Defending champion New England rallies to beat Chicago Hounds, reach MLR final

By Canadian Press on June 21, 2025.

QUINCY — Chris Hilsenbeck missed a chance to win it for the Chicago Hounds, failing to convert a penalty kick with the clock in the red, and the defending New England Free Jacks rallied for a 21-20 comeback win Saturday to move within one victory of a Major League Rugby championship three-peat.

The MLR Eastern Conference final featured 12 Canadians.

The Free Jacks, who rallied from a 17-0 deficit with 21 points in the second half, will face either the Houston SaberCats or the Utah Warriors in the June 28 final in Pawtucket, R.I., at Centreville Bank Stadium, the 10,500-seat home of the United Soccer League’s (USL) Rhode Island FC.

Utah hosted Houston in the Western Conference final later Saturday.

Trailing 20-14, New England prop Kyle Ciquera bulled his way for the winning try in the 77th minute after a prolonged Free Jacks attack. The conversion was automatic given he scored under the posts, giving New England a 21-20 lead.

Chicago had a chance to win it after New England was penalized at the breakdown. But Hilsenbeck, who was good on four of six kicks on the day, saw his kick hit the upright.

Viewers didn’t get to see the kick for the win, with the broadcast freezing as Hilsenbeck, an American-born German international, lined up the kick.

Jed Melvin and Canadian Cam Nordli-Kelemeti also scored tries for New England. Dan Hollingshead booted two conversions.

Tom Swiel and Noah Brown scored tries for Chicago, which led 10-0 at the half at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Hilsenbeck added two penalties and two conversion.

Down 17-0, New England cut the lead to 17-14 with tries in the 53rd and 58th minute. A 61st-minute Chicago penalty upped the lead to 20-14.

Chicago was captained by Canada skipper Lucas Rumball. Fellow Canadians Mason Flesch and Jason Higgins also started for the Hounds with Matt Owuru coming off the bench.

Canadians Andrew Quattrin, Piers Von Dadelszen, Ben LeSage, Brock Webster and Nordli-Kelemeti started for New England with Foster DeWitt, Josh Larsen and Ethan Fryer on the bench.

LeSage had to be helped off the field midway through the first half after injuring his ankle.

New England and Chicago both finished the regular season with 11-5-0 records, with New England topping the conference thanks to two more bonus points.

The Free Jacks, who have 16 Canadians in all on their roster, defeating the Seattle Seawolves 20-11 in last year’s championship game and edging the San Diego Legion 25-24 for the title in 2023.

Chicago lost 23-17 to New England in last year’s Eastern final.

The Hounds split their two regular-season meetings with the Free Jacks, winning 36-17 at home on March 2 and losing 27-17 at New England on May 10.

The Hounds went 7-1-0 in the first half of the season, finishing at 4-4-0. But, including the 27-16 playoff semifinal win over Old Glory DC, they had won four straight prior to Saturday.

After opening the season at 2-3-0, including the loss to Chicago the second week of the season, New England has gone 11-2-0. The Free Jacks downed the Miami Sharks 32-10 in their Eastern semifinal.

LeSage and Rumball are among 12 players from New England and Chicago on new Canada coach Steve Meehan’s extended 59-man roster ahead of July tests against Belgium and Spain in Edmonton.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2025.

The Canadian Press