Professional Rugby Union Team from Boston, Massachusetts
Rugby team
The New England Free Jacks are a professional rugby union team in Major League Rugby (MLR) based in the Greater Boston area. They were announced in September 2018 and began to compete professionally in October 2018.[1] MLR in the 2020 season . On July 8, 2023, they became the MLR Champions for the 2023 season , after defeating San Diego Legion in a closely fought match.
History On September 21, 2018, Major League Rugby announced that Boston would be one of the expansion teams joining the league for the 2020 season.[2] Ontario Arrows at Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia . Early rosters from these matches included a mixture of veteran professional players from the disbanded PRO Rugby competition and top local talent from clubs such as the Boston Irish Wolfhounds and Mystic River .
NFL players Nate Ebner and Patrick Chung are minority owners of the Free Jacks.[3] [4]
Season
Kit manufacturer
Shirt sponsor
Other Shirt sponsor(s)
2018
Canterbury
None
None
2018–2019
Boathouse
2020–2021
Paladin Sports
2022
Alloy Therapeutics
2023
Tufts Medical Center, Dude Wipes
2024–present
Kappa
Roster The New England Free Jacks squad for the 2024 Major League Rugby season is:[5]
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
Senior 15s and senior 7s 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 Scott Mathie (2021-present)[6] Captains Leadership Staff for 2022 Major League Rugby Season: [7]
Staff Position
Name
Head Coach
Scott Mathie
Assistant Coach
Mike Rogers
Performance Director
Tom Kindley
Owners [8]
Position
Name
Co-Founder, Owner and CEO
Alex Magleby
Co-Founder, Owner and Chairman
Errik Anderson
Owner and Board Member
David Barry
Owner and Board Member
Jonathan Bobbett
Owner
Patrick Chung
Owner
Nate Ebner
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
9th 5
1
0
4
139
158
-19
5
9 -
-
-
-
-
-
Cancelled
2021
Eastern
6th 16
10
0
6
360
332
+28
8
48 -
-
-
-
-
-
Did not qualify
2022
Eastern
1st 16
13
0
3
454
328
+126
8
62 1
0
1
16
24
-8
Lost Conference Final (Rugby New York ) 16–24
2023
Eastern
1st 16
14
0
2
556
273
+283
12
68 2
2
0
50
31
+19
Won Conference Final (Old Glory DC ) 25-7Won Major League Rugby final San Diego Legion 25-24
Totals
53
38
0
15
1509
1091
+418
33
187
3
2
1
66
55
+11
2 postseason appearances
Notes Head coaches
Coach
Nationality
Start
End
Games
Win
Loss
Draw
Win %
Josh Smith
United States October 19, 2018
July 28, 2020
5
1
4
0
20.0
Ryan Martin
New Zealand July 28, 2020
July 18, 2021
16
10
6
0
62.5
Scott Mathie South Africa September 9, 2021
present
16
13
3
0
81.2
2019 season All games in the 2019 season were exhibition games and did not count in the league standings; the team played to a record of 1–7, losing their first seven games and winning their final match of the season.
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Location
Result
October 20, 2018
Ontario Arrows Away
Wanderers Grounds Lost, 14–40
December 1, 2018
Rugby United New York Home
Union Point Sports Complex Lost, 35–38
February 9, 2019
Utah Warriors Away
Zions Bank Training Center
Lost, 15–70
March 16, 2019 Connacht A [9] Home
Union Point Sports Complex Lost, 7–38
March 24, 2019 Ulster A [9] Home
Union Point Sports Complex Lost, 15–43
April 6, 2019 Munster A [9] Home
Irish Cultural Centre GAA Field
Lost, 19–38
April 14, 2019 Leinster A [9] Home
Harvard Mignone Field Lost, 12–55
May 18, 2019
Toronto Arrows Home
Brophy Field at Dartmouth's Postponed
June 1, 2019
Lansdowne F.C. Home
Irish Cultural Centre GAA Field
Won, 46–29
2020 season On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to fears surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic .[10] [11] MLR , 6th in the Eastern Conference.[12]
Exhibition Regular season The team accrued a 1–4 record before the season was halted.
2021 season The Free Jacks' first game of the 2021 season was played on March 20, facing LA Giltinis in Los Angeles.[13]
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Location
Result
March 20
LA Giltinis Away
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Lost, 27–42
March 27
Houston SaberCats Away
Aveva Stadium Won, 32-0
April 3
Utah Warriors Home
Union Point Sports Complex Won, 22-21
April 17
NOLA Gold Away
Shrine on Airline Lost, 30-29
April 25
Old Glory DC Away
Segra Field Lost, 29-35
May 1
San Diego Legion Away
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Won, 33-17
May 8
Austin Gilgronis Home
Union Point Sports Complex
Won, 22-18
May 15
Rugby ATL Away
Life University Lost, 18-33
May 23
Rugby United New York Away
Cochrane Stadium Lost, 19-29
May 29
Toronto Arrows Home
Union Point Sports Complex
Won, 14-12
June 6
Old Glory DC
Home
Union Point Sports Complex
Won, 38-34
June 13
Seattle Seawolves Home
Union Point Sports Complex
Won, 25-21
June 27
NOLA Gold
Home
Union Point Sports Complex
Lost, 9-17
July 3
Rugby United New York
Home
Union Point Sports Complex
Won, 22-6
July 11
Toronto Arrows
Away
Life University
Won, 28-17
July 18
Rugby ATL
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium Won, 22-19
Source:[14]
2022 season Regular season
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Location
Result
February 5
New Orleans Gold Away
Gold Mine on Airline Won, 24-13
February 18
Old Glory DC Away
Segra Field Won, 41-25
February 27
LA Giltinis Away
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Lost, 15-19
March 6
Rugby New York Away
John F. Kennedy Stadium Won, 38-29
March 12
Toronto Arrows Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium Won, 21-15
March 19
Austin Gilgronis Away
Bold Stadium Won, 25-17
March 26
Rugby ATL Away
Silverbacks Park Won, 41-27
April 2
New Orleans Gold
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Won, 33-29
April 9
Seattle Seawolves Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Won, 24-22
April 24
Rugby New York
Away
John F. Kennedy Stadium
Won, 29-26
April 30
Utah Warriors Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Won, 33-17
May 7
Old Glory DC
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Won, 26-20
May 13
Rugby ATL
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Won, 15-10
May 19
Toronto Arrows
Away
York Lions Stadium Lost, 18-33
May 29
New Orleans Gold
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Won, 57-5
June 3
Rugby New York
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Lost, 14-21
Source:[15]
Post season
Round
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Venue
Result
East Conference Finals
June 19
Rugby New York Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Lost, 16–24
2023 season Preseason Regular season
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Location
Result
February 17
New Orleans Gold Away
The Gold Mine W, 36-12
February 26
San Diego Legion Away
Snapdragon Stadium L, 12-29
March 11
Old Glory DC Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium W, 34-31
March 19
Rugby New York Away
Mount Vernon Memorial Stadium W, 33-18
March 25
Dallas Jackals Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
W, 10-9
March 31
Utah Warriors Away
Zions Bank Stadium L, 24-26
April 8
Chicago Hounds Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
W, 31-19
April 15
Toronto Arrows Away
York Lions Stadium W, 80-5
April 22
Rugby ATL Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
W, 23-13
April 30
Rugby New York
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
W, 8-0
May 14
Old Glory DC
Away
Segra Field W, 42-12
May 21
New Orleans Gold
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
W, 50-3
May 27
Toronto Arrows
Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
W, 57-20
June 2
Rugby ATL
Away
Silverbacks Park W, 35-14
June 11
Seattle Seawolves Away
Starfire Stadium W, 34-26
June 18
Houston SaberCats Home
Veterans Memorial Stadium
W, 47-24
Post Season 2024 season Preseason Regular season Entertainment Mascot On May 7, 2021, the Free Jacks announced a mascot, Woodgy, a furry blue creature with rugby headband tape who wears Free Jacks rugby kit.[16]
Academy New England Independents On January 8, 2020, the Free Jacks announced that they would compete in two preseason matches against the New England Independents , a brand new select team of local All-Star talent representing eight clubs throughout New England.[17] Boston Irish Wolfhounds , was selected as the head coach.
Roster Squad for 2020 Major League Rugby Preseason: [18] [19]
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
Regional academies
Club
Region
the Alarm
Boston
Champs
Champlain
Cobblers
North Shore
Granite Hammers
Southern New Hampshire
Lightfoots
Western MA
Mutineers
Rhode Island
Night Watch
Upper CT
Pathfinders
Central MA
Pine Rioters
Southern Vermont & New Hampshire
River Rangers
Upper Valley
the Sea Serpents
Maine Seacoast
Silver Sharks
South Shore
Whistle Punks
New England North
[20]
Junior Jacks The Junior Jacks are the youth academy level for the Free Jacks.
References
^ "New England Free Jacks Roster Announced" . The Runner Sports . 2018-10-19. Retrieved 2019-01-18 .^ "Major League Rugby confirms Boston and Atlanta for 2020 - Americas Rugby News" . Americasrugbynews.com . Retrieved 23 November 2018 .^ "Patriots Patrick Chung, Nate Ebner embracing roles as Major League Rugby minority owners" .^ "New England Free Jacks Expand Ownership, Introduce Nate Ebner & Patrick Chung - The Runner Sports" .^ "New England Free Jacks" . Americas Rugby News . Retrieved 31 December 2023 .^ "Free Jacks Appoint Scott Mathie Head Coach and Mike Rogers Senior Assistant" . Major League Rugby . Retrieved 2021-12-10 .^ "Staff" . New England Free Jacks . Retrieved 26 March 2022 .^ "Leadership" . New England Free Jacks . Retrieved 26 March 2022 .^ a b c d "Free Jacks To Host Irish Provincial 'A' Sides" . Thisisamericanrugby.com . Retrieved 23 November 2018 .^ 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 .^ "Standings" . Major League Rugby. Retrieved 28 May 2020 .^ Banks, Doug (March 20, 2021). "Professional rugby team New England Free Jacks to debut in Massachusetts" . masslive.com . Retrieved March 21, 2021 . ^ "2021 Scheduled" . freejacks.com . Retrieved March 21, 2021 .^ "2022 Scheduled" . freejacks.com . Retrieved January 13, 2022 .^ "𝙒𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙜𝙮 – 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚍 | New England Free Jacks" . Retrieved 2021-05-10 .^ "The New England Free Jacks, Boston's First Professional Rugby Team, Announce Two Free Preseason Matches In The Month Of January At Union Point Sports Complex | New England Free Jacks" . Retrieved 2021-06-21 .^ [1] “1-18-2020 New England Independents Squad”^ [2] "1-24-2020 New England Independents Squad”^ "FREE JACKS LAUNCH NEW ENGLAND-WIDE ACADEMY" . freejacks.com . 2020-09-24. Retrieved 2020-09-24 .
External links
Coach(es) Players Personnel Stadiums Seasons Final appearances Podcasts Other
Teams
Active Teams Future teams Former teams
By year
See also
Josh Smith (2018–2020)
Ryan Martin (2020–2021)
Scott Mathie (2021-present)[6]
United States
New Zealand
South Africa
