San Diego Legion

San Diego Legion
Full nameSan Diego Legion
Founded2017 (2017)
LocationSan Diego, California
Ground(s)Torero Stadium (Capacity: 6,000)
PresidentDavid Haigh
Coach(es)John Manenti
Captain(s)Blair Cowan
Most capsNathan Sylvia (76)
Top scorerJoe Pietersen (420)
Most triesNate Augspurger (22)
League(s)Major League Rugby
2023Runner-up
1st (Western Conference)
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.sdlegion.com
Current season

The San Diego Legion are an American professional rugby union team based in San Diego, California, that competes in Major League Rugby (MLR). The team plays its home games at Torero Stadium.[1] The Legion began play in the league's inaugural 2018 season.

History

Established in 2017, the San Diego Legion have represented San Diego since their inception. The Legion are one of seven founding teams in Major League Rugby. The Legion began play at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego for the 2018 season.

On February 2, 2022, the Legion announced Snapdragon Stadium to be their new home beginning in 2023. On November 19, 2024, the team announced plans to leave Snapdragon Stadium to return to Torero Stadium. Playoff games may be hosted at Snapdragon Stadium depending on demand.

The Legion were runner-ups in the 2019 and 2023 season championships.

Sponsorship

Season Kit Manufacturer Front of Jersey Sponsor
2018 XBlades Sharp Business Systems
2019 None
2020 Paladin Sports None
2021–2022 Ballast Point Brewing Company
2023 Kings & Convicts Brewing Co.
2024 Kappa Kings & Convicts Brewing Co.

Players and personnel

Current squad

The San Diego Legion squad for the 2025 Major League Rugby season is:[2]

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

Player Position Union
Cyrille Cama* Hooker Fiji
Liki Chan-Tung Hooker United States
Shilo Klein Hooker United States
Hugh Roach Hooker Australia
Darcy Breen Prop Australia
Oliver Kane Prop United States
Alejandro Pradillo Prop Mexico
Djustice Sears-Duru Prop Canada
Nathan Sylvia Prop United States
Payton Telea-Ilalio Prop United States
Brook To’omalatai Prop Samoa
Brandon Harvey Lock United States
Charlie Hewitt Lock United States
Jed Holloway Lock Australia
Jamie Rivers* Lock Hong Kong
Chris Turori Lock United States
Brendan Amiatu-Tanoi Back row United States
Vili Helu Back row United States
Jimmy Hokafonu Back row Tonga
Christian Poidevin* Back row Australia
Paddy Ryan Back row United States
Tevita Tameilau Back row United States
Brad Wilkin Back row Australia
Player Position Union
Richard Judd Scrum-half New Zealand
Aidan Konja Scrum-half United States
Connor Tupai Scrum-half New Zealand
Inoke Waqavesi Scrum-half United States
Arthur Lennon* Fly-half Wales
Lincoln McClutchie Fly-half New Zealand
Harris Rutherford* Fly-half Scotland
Marcel Brache Centre United States
Nick Jooste Centre Australia
Ethan Grayson Centre England
Tiaan Loots* Centre South Africa
Tavite Lopeti Centre United States
Cassh Maluia Centre United States
Tomas Aoake Wing New Zealand
Ryan James Wing United States
James Vaifale Wing United States
Steffan Crimp Fullback United States
Rhian Stowers Fullback Australia
  • Senior 15s and senior 7s 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

Captains

Records

Season standings

Season Conference Regular season Postseason
Pos Pld W D L F A +/− BP Pts Pld W L F A +/− Result
2018 - 3rd 8 5 0 3 214 201 +13 4 24 1 0 1 24 38 -14 Lost Semifinal (Seattle Seawolves) 24–38
2019 - 1st 16 12 1 3 457 296 +161 12 61 2 1 1 47 48 -1 Won Semifinal (Rugby United New York) 24–22
Lost Major League Rugby final (Seattle Seawolves) 23–26
2020[a] Western 1st 5 5 0 0 161 108 +53 3 23 - - - - - - Cancelled
2021 Western 4th 16 6 0 10 430 464 -34 14 38 - - - - - - Did not qualify
2022 Western 5th 16 8 0 8 475 428 +47 8 43 1 0 1 19 43 -24 Lost West Conference Eliminator (Seattle Seawolves) 19–43
2023 Western 1st 16 15 0 1 554 285 +269 14 74 2 1 1 56 35 +21 Won Conference Final (Seattle Seawolves) 32–10
Lost Major League Rugby final New England Free Jacks 25–24
2024 Western 3rd 16 11 0 5 421 374 +47 11 55 1 0 1 28 38 -2 Lost West Conference Eliminator (Seattle Seawolves) 28–30
Totals 93 62 1 30 2,412 2,056 +356 66 318 7 2 5 174 202 -28 5 playoff appearances

Notes

  1. ^ 2020 regular season shortened and playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honors

2018 season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 25 Austin Elite° Away Won, 24–32
April 7 Houston SaberCats° Home Lost, 17–33
April 22 Seattle Seawolves Away Lost, 23–39
April 29 Utah Warriors Home Won, 31–24
May 4 Houston SaberCats Home Won, 35–32
May 13 Glendale Raptors Away Lost, 27–31
May 25 Austin Elite Away Lost, 5–31
June 9 New Orleans Gold Away Won, 39–22
June 17 Austin Elite Home Won, 31–17
June 23 Glendale Raptors Home Won, 23–5
June 30 Seattle Seawolves°° Neutral Lost, 24–38

° = Exhibition game
°° = Playoff semifinals at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado.

2019 season

Exhibition

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
January 6 Life West Away Won, 76–0
January 13 Glendale Raptors Home Lost, 31–38

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
January 27 Rugby United New York Home Lost, 23–25
February 2 Seattle Seawolves Home Won, 17–13
February 9 Houston SaberCats Home Won, 17–13
February 17 Utah Warriors Home Won, 21–10
February 23 Austin Elite Away Won, 45–17
March 10 Toronto Arrows Home Lost, 20–27
March 16 Glendale Raptors Away Draw, 28-28
March 31 Seattle Seawolves Away Won, 28–22
April 7 Austin Elite Home Won, 45–15
April 14 Rugby United New York Away Won, 29–19
April 20 Glendale Raptors Home Won, 46–15
April 28 Houston SaberCats Away Won, 41–19
May 5 Toronto Arrows Away Lost, 19–23
May 11 New Orleans Gold Away Won, 26–19
May 18 Utah Warriors Away Won, 31–21
June 2 New Orleans Gold Home Won, 22–10

Post season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
June 9 Rugby United New York Home Won, 24–22
June 16 Seattle Seawolves Home Lost, 23–26

2020 season

On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to fears surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] It was canceled the following week[7]

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 9 Seattle Seawolves Home Won, 33–24
February 16 Colorado Raptors Home Won, 49–22
February 23 New England Free Jacks Home Won, 30–21
February 29 New Orleans Gold Away Won, 25–21
March 8 Rugby United New York Home Won, 24–20
March 15 Austin Gilgronis Away Cancelled
March 22 Old Glory DC Home Cancelled
March 27 Utah Warriors Away Cancelled
April 5 Houston SaberCats Home Cancelled
April 12 Seattle Seawolves Away Cancelled
April 26 Rugby ATL Away Cancelled
May 3 Austin Gilgronis Home Cancelled
May 10 Toronto Arrows Away Cancelled
May 16 Houston SaberCats Away Cancelled
May 25 Utah Warriors Home Cancelled
May 30 Colorado Raptors Away Cancelled

2021 season

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 20 Rugby United New York Home Lost, 29–36
March 28 Austin Gilgronis Away Won, 14–11
April 3 Rugby ATL Away Lost, 22–41
April 10 Houston SaberCats Away Lost, 32–34
April 17 Utah Warriors Home Won, 31–29
April 24 LA Giltinis Away Lost, 17–45
May 1 New England Free Jacks Home Lost, 17–33
May 9 Seattle Seawolves Away Lost, 15–21
May 15 New Orleans Gold Home Won, 43–17
May 29 Houston SaberCats Home Won, 39–11
June 6 Toronto Arrows Away Won, 40–30
June 12 Utah Warriors Away Lost, 41–45
June 20 LA Giltinis Home Lost, 13–19
June 26 Austin Gilgronis Home Lost, 14–33
July 3 Seattle Seawolves Home Won, 34–21
July 10 Old Glory DC Away Lost, 38–29

2022 season

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 6 Utah Warriors Home Won, 39–21
February 12 Dallas Jackals Home Won, 37–29
February 20 Seattle Seawolves Home Lost, 28–31
February 26 Houston SaberCats Away Won, 31–20
March 6 Old Glory DC Home Won, 24–12
March 13 Rugby New York Away Lost, 23–26
March 19 LA Giltinis Away Lost, 13–26
April 1 Utah Warriors Away Won, 40–25
April 10 Austin Gilgronis Home Lost, 21–35
April 16 Seattle Seawolves Away Lost, 32–34
April 24 Rugby ATL Home Lost, 17–30
April 30 Dallas Jackals Away Won, 53–14
May 7 Houston SaberCats Home Lost, 24–34
May 14 LA Giltinis Home Won, 31–27
May 21 NOLA Gold Awaay Won, 42–12
May 28 Austin Gilgronis Away Lost, 28–44

Post season

See also: 2022 Major League Rugby playoffs
Round Date Opponent Home/Away Result
West Eliminator June 12 Seattle Seawolves Away Lost, 19–43

2023 season

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Location Result
February 18 Utah Warriors Home Snapdragon Stadium Won, 33-17
February 26 New England Free Jacks Home Snapdragon Stadium Won, 29-12
March 5 Houston SaberCats Away SaberCats Stadium Lost, 31-26
March 11 Dallas Jackals Home Snapdragon Stadium Won, 22-0
March 18 Rugby ATL Away Atlanta Silverbacks Park Won, 35-10
April 2 Old Glory DC Home Snapdragon Stadium Won, 48-26
April 8 Seattle Seawolves Away Starfire Sports Complex Won, 23–20
April 16 Chicago Hounds Home Snapdragon Stadium Won, 48–24
April 22 Dallas Jackals Away Choctaw Stadium Won, 47–38
April 30 Houston SaberCats Home Snapdragon Stadium Won, 29–16
May 6 Utah Warriors Away Zions Bank Stadium Won, 26–16
May 13 NOLA Gold Away Gold Mine Won, 26–12
May 28 Rugby New York Ironworkers Home Snapdragon Stadium Won, 36–13
June 3 Chicago Hounds Away SeatGeek Stadium Won, 36–14
June 11 Toronto Arrows Away York Lions Stadium Won, 50–17
June 18 Seattle Seawolves Home Snapdragon Stadium Won, 40–19

Post Season

Round Date Opponent Location Result
West Conference Finals July 2, 2023 Seattle Seawolves Snapdragon Stadium Won, 32–10
MLR Grand Final July 8, 2023 New England Free Jacks SeatGeek Stadium Lost, 25–24

References

  1. ^ "San Diego Legion leaving Snapdragon Stadium for USD". San Diego Union-Tribune. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  2. ^ "San Diego Legion". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Coaching staff". San Diego Legion. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  4. ^ "San Diego Legion Names Danny Lee Head Coach & Director of Rugby". August 11, 2021.
  5. ^ "Manenti joins San Diego Legion after Australian Sevens success". si.com. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  6. ^ "Anonymous, "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SUSPENDS 2020 SEASON FOR 30 DAYS," www.majorleague.rugby, March 12, 2020 Retrieved March 14, 2020". Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  7. ^ "Major League Rugby cancels remainder of 2020 campaign". Yahoo! Sports. AFP. March 19, 2020. Archived from the original on March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
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