OG Nation!
Check this out!
THE CRAZIEST ENDING TO A RUGBY MATCH YOU WILL EVER SEE!
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/2mxhhMetUak
The 2025 MLR season is upon us! And if you somehow happened to miss that viral clip from Old Glory’s opener in Miami, you may not realize it yet, but this is going to be one exciting season of professional rugby!
Old Glory spent 2024 riding a wave of growing success. We demonstrated that the Simon Cross era in DC will come to be known for OG’s consistency of play, emphasizing strong defense and getting the basics right, from set pieces to the kicking game. Through the season, we acclimated ourselves to our new home at the Maryland Soccerplex, which offers not only one of the highest quality natural grass pitches in MLR (lauded by players and team medical staffs alike, for both its safety and quality of play) but also a beautiful setting for watching rugby, from the grassy berm where kids love to play beyond the south goalposts to the tree-lined fully open concourse allowing views the entirety of the field and the stands from any angle in the venue.
Throughout the season, our fan support grew, peaking visibly with our final home game – a victory over New Orleans – achieving a record-high attendance for any game at any venue in Old Glory’s history. On the pitch, the season culminated in our second consecutive playoff appearance, ending only when we fell short against the eventual league champion, our Eastern Division rival New England, in a game featuring multiple lead changes and a tight 33-29 final score.
But the rugby action in DC did not end with the MLR season. In July, Old Glory and our fans participated in hosting a USA vs Scotland international test at Audi Field, and throughout the fall we were able to follow a strong contingent of OG’s playing for the USA national side in both the Pacific Nations Cup tournament and November internationals. Jack Iscaro, Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, Cory Daniel, Tomasso Boni and Ethan McVeigh all distinguished themselves in Eagles duty, with Collin Grosse and Connor Buckley also making the player pool, as the Eagles placed fourth in the Pacific Nations Cup and turned in a three-game winning streak in November.
Meanwhile, Coach Cross and his coaching staff and players committed themselves to a deeper level of support for grassroots rugby throughout the DMV than OG has ever achieved. Both our Young Glory elite academy sides and our region’s clubs, ranging from the youth level to senior men’s and women’s sides, received coaching and development directly from OG’s professionals, applying the same principles and approaches embraced by Old Glory’s MLR side.
In short, 2024 was a worthy demonstration of what Old Glory is all about: playing the best possible professional rugby in North America, and cultivating the growth and development of the greatest team sport in the world at every level, from the local grassroots to the US internationals.
So what should you expect for 2025? Simple: all of the same, only more and better.
From top to bottom, the Old Glory organization is committed to nothing less than the goal of bringing the MLR Shield home to DC and the OG family. We will strive to achieve that goal relying on both the cohesion and common purpose of a very consistent player group, under a consistent coaching staff, and a focus on the highest quality domestic talent. This year, OG is returning 28 players in our 35 man senior squad, all for a second season under Simon Cross and his assistants. 23 of those 35 players are US eligible – more, we believe, than any other MLR side except Anthem. Meanwhile, a few key additions have already shown the type of solid play punctuated by electric performance that will be Old Glory’s personality in 2025.
Our General Manager Robyn Remick and her front office staff have worked hard through the off-season to deliver a game-day experience at the Soccerplex that we expect to be improved in all areas across the board. Meanwhile, MLR has secured ESPN as our national media partner this year, streaming every game on ESPN+, and regionally Old Glory will partner with Monumental Sports Network, who will carry all of our games live. All matches will also be streamed on delay worldwide via The Rugby Network. Old Glory’s season will include match-ups with every single team in MLR, ensuring the best professional rugby in the Americas will be brought to our fans week after week.
Be aware: 2025 will be a banner year for rugby in the U.S., with MLR undertaking its eighth season of pro rugby, the commencement of Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), USA Rugby celebrating its 50th anniversary year, and an unprecedented number of men’s and women’s test matches to be hosted on U.S. soil. Rugby will be widespread in colleges, high schools, and youth leagues, particularly in the DMV area, so get on board and don’t miss out! Rugby is growing in the US!
The only thing left needed to complete the picture is YOU! Make no mistake, OG Nation, our players feed off your energy and support, and we need your help to make the Maryland Soccerplex the toughest place in MLR for opposing teams to play. Some of our fans come to our games from as far away as the Norfolk / Virginia Beach area (like Ed and Sue Spring Parks), Maryland’s Eastern Shore (like Vera Camillo) and Pennsylvania (like Marc Knight) – let’s honor their commitment by helping them fill up the Soccerplex for every game! Come on out, from our home opener on March 1 to the playoff games we hope to host in June! Don’t miss your chance to get the bet seats at the most intense and entertaining professional sport experience in town! In fact, we recommend that you consider investing in a season ticket, even if you are not able to attend every game – you can always gift the tickets to help a friend experience our great sport for the first time. Help us grow the game!
Tickets can be purchased here: Washington DC Sports Tickets (2025) | Fever
With gratitude toward every member of OG Nation,
Chris Dunlavey and Paul Sheehy
