Episodes
Dan and Pete catch up after some Thanksgiving Turkey finding out the best tips and tricks for putting up Christmas Lights ahead of Santa's arrival. With that we wrap up some presents that teams have been delivering to their fans in players extensions and signings ahead of season five. Heading into MLR's fifth year we thought it was more appropriate to bring stories off the pitch. Heading into the New Year we'll look at the last four chapters sitting down with Owners, Players, and...
Published 12/16/21
Dan and Pete sit down to discuss the 2022 Major League Rugby Schedule and the implications it has for teams on their path to the MLR Shield. Pete identifies those implications and their impact during the professor's breakdown. Canada finished their European tour with a win over Belgium which was important as the side rebuilds to prepare for their eventual qualification path to the 2027 World Cup. Following the Conference schedule primers Dan and Pete discuss the transactions that...
Published 11/18/21
A lot has happened around the world of Major League Rugby over the past 14 days. Dan and Pete sit down to discuss the transactions and the moves around the league as we inch toward the opening of training camp. Yes, it's that close. Jamie Mackenzie, Les Rouges #387 and Arrow #36, stops by for a chat with Dan and Pete to discuss his career and the direction that Rugby Canada has been heading following their failure to qualify for the 2023 World Cup. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and...
Published 11/04/21
On the eve of the US Eagles facing the mighty All Blacks, Dan and James throw it back to 2014 inviting Ryan Crotty and Andrew Suniula onto the show to discuss their head to head match up in the mid-field. Ryan Crotty, All Black #1124, enjoyed his time ahead of their first match against the US in the United States. He discusses the chance to visit during their press tour getting led around Chicago with Andrew, mentioning that he spent a lot of time trying to find the best pizza in town....
Published 10/21/21
Dan's back, just in time for the massive show that covers the latest developments in International Rugby. Dan and Pete sit down to discuss the Rugby World Cup qualification series that have just come to a close that left Canada out of the Rugby World Cup for the first time ever. The US Eagles will now face Chile in World Cup Qualifiers in Summer 2022 following their aggregate loss to Uruguay. Chance Wenglewski stops by for a chat following his time in Eagles camp that ended quite abruptly...
Published 10/14/21
Gary Gold joins Pete Steinberg and James Paterson to discuss the US successful series against Canada and the looming Uruguay series for Americas 1 seat at the Rugby World Cup. Coach Gold frankly discusses the first match against Canada and the Eagles failure and the subsequent success in Glendale eyeing the tactics used by both teams. He also discusses how he scouts every MLR game and uses Analytics to track players which led directly to Andrew Guerra being selected, he also draws a...
Published 09/23/21
Former US Eagle and MLR Commentator James Paterson joins Pete to catch up following the MLR Championship and 2021 Draft. The first leg of the USA v. CAN qualifying match took place on 4 September and the Canadians proved victorious, the first time in eight years that Canada had defeated the US Eagles. A look back on the season that was, James and Pete discuss all twelve MLR teams in detail and highlight improvements that need to be made for 2022. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and...
Published 09/09/21
Following the second annual Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft Dan and Pete catch up to discuss how the teams did and judge whether selections were used to draft the best talent available or for need in the ages old debate. Number one overall Eric Naposki sits down with Aaron to discuss his rugby journey and dealing with adversity at a young age. Dan sits down with Gerald Lowe to get inside the mind of the 39th and last pick of the 2021 draft. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out...
Published 08/26/21
Dan and Pete look back at the success of the 2020 Major League Rugby Draft, noting the successes of the process providing players an opportunity and connecting the pathway between MLR and the Collegiate game in the US. In 2021 MLR opens the draft to the Canadian University system completing that same pathway. 2020 First overall pick Conner Mooneyham stops by to discuss his season and the process he went through from being drafted by Dallas and then having an outstanding season for AG...
Published 08/19/21
After a short break following the MLR Championship Final Dan and Pete return to hand out this season's awards. Mikey Te'o moved to Utah following the shortened season in 2020 and was nothing short of a Game Changer every time he was on the pitch, he is your 2021 MLR Player of the Year. Johan Momsen was the physical leader of Rugby ATL dominating the tackle count, he is your 2021 MLR Forward of the Year. Billy Meakes brought his old school style and his new school ways off the field to LA...
Published 08/12/21
Dan and Pete go on the road to the LA Memorial Coliseum. MLR Kickoff 100 features LA Head Coach Darren Coleman and Captain Dave Dennis to discuss their path to the final and the work ahead of them. MLR Commissioner George Killebrew discusses the long season and the rousing success that Sunday's match will give for the young league having complete 98 matches without a cancellation to this point. (At kickoff on Sunday that became 99-0) ATL Head Coach Scott Lawrence and Captains Matt Heaton...
Published 08/03/21
With Week 18 drawn to a close Dan and Pete look at the implications the matches had ahead of the Conference Finals. In hard fought matches both Eastern Playoff teams enter the match on Saturday with a loss in their rear view mirror. Utah gain some confidence with a win over LA that pushed them to the brink, knowing that when they play LA in the Coliseum they'll have to play just as hard if they want to make it to their first Major League Rugby Shield Final. Sama Malolo has been around the...
Published 07/22/21
After a rousing win over Los Angeles in Week 16, the Golden Road Warriors fell against Seattle in Week 17 of Season 4. LA, Utah, and Atlanta secure their spots in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals. New York gives themselves a leg up in the race for the final spot following their rousing victory over Houston. Johan Momsen has been a key fixture since joining Rugby ATL for their expansion season in the Pandemic shortened 2020. In 2021 he picked up where he left off with his massive...
Published 07/15/21
With the week that celebrated both Canada Day and the United States Independence Day, North American Rugby fans were treated to some epic Rugby over the weekend. NOLA Gold has transformed itself from struggling mid-season to winning games when it almost doesn't make sense. But if you asked the Gold, they have built a sense of belief within themselves. This belief has allowed them to thrive in adverse conditions. Dan and Pete break down the week that was and look ahead to week 17....
Published 07/08/21
As the days count down to the MLR Final on August 1st, the playoff race has tightened. With Los Angeles and Atlanta likely to be the conferences first seeded teams, who can get 2nd. Week 16 will give the fans a better picture. Dan and Pete break down week 15 and give you the playoff implications as we move into week 16 of season four. Hanco Germishuys has been a mainstay of MLR and the Eagles over the last five years. We sit down with him to discuss his outstanding performance against...
Published 07/01/21
Week 14 of Major League Rugby saw the Giltinis face major adversity with eleven roster changes following several injuries before kickoff but they pulled out the victory against SD. The Utah Warriors held onto their place in the standings with their victory against New York while opening the door just slightly for NOLA or New England to have a chance at taking the second spot in the East. Bill Meakes has been all over the world playing Rugby, making his journey in a bit of unorthodox way, he...
Published 06/24/21
Heading into Round 14, Dan and Pete sit down to break down how week 13 of Major League Rugby continues to shape the ever tightening playoff picture in the East. The West, even with the Giltinis on a Bye seems to have a mostly cleared up with the Warriors and the Gilgronis looking to secure the last remaining spot. Yet San Diego even in a loss to Utah will still be pushing to return to the playoffs for the third time. Dom Akina, is from Hawai'i but grew up while being raised in Oregon by...
Published 06/17/21
Through 12 weeks of the season, Major League Rugby remains the most competitive league on the field globally. The parity from the top to the bottom of the Eastern Conference will take a Battle Hardened team into the final. A healthy and resurgent San Diego is putting pressure on Austin and Utah. The Warriors find a way to win and hold onto second place in the West ahead of their showdown with the Legion. Commissioner George Killebrew joins the show to discuss the progress of Major League...
Published 06/10/21
Following week 11 the race for the playoffs in the East continues to tighten as every team remains in the hunt. Dan and Pete break down this past week's action while taking a close examination of the Eastern Conference playoff outlook. Mike Te'o has been a fixture of US Rugby since he burst onto the scene as a teenager making the USA 7s pool at 19 in 2012. He would become a solid member of the squad during the 2016-2017 HSBC Seven's Series while also entrenching himself as a key member of...
Published 06/03/21
The Major League Rugby Eastern Conference remains the most competitive race in MLR with only ten points separating last place Old Glory and first place Rugby ATL. The East continues to show it is the dominant conference with Eastern teams traveling and winning against their Western conference opponents. LA Continues to ride high in the Western Conference, but the Austin Gilgronis certainly didn't make it easy in their mid-week match. Jason Robertson joins the show for his second player of...
Published 05/27/21
Week 9 of Major League Rugby action ends as San Diego Legion and Old Glory DC find new leases on life in their respective wins at the mid-way point. Major League Rugby sees the first Rugby match played in SoFi Stadium in a grudge match between the Los Angeles Giltinis and the Utah Warriors, with the Giltinis proving victorious. Dan and Pete break down week 9's action and look forward to week 10. Angus Cottrell of the Los Angeles Giltinis joins Dan Power to discuss his season in Los Angeles...
Published 05/20/21
Dan and Pete break down Week 8's action with New York proving victorious over the Giltinis in a hard effort. The East showed how strong it could be over the west in week 8 with only the Utah Warriors in the inter conference play coming away unscathed. Aston Fortuin joins Dan Power to discuss his time as a young player in South Africa. He discusses the size of the Varsity Cup competition which he won while playing for the University of Pretoria. He then discusses his love of travel which he...
Published 05/13/21
Week 7 is over and the playoff picture in the West is setting up for the Giltinis. Their fitness, their quickness, their physicality, has made them the outright contender for the MLR Shield. But in the East, it's a tough division, it's unknown who will come out on top. But New York sits above the rest. Dan and Pete break down the performances from week 7 and how that will effect week 8s match ups. John Poland, scrum-half for the New England Free Jacks joins the show following his...
Published 05/06/21
With week 6 wrapped up in the books and teams have settled. Dan and Pete look back on the performances and how they could have gotten them right or wrong. The Toronto Arrows show how hard the Eastern Conference is. The Gilgronis continued their longest winning streak in the history of the franchise by demolishing the back to back champion Seattle Seawolves. But when it comes to picks, Gorgeous Dan and the MLR Professor needed to check in with the current global leader in SuperBru...
Published 04/28/21
With the limited run up to the season due to various constraints, Dan and Pete knew that the first five weeks of the season would have a "pre-season flair" to them. Now as every side has had the chance to get into Rugby shape we're starting to know some things about where the 2021 season is going. Patrick Parfrey, Canadian International, and PhD Candidate joins the show. Following the 2019 World Cup he took some time off to pay attention to his studies in Clinical Epidemiology and like the...
Published 04/22/21