and Wayne Van der Bank being selected for the Week 17 MLR First XV. Beaudein Waaka is second in points scored in MLR with 131, second in successful goal kicking with 46, and second in kicking meters with 3211. Slade Mcdowall is first in made tackles with 232 & Josh Larsen is fourth with 216.
The Free Jacks Head Coach Scott Mathie has made four changes in the starters and another in the reserves since last Sunday’s win over NOLA Gold. Javon Camp, who was loaned recently to the Houston SaberCats, is a lock and will make his starting MLR debut, while Cam Davidowicz is the blindside flanker. Holden Yungert switches places with John Poland at scrumhalf and Jack Reeves returns at outside center with Wayne Van der Bank shifting to inside center. Steven Hinshaw is the hooker reserve.
Rugby New York
Player stats include Ed Fidow and Waisake Naholo being selected for the Week 17 MLR First XV. MLR stat leaders include Jack Heighton, who is ninth in points scored with 67, and just ahead of teammate Ed Fidow who is tenth with 62. Ed Fidow is also first in tries scored with 12 and third, in bally carry meters with 1631, while Fasi Fuatai is seventh with 1183.
Head Coach Marty Veale’s squad is significantly different than the one which played against Old Glory DC on Sunday. There are eight changes in the starters and another four in the reserves as the team looks to play the Free jacks with an eye on playing Rugby ATL on June 12.
Foward changes include Chance Wenglewski at loosehead prop, Charlie Hewitt pairing with captain Ben Bonasso, who shifts from blindside flanker to lock, Dylan Fawsitt being the blindside flanker instead of his customary hooker position, and Joe Basser being the openside flanker.
Back changes are in the halfbacks with Connor Buckley swapping with Conor McManus and Andy Ellis at flyhalf shifting Sam Windsor to inside center. Quinn Ngawati returns to the squad at the outside center.
There are four changes in the reserves, all of who played for the NY Foundry (Academy) side on Sunday against Young Glory. Peter Reyes is a loosehead prop, Victor Evans II, a flanker, who formerly played with the American Raptors, John Powers provides coverage at wing/fullback, and Ishmail Shabazz at center or wing.
In other news, both Kalolo Tuisamoa and Ed Fidow were selected to Samoa’s National Team for the Pacific Nations Cup.
Squads with Player Article Links
New England Free Jacks: 1 Quentin Newcomer 2 Mills Sanerivi 3 Erich de Jager 4 Javon Camp 5 Stan van den Hoven 6 Cam Davidowicz 7 Joe Johnston (C) 8 Terrell Peita 9 Holden Yungert10 Beaudein Waaka 11 Paula Balekana 12 Wayne van der Bank 13 Jack Reeves 14 Mitch Wilson 15 Dougie Fife 16 Steven Hinshaw 17 Kyle Ciquera 18 Tevita Sole 19 Josh Larsen 20 Wian Conradie 21 John Poland 22 Le Roux Malan 23 Harrison Boyle
Rugby New York: 1 Chance Wenglewski 2 Kaleb Geiger 3 Kalolo Tuiloma 4 Ben Bonasso (C) 5 Charlie Hewitt 6 Dylan Fawsitt 7 Joe Basser8 Antonio Kiri Kiri 9 Connor Buckley 10 Andy Ellis 11 Andrew Coe 12 Sam Windsor 13 Quinn Ngawati 14 Waisake Naholo 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder 16 Wilton Rebolo 17 Peter Reyes 18 Sak Taulafo 19 Victor Evans II 20 Brendon O’Connor 21 Conor McManus 22 John Powers 23 Ishmail Shabazz
New England Free Jacks 13-2, 61 points, 1st place
- NOLA Gold 13-24 New England Free Jacks
- Old Glory DC 25-41 New England Free Jacks
- LA Giltinis 19-15 New England Free Jacks
- Rugby New York 29-38 New England Free Jacks, Match Preview
- New England Free Jacks 21-15 Toronto Arrows
- Austin Gilgronis 17-25 New England Free Jacks
- Rugby ATL 27-41 New England Free Jacks
- New England Free Jacks 33-29 NOLA Gold
- New England Free Jacks 24-22 Seattle Seawolves
- Rugby New York 26-29 New England Free Jacks Match Preview
- New England Free Jacks 33-17 Utah Warriors
- New England Free Jacks 26-20 Old Glory DC
- New England Free Jacks 15-10 Rugby ATL
- Toronto Arrows 33-18 New England Free Jacks
- New England Free Jacks 57-5 NOLA Gold
- New England Free Jacks vs Rugby New York on June 3
- Eastern Conference Final: New England Free Jacks vs either June 12 Rugby ATL or Rugby New York Winner on June 19
Rugby New York: Record 10-5, 52 points, 3rd place
- Houston SaberCats 7-10 Rugby New York, Match Preview
- Rugby ATL 31-36 Rugby New York, Match Preview
- Dallas Jackals 5-41 Rugby New York, Match Preview
- Rugby New York 29-38 New England Free Jacks, Match Preview
- Rugby New York 26-23 San Diego Legion, Match Preview
- NOLA Gold 19-30 Rugby New York Match Preview
- Rugby New York 10-14 Toronto Arrows Match Preview
- Rugby New York 35-31 Old Glory DC Match Preview
- LA Giltinis 43-0 Rugby New York Match Preview
- Rugby New York 26-29 New England Free Jacks Match Preview
- Rugby New York 36-28 NOLA Gold Match Preview
- Toronto Arrows 17-41 Rugby New York Match Preview
- Rugby New York 30-22 Seattle Seawolves Match Preview
- Rugby New York 3-38 Rugby ATL Match Preview
- Old Glory 49-59 Rugby New York Match Preview
- New England Free Jacks vs Rugby New York (June 3)
- Rugby ATL vs Rugby New York on June 12 at the second Seed Home Field (Final Seeding TBD)
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