Professional Rugby Union Team from Los Angeles, California, United States
Rugby team
Rugby FC Los Angeles (RFCLA) is a professional rugby union team in Major League Rugby (MLR) from Los Angeles . The team began play in 2020 as Rugby ATL , based in Atlanta, Georgia but announced they would relocate to Los Angeles for the 2024 season, under new ownership.
History
Rugby ATL
On September 21, 2018, Major League Rugby announced that Atlanta was one of the expansion teams joining the league for the 2020 season.[1] The team name Rugby ATL was revealed on February 26, 2019.[2] The team was unofficially known as the Rattlers and in 2021 an alternate logo with a rattlesnake was unveiled.[3] Rugby ATL played its first three seasons at Lupo Family Field on the campus of Life University in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta . The field was damaged by flooding in September 2021 and the team moved to Silverbacks Park ahead of the 2022 season.[4]
Following the death of their original team owner, S. Marcus Calloway, the ownership of the team was placed into an investment group, acquiring control of the franchise on an interim basis. The move kept Rugby ATL operational, until a permanent ownership group was acquired in 2023.[5]
Rugby FC Los Angeles
On August 2, 2023, Major League Rugby announced that Rugby ATL would be relocating to a yet-to-be announced location for the 2024 season.[5] On August 17, it was announced the team would relocate to Los Angeles . On December 21, it was announced that the team would be renamed to Rugby FC Los Angeles , abbreviated to RFCLA.[6] [7] On the same day, it was announced that RFCLA would play out of Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA .
Season
Kit manufacturer
Shirt sponsor
Other Shirt sponsor(s)
2019
Canterbury
None
None
2020–2023
Paladin Sports
Barbour Orthopedics and Spine
None
Terrapin Beer Co.Body Armor Sports Drink
Roster
The Los Angeles squad for the 2024 Major League Rugby season is:[8]
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold .
* denotes players qualified to play for the United States on dual nationality or residency grounds.
MLR teams are allowed to field up to ten overseas players per match.
Head coaches
Assistant coaches
Captains
Records
Season standings
Season
Conference
Regular season
Postseason
Pos
Pld
W
D
L
F
A
+/−
BP
Pts
Pld
W
L
F
A
+/−
Result
2020 [a]
Eastern
5th
5
2
0
3
116
110
+6
4
12
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cancelled
2021
Eastern
2nd
16
11
0
5
420
321
+99
13
57
2
1
1
27
40
-13
Won East Conference Final (Rugby United New York ) 10–9 Lost Major League Rugby final (LA Giltinis ) 17–31
2022
Eastern
2nd
16
11
0
5
468
340
+128
11
57
1
0
1
19
26
-7
Lost East Conference Eliminator (Rugby New York ) 19–26
2023
Eastern
5th
16
5
1
10
355
428
-73
6
28
-
-
-
-
-
-
Did not qualify
Totals
53
29
1
23
1,359
1,199
+160
28
126
3
1
2
46
66
-20
2 postseason appearances
404 Rugby (2019)
Rugby ATL started with an exhibition side, called 404 Rugby . From September to November 2019, 404 Rugby played exhibition matches against Mystic River , NYAC , Old Blue , and USA Rugby men's club champions Life University .[10]
2019 roster
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
2019 season
All games in the 2019 season were exhibition games and did not count in the MLR standings.
2020 season
On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to fears surrounding the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic .[11] It was cancelled the following week[12]
Regular season
2021 season
Regular season
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
March 20
Toronto Arrows
Home
Won, 21–14
March 27
Old Glory DC
Away
Lost, 23–30
April 3
San Diego Legion
Home
Won, 41–22
April 11
Rugby United New York
Home
Lost, 17–27
April 17
Austin Gilgronis
Away
Lost, 15–17
April 24
New Orleans Gold
Home
Won, 38–28
May 9
Toronto Arrows
Away
Won, 33–29
May 15
New England Free Jacks
Home
Won, 33–18
May 23
Seattle Seawolves
Away
Won, 25–6
May 29
LA Giltinis
Home
Won, 17–12
June 5
New Orleans Gold
Away
Won, 8–7
June 13
Rugby United New York
Away
Lost, 24–31
June 19
Houston SaberCats
Home
Won, 33–15
June 26
Old Glory DC
Home
Won, 32–12
July 10
Utah Warriors
Away
Won, 41–31
July 18
New England Free Jacks
Away
Lost, 19–22
Post season
2022 season
Regular season
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
February 5
Old Glory DC
Home
Won, 55–22
February 12
New Orleans Gold
Away
Won, 14–9
February 19
Rugby New York
Home
Lost, 31–36
March 5
Houston SaberCats
Home
Won, 29–22
March 12
Austin Gilgronis
Home
Won, 29–14
March 20
Old Glory DC
Away
Won, 27–13
March 26
New England Free Jacks
Home
Lost, 27-41
April 2
Toronto Arrows
Away
Won 20-14
April 9
New Orleans Gold
Away
Won, 34-17
April 24
San Diego Legion
Away
Won, 30-17
April 30
LA Giltinis
Home
Lost, 19-31
May 7
Utah Warriors
Away
Lost, 26-44
May 13
New England Free Jacks
Away
Lost, 10-15
May 22
Rugby New York
Away
Won, 38-3
May 28
Toronto Arrows
Home
Won, 34-23
June 3
New Orleans Gold
Home
Won, 45-19
Postseason
Round
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
East Eliminator
June 11
Rugby New York
Home
Lost, 19–26
2023 season
Regular season
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Location
Result
February 17
Rugby ATL
Home
Silverbacks Park
Won, 17–10
February 24
Seattle Seawolves
Away
Starfire Sports Complex
Lost, 28–22
March 4
NOLA Gold
Home
Silverbacks Park
Won, 29–16
March 18
San Diego Legion
Home
Silverbacks Park
Lost, 10–35
March 25
Houston SaberCats
Away
SaberCats Stadium
Lost, 40–28
April 2
New York Ironworkers
Away
Memorial Field
Lost, 31–20
April 8
Old Glory DC
Home
Silverbacks Park
Won, 35–27
April 15
NOLA Gold
Away
The Gold Mine
Won, 23–7
April 22
New England Free Jacks
Away
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Lost, 23–13
May 6
Chicago Hounds
Home
Silverbacks Park
Won, 27–12
May 12
Toronto Arrows
Away
York Lions Stadium
Draw, 34–34
May 20
Dallas Jackals
Home
Silverbacks Park
Lost, 27–19
May 27
Utah Warriors
Away
Zions Bank Stadium
Lost, 28–12
June 2
New England Free Jacks
Home
Silverbacks Park
Lost, 35–14
June 10
New York Ironworkers
Home
Silverbacks Park
Lost, 39–24
June 17
Old Glory DC
Away
Segra Field
Lost, 36–28
Notes
References
^ "Major League Rugby confirms Boston and Atlanta for 2020 – Americas Rugby News". www.americasrugbynews.com . September 21, 2018.
^ "ATLANTA'S NEW MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY TEAM PICKS A NAME". USMLR.com . February 26, 2019.
^ "Rugby ATL unveil new logo for 2021 season". Americas Rugby News . 9 August 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2023 .
^ "Rugby ATL relocate to Silverbacks Park for 2022". Americas Rugby News . 6 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2023 .
^ a b "Major League Rugby's Atlanta Team to Relocate". Major League Rugby . Retrieved 2023-08-03 .
^ "Major League Rugby Officially Announces Rugby FC Los Angeles for 2024". Major League Rugby .
^ "Major League Rugby Officially Announces Rugby Football Club Los Angeles for 2024". Rugby FC LA . Retrieved 22 December 2023 .
^ "RFC Los Angeles". Americas Rugby News . Retrieved 31 December 2023 .
^ "Rugby ATL adds Stephen Brett to coaching staff". Americas Rugby News. 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2022-02-24 .
^ "Schedule".
^ Anonymous, "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SUSPENDS 2020 SEASON FOR 30 DAYS," www.majorleague.rugby, March 12, 2020 Retrieved March 14, 2020
^ "Major League Rugby cancels remainder of 2020 campaign". Yahoo! Sports . AFP. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020 .
External links
Official website
Rugby United New York 31-24 Rugby ATL (photo gallery) at Rugbychampagneweb
RFC Los Angeles
Coach(es) Players
Team captain: TBA
Current squad
Stadiums Seasons Final appearances Championships Other
Teams
Active Teams Future teams Former teams
By year
See also
RFC Los Angeles – current squad
Forwards Backs Coach