Tukwila, Wash., April 3, 2026 – Old Glory DC fell 16-33 on the road to the Seattle Seawolves in a physical, back-and-forth contest at Starfire Stadium, as a refreshed DC lineup showed reliance despite key momentum swings.
With nine players making their club debuts, Old Glory’s starting XV blended new faces with core contributors. Fly half Jason Robertson proved instrumental as the primary playmaker, while Schumacher consistently threatened on the outside.
DC faced early pressure, as offsides call and a difficult clearance kick handed Seattle strong field position. The Seawolves nearly opened scoring three minutes in with a kick off the post and capitalized shortly after. At 5:50, Seattle crossed for the opening try following repeated DC penalties, with Coetzer adding the conversion for a 0-7 lead.
Old Glory responded through Robertson, who put DC on the board with a penalty in the eighth minute. As the half progressed, DC began to settle in despite the narrow Starfire pitch
limiting their ability to fully stretch the field. Momentum shifted midway through the half as DC gained more possession and territory. Strong defensive efforts helped stabilize the match,
while Robertson added two more penalty kicks, including a long-range strike from near midfield in the 31st minute to give DC a 9-7 lead.
Seattle responded before halftime, reclaiming control through Coetzer’s boot. A captain’s challenge late in the half resulted in a penalty against DC, allowing Seattle to extend their
lead to 9-13 at the break. Despite trailing, Old Glory led in dominant contact (5-3) and had begun to even out possession after a Seattle-heavy start.
The second half opened with intensity, as Seattle extended their lead to 9-16 following another penalty. Tensions rose during a series of physical exchanges and stoppages, but DC
remained composed. Even while managing a yellow card, Old Glory produced a key moment in the 54th minute as Robertson finished a well-executed 2-on-1 opportunity for a try and
converted from a difficult angle to level the score at 16-16.
Seattle answered quickly, capitalizing on open play to score in the 57th minute and regain a 16-23 advantage. The Seawolves continued to find success in broken play, adding another
penalty through Coetzer, who was later named Player of the Match, to extend the lead to 16-26.
The match remained physical deep into the second half, highlighted by a red card issued to Seattle’s Pedersen following head contact, giving DC a numerical advantage. Old Glory
showed strength at the scrum and continued to push for a late breakthrough, but Seattle’s defense held firm.
In stoppage time, the Seawolves sealed the result with a final try, confirmed after review, bringing the score to 16-33.
Despite the result, Old Glory DC showed promising signs, particularly through Robertson’s leadership and strong contributions across a lineup featuring significant new talent. The
performance provides a foundation to build on as the squad continues to develop cohesion early in the season.
Old Glory DC will look to respond next week with an away matchup against the New England Free Jacks on April 11 at 4 pm EST.
By: Ellie Wileman