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Old Glory DC

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Old Glory DC
Full nameOld Glory DC Rugby Football Club
Nickname(s)The Flags
Founded2018; 6 years ago (2018)
LocationWashington, D.C.
Ground(s)Maryland SoccerPlex (Capacity: 5,000)
ChairmanPaul Sheehy
Chris Dunlavey
Scottish Rugby Union
Coach(es)Simon Cross
Captain(s)Jamason Faʻanana-Schultz
Most capsJack Iscaro (60)
Top scorerJason Robertson (313)
Most triesWilliam Talataina (23)
League(s)Major League Rugby
2023Conference finalist
3rd (Eastern Conference)
Team kit
Official website
oldglorydc.com

Old Glory DC RFC is an American professional rugby union team based in Washington, D.C. that competes in Major League Rugby (MLR). Old Glory was founded in 2018, played some exhibition games in 2019, and began regular-season MLR play in 2020.

The organization is led by two local business leaders, former USA Eagles' Paul Sheehy, and local club rugby player Chris Dunlavey.[1] The Scottish Rugby Union has a part ownership of the team. The team has been coached by Simon Cross since July 2023.

History

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Major League Rugby announced on May 15, 2018, that an expansion team would begin play in Washington, D.C., by the 2020 season[2] and confirmed the team in November 2018.[3] On February 6, 2019, the team name was announced as Old Glory DC. On March 28, 2019, the Scottish Rugby Union announced that it had purchased a minority interest in the team.[4]

After losing seven matches in a row to start the 2022 season, Old Glory DC announced the immediate departure of head coach Andrew Douglas on March 29, 2022. At the time of his departure, Douglas was the longest-tenured head coach in MLR, having joined for the 2019 exhibition season before the first MLR season in 2020. He left with a 10-17-1 overall MLR record and a 37.5% winning percentage.[5][6] Three days later, on April 1, Old Glory DC announced that former NOLA Gold head coach Nate Osborne would serve as an interim head coach for the remainder of the season while the team conducted a search for a permanent replacement.[7]

On October 31, 2022, Josh Syms was announced as the new head coach.[8] On May 15, 2023, it was announced that Syms would leave at the end of the season to coach forwards for the Italian team Zebre Parma.[9] Several weeks later, Old Glory made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.[10] On July 7, 2023, the team announced the hiring of Simon Cross as head coach to replace Syms.[11]

In June 2023, the team announced Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Verdine White and businessman Paxton Baker had become minority owners.[12]

In the 2024 season, Old Glory began play at the Maryland SoccerPlex, a sports complex in Germantown, Maryland. That season, Old Glory made the playoffs for the second time in franchise history.

Stadium

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The team played their exhibition and inaugural campaigns at Cardinal Stadium on the campus of Catholic University of America.[13] In 2021 they moved to Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia.[14] The team played three seasons at Segra Field and on September 6, 2023, it was announced that the team would move to the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland the following season.[15]

Sponsorship

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Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Other Shirt sponsor(s)
2019 Adidas Cuisine Solutions None
2020–2022 Paladin Sports Leidos
Iron Vine Security
2023 Leidos
ECS Tech
2024 Kappa Events DC
ECS Tech
Gringo Gordo Empanadas

Roster

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For player movements before and during the 2024 season, see List of 2023–24 Major League Rugby transfers § Old Glory DC.

The Old Glory DC squad for the 2024 Major League Rugby season is:[16]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Tristan Cole Hooker United States United States
Facundo Gattas Hooker Uruguay Uruguay
KoiKoi Nelligan Hooker United States United States
Martin Vaca Hooker Argentina Argentina
Kevin Brou Prop Ivory Coast Ivory Coast
Jack Iscaro Prop United States United States
Steven Longwell Prop Scotland Scotland
Cali Martinez Prop Canada Canada
Quentin Newcomer Prop United States United States
Tyler Rowland Prop Canada Canada
Joe Wrafter* Prop England England
Ignacio Dotti Lock Uruguay Uruguay
Rob Harley Lock Scotland Scotland
Tevita Naqali Lock Fiji Fiji
Charlie Overton Lock United States United States
Bill Whiteside Lock United States United States
Lautaro Bavaro Back row Argentina Argentina
Brady Daniel Back row United States United States
Cory Daniel Back row United States United States
Jamason Faʻanana-Schultz (c) Back row United States United States
Collin Grosse Back row United States United States
Niko Jones* Back row New Zealand New Zealand
Dacoda Worth Back row United States United States
Player Position Union
Conor Buckley Scrum-half United States United States
Ethan McVeigh Scrum-half United States United States
Danny Tusitala Scrum-half Samoa Samoa
Gradyn Bowd Fly-half Canada Canada
Jason Robertson Fly-half New Zealand New Zealand
Mike Weir Fly-half United States United States
Tommaso Boni Centre United States United States
Palema Roberts Centre United States United States
Ishmail Shabazz Centre United States United States
William Talataina Centre Samoa Samoa
Perry Humphreys Wing England England
Axel Müller Wing Argentina Argentina
John Powers Wing United States United States
John Rizzo Wing United States United States
Mike Dabulas Fullback United States United States
Damien Hoyland Fullback Scotland Scotland
  • 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

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Captains

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Records

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Season standings

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Season Conference Regular season Postseason
Pos Pld W D L F A +/− BP Pts Pld W L F A +/− Result
2020[a] Eastern 2nd 5 4 0 1 122 129 -7 1 17 - - - - - - Cancelled
2021 Eastern 5th 16 6 1 9 409 490 -81 13 39 - - - - - - Did not qualify
2022 Eastern 6th 16 3 0 13 423 591 -168 11 23 - - - - - - Did not qualify
2023 Eastern 3rd 16 7 1 8 408 443 -35 13 43 2 1 1 44 58 -14 Won Eliminator Game (Rugby New York) 37-33
Lost Conference Final (New England Free Jacks) 25-7
Totals 53 20 2 31 1,362 1,653 -291 38 122 2 1 1 44 58 -14 1 postseason appearance

2019 season

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All games in the 2019 season were exhibition games and did not count in the MLR standings.

Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
May 19 Shannon RFC Home Cardinal Stadium Lost, 22-26
May 27 Scotland U-20 Home Cardinal Stadium Lost, 7-70
June 1 USA Rugby South Panthers Home Cardinal Stadium Won, 28-7
June 9 Ontario Blues Home Cardinal Stadium Won, 29-15

2020 season

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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.[17] It was cancelled the following week.[18]

Regular season
Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
February 8 New Orleans Gold Away Gold Mine Lost, 13-46
February 16 Seattle Seawolves Home Cardinal Stadium Won, 28-22
February 22 Houston SaberCats Away Aveva Stadium Won, 22-13
February 29 Austin Gilgronis Away Toyota Stadium Won, 28-19
March 8 Rugby ATL Home Cardinal Stadium Won, 31-29
March 15 Colorado Raptors Home Cardinal Stadium Cancelled
March 22 San Diego Legion Away Torero Stadium Cancelled
March 29 Rugby United New York Home Cardinal Stadium Cancelled
April 11 New Orleans Gold Home Cardinal Stadium Cancelled
April 18 New England Free Jacks Away Union Point Sports Complex Cancelled
April 26 Toronto Arrows Home Cardinal Stadium Cancelled
May 3 Utah Warriors Home Cardinal Stadium Cancelled
May 9 Rugby United New York Away MCU Park Cancelled
May 17 Rugby ATL Away Life University Running Eagles Stadium Cancelled
May 24 New England Free Jacks Home Cardinal Stadium Cancelled
May 31 Toronto Arrows Away Lamport Stadium Cancelled

2021 season

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Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
March 21 NOLA Gold Away Gold Mine Draw, 26-26
March 27 Rugby ATL Home Segra Field Won, 30-23
April 3 Toronto Arrows Home Segra Field Lost, 19-40
April 18 RUNY Away MCU Park Lost, 34-38
April 25 New England Free Jacks Home Segra Field Won, 35-22
May 1 LA Giltinis Away Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Lost, 17-47
May 8 Utah Warriors Away Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 33-34
May 16 Seattle Seawolves Home Segra Field Won, 22-18
May 22 Houston SaberCats Away Aveva Stadium Won, 21-13
May 30 RUNY Home Segra Field Lost, 10-46
June 6 New England Free Jacks Away Union Point Sports Complex Lost, 34-38
June 12 NOLA Gold Home Segra Field Lost, 21-25
June 26 Rugby ATL Away Lupo Family Field Lost, 12-32
July 4 Toronto Arrows Away Lupo Family Field[b] Lost, 28-34
July 10 San Diego Legion Home Segra Field Won, 38-29
July 17 Austin Gilgronis Home Segra Field Won, 29-25

2022 season

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Exhibition

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Old Glory played two preseason matches in January 2022. Both matches were held at the St. James Sports Complex, a series of indoor fields in Springfield, Virginia.[19]

Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
January 21 Toronto Arrows Home St. James Sports Complex Lost, 47-17
January 28 New England Free Jacks Home St. James Sports Complex Won, 27-22

Regular season

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Old Glory played eighteen matches in the regular season with two bye weeks. Their home matches were played at Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia.[20] Because the MLR's Eastern Conference had one team fewer than the Western Conference, Old Glory played the Toronto Arrows three times in the regular season, once at home and twice in Toronto.

Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
February 5 Rugby ATL Away Atlanta Silverbacks Park Lost, 22-55
February 12 Austin Gilgronis Away Bold Stadium Lost, 12-57
February 18 New England Free Jacks Home Segra Field Lost, 25-41
February 26 Toronto Arrows Home Segra Field Lost, 5-29
March 6 San Diego Legion Away SDSU Sports Deck Lost, 12-24
March 20 Rugby ATL Home Segra Field Lost, 13-27
March 26 New Orleans Gold Home Segra Field Lost, 22-31
April 3 Rugby New York Away JFK Stadium Lost, 31-35
April 9 Toronto Arrows Away York Lions Stadium Lost, 27-32
April 15 Utah Warriors Home Segra Field Won, 22-21
April 23 Dallas Jackals Home Segra Field Won, 50-10
May 7 New England Free Jacks Away Veterans Memorial Stadium Lost, 26-20
May 14 New Orleans Gold Away Gold Mine on Airline Lost, 50-21
May 21 Houston Sabercats Home Segra Field Lost, 42-59
May 29 Rugby New York Home Segra Field Lost, 49-59
June 5 Toronto Arrows Away York Lions Stadium Won, 50-35

2023 season

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Old Glory played 16 games in the 2023 regular season. All eight home games were played at Segra Field. They advanced to the playoffs, defeating the Rugby New York Ironworkers to advance to the conference final, which they lost to the New England Free Jacks.

Regular season

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Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
February 18 Chicago Hounds Home Segra Field Won, 42-27
March 5 Rugby New York Ironworkers Away Memorial Field Lost, 34-8
March 11 New England Free Jacks Away Veterans Memorial Stadium Lost, 34-31
March 18 Toronto Arrows Home Segra Field Won, 29-3
March 25 NOLA Gold Home Segra Field Lost, 17-20
April 2 San Diego Legion Away Snapdragon Stadium Lost, 48-26
April 8 Rugby ATL Away Atlanta Silverbacks Park Lost, 35-27
April 16 Rugby New York Ironworkers Home Segra Field Won, 42-31
April 22 Utah Warriors Home Segra Field Won, 36-22
May 6 Dallas Jackals Away Choctaw Stadium Won, 7-3[c]
May 14 New England Free Jacks Home Segra Field Lost, 24-42
May 18 Toronto Arrows Away York Lions Stadium Draw, 29-29
May 27 Seattle Seawolves Home Segra Field Lost, 41-19
June 3 NOLA Gold Away Gold Mine Won, 28-15
June 9 Houston SaberCats Away SaberCats Stadium Lost, 31-7
June 17 Rugby ATL Home Segra Field Won, 36-28

Postseason

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Round Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
East Eliminator June 25 Rugby New York Ironworkers Away Memorial Field Won, 37-33
East Conference Finals July 1 New England Free Jacks Away Veterans Memorial Stadium Lost, 7-25

2024 season

[edit]

Old Glory played 16 games in the 2024 regular season. All eight home games were played at the Maryland SoccerPlex. The team made it to the playoffs for the second time in its history, securing a place by taking a losing bonus point in their loss to the Miami Sharks on June 22. They made the playoffs for the second time in team history and were defeated by the New England Free Jacks in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final.

Regular season

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Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
March 2 NOLA Gold Away Gold Mine Lost, 18-6
March 9 New England Free Jacks Away Veterans Memorial Stadium Won, 35-34
March 16 Chicago Hounds Home Maryland SoccerPlex Draw, 22-22
March 23 San Diego Legion Home Maryland SoccerPlex Lost, 27-11
March 30 Anthem RC Away American Legion Memorial Stadium Won, 46-32
April 6 RFC Los Angeles Home Maryland SoccerPlex Draw, 22-22
April 20 Houston SaberCats Home Maryland SoccerPlex Lost, 38-17
April 26 Utah Warriors Away Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 31-24
May 4 Miami Sharks Home Maryland SoccerPlex Won, 13-10
May 11 Chicago Hounds Away SeatGeek Stadium Won, 22-21
May 24 Seattle Seawolves Away Starfire Sports Complex Lost, 26-24
June 1 Anthem RC Home Maryland SoccerPlex Won, 47-29
June 8 New England Free Jacks Home Maryland SoccerPlex Lost, 31-30
June 14 Dallas Jackals Away Choctaw Stadium Won, 36-34
June 22 Miami Sharks Away Chase Stadium Lost, 17-12
June 29 NOLA Gold Home Maryland SoccerPlex Won, 27-24

Postseason

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Round Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
Eastern Semi-Final July 20 New England Free Jacks Away Veterans Memorial Stadium Lost, 33-29

Notes

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  1. ^ 2020 regular season shortened and playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. ^ The Arrows temporarily relocated for the 2021 season due to COVID-19 border crossing concerns.
  3. ^ Match abandoned at halftime due to hazardous weather conditions.

References

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  1. ^ Neibauer, Michael (May 17, 2018). "Two local business leaders may field professional D.C. rugby team". Washington Business Journal.
  2. ^ Pengelly, Martin (May 15, 2018). "Washington DC team to enter Major League Rugby 'no later' than 2020". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Rowe, James (November 3, 2018). "Toronto Officially Joins Major League Rugby For 2019; Washington, DC In 2020". The Runner Sports.
  4. ^ "Scottish Rugby take minority stake in new U.S. team". ESPN. Reuters. March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  5. ^ McCay, Chris (29 March 2022). "Head Coach Andrew Douglas to Depart Old Glory DC". Old Glory DC. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Old Glory parts ways with Head Coach Andrew Douglas". Americas Rugby News. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  7. ^ Allen, Hope (April 2022). "Old Glory DC Names Nate Osborne Interim Head Coach". Old Glory DC. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Old Glory DC Announces Joshua "Josh" Syms as Head Coach". Old Glory DC. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  9. ^ "Josh Syms to depart DC for Italy". Americas Rugby News. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Old Glory slides past Gold to book first ever playoff spot". Americas Rugby News. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Simon Cross Named Head Coach of Old Glory DC". Old Glory DC. July 7, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  12. ^ Mosley, Kyle T. (13 June 2023). "Earth, Wind, and Fire's Verdine White Ventures Into Sports Ownership". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  13. ^ "New home field for Old Glory DC in MLR 2024". Americas Rugby News. September 6, 2023.
  14. ^ Augenstein, Neal (October 22, 2020). "Pro rugby team Old Glory DC moving to Loudoun County". WTOP-FM. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  15. ^ "Old Glory DC Announces the Maryland Soccerplex as Our Home Venue for the 2024 Major League Rugby Season". Old Glory DC. September 6, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  16. ^ "Old Glory DC". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  17. ^ "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SUSPENDS 2020 SEASON FOR 30 DAYS". Major League Rugby. March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  18. ^ "Major League Rugby cancels remainder of 2020 campaign". Yahoo! Sports. Agence France-Presse. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  19. ^ "2022 Old Glory Preseason Schedule". Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  20. ^ "2022 Match Schedule". Retrieved 4 January 2022.
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