SEATTLE, WA — In a heart-stopping rematch of the 2024 MLR Championship, the Seattle Seawolves staged a dramatic comeback to edge out the New England Free Jacks 27-24 on Saturday night at Starfire Stadium. In front of a packed home crowd, the Seawolves secured not only the victory but also a crucial bonus point in the first Coffee Cup Clash of the 2025 season.
With two of Major League Rugby’s premier sides facing off under the lights, the match lived up to every bit of its billing. New England hit the ground running, looking every bit the defending champions as they raced out to a 14-0 lead inside the first 20 minutes, courtesy of two clinical tries and conversions.
But Seattle wasn't going down quietly. Prop Cameron Orr stepped up in a big way for the home side, crashing over for two powerful tries that reignited the Seawolves’ momentum. Despite both conversions sailing wide, Seattle clawed back into the contest. The two teams traded blows before halftime, with each side adding another try to their tally. New England’s superior kicking kept them ahead, however, and the Free Jacks carried a 24-15 lead into the break.
The second half began with New England a man down after a second yellow card late in the first stanza, and the Seawolves pounced. In the 44th minute, outside center Mika Kruse sliced through the Free Jacks’ defense to score Seattle’s fourth try of the night. This time, Rodney Iona took over kicking duties and calmly slotted the conversion, narrowing the gap to just two points.
As the physicality escalated, both sides missed opportunities to add to the scoreboard via penalty kicks and the Seawolves continued to keep the Free Jacks pointless in the second half with both defenses standing tall in a fierce territorial battle.
The final word belonged to Seattle. In the 79th minute, with the match hanging in the balance, Malacchi Esdale broke through for the Seawolves’ fifth try of the night, sealing a dramatic 27-24 victory and igniting celebrations throughout Starfire Stadium.
FULL-TIME: SEATTLE SEAWOLVES 27 – NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS 24
“Credit to both teams for a wonderful contest. It was nip and tuck, but I felt we deserved the victory especially scoring 5 tries to 3,” said Seawolves Head Coach, Allen Clarke. “The boys showed real character to keep believing we’d eventually get our rewards, and thankfully Malacchi finished brilliantly in the 79th minute to give our fans the win they deserved.”
Seattle’s five-try performance not only earned them the win but also a valuable bonus point for scoring more than four tries, and they get to keep the Coffee Cup in Seattle—an early statement in their 2025 MLR campaign.
The Seawolves now turn their focus to next Saturday, March 15, when they hit the road to face RFCLA at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT as Seattle looks to keep their momentum rolling in Week 5 of the competition.