Utah Warriors
UnionUSA Rugby
Founded2017; 7 years ago (2017)
Ground(s)Zions Bank Stadium
Herriman, Utah
CEOKimball Kjar
Coach(es)Greg Cooper
Captain(s)Bailey Wilson
Top scorerTim O'Malley (134)
Most triesTonata Lauti (10)
League(s)Major League Rugby
20234th (Western Conference)
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
warriorsrugby.com

The Utah Warriors are a professional rugby union team that competes in Major League Rugby, the top-level rugby union competition in the United States and Canada that played its first season in 2018.[1] The team is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was founded in 2010 as Utah Warriors (Rugby Super League) and re-refounded in 2017 by Rugby Utah Ventures.

Home field

The Utah Warriors play at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, which has a seating capacity of 5,000.[2] The adjacent training facility includes two full-sized indoor turf fields. The Warriors share the venue with Real Monarchs, an MLS Next Pro team affiliated with Real Salt Lake.[3]

Broadcasts

2019 home games were shown on KMYU a CBS affiliate station owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Jarom Jordan and Jonny Linehan were the on air talent.

Sponsorship

Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2018-2019 XBlades Nui Social
2020–2021 Paladin Sports None
2022 Intermountain Healthcare
2023 None

Players and personnel

Current squad

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

The Utah Warriors squad for the 2024 Major League Rugby season is:[4]

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

Player Position Union
Phil Bradford Hooker Australia Australia
Nic Souchon Hooker New Zealand New Zealand
Tuvere Vugakoto Hooker Fiji Fiji
Tyler Wong Hooker Canada Canada
Zak Barker Prop United States United States
Angus MacLellan Prop United States United States
Paul Mullen Prop United States United States
Emerson Prior Prop Canada Canada
Franco van den Berg Prop South Africa South Africa
Takaji Young Yen Prop United States United States
Louis Conradie Lock South Africa South Africa
Jonah Dietenberger Lock United States United States
Matt Jensen Lock United States United States
Frank Lochore Lock New Zealand New Zealand
Saia Uhila* Lock Tonga Tonga
John DuPree Back row United States United States
Onehunga Havili Back row Tonga Tonga
Kalisi Moli Back row United States United States
Dylan Nel Back row South Africa South Africa
Jeremiah Noaese Back row United States United States
Thomas Tu’avao Back row United States United States
Bailey Wilson (c) Back row United States United States
Player Position Union
Zion Going* Scrum-half New Zealand New Zealand
Kieran McClea Scrum-half New Zealand New Zealand
Sam Reimer Scrum-half Canada Canada
Joel Hodgson Fly-half England England
Sione Mahe Fly-half United States United States
Robbie Povey Fly-half Canada Canada
Mika Kruse Centre United States United States
Paul Lasike Centre United States United States
Alesana Pohla Centre Samoa Samoa
Tomasi Tonga Centre United States United States
Noah Bain Wing Canada Canada
Jesse Hamilton Wing United States United States
Isaia Kruse Wing United States United States
Joe Mano Wing United States United States
Michael Manson Wing New Zealand New Zealand
Spencer Jones Fullback Canada Canada
Caleb Makene Fullback New Zealand New Zealand

Head coaches

Captains

Honorary members

Records

Season standings

Season Conference Regular season Postseason
Pos Pld W D L F A +/− BP Pts Pld W L F A +/− Result
2018 - 4th 8 3 0 5 269 274 –5 10 22 1 0 1 21 34 -13 Lost Semifinal (Glendale Raptors) 21–34
2019 - 8th 16 2 2 12 381 517 −136 9 21 - - - - - - Did not qualify
2020[a] Western 2nd 5 2 1 2 125 134 -9 2 12 - - - - - - Cancelled
2021 Western 2nd 16 10 0 6 506 464 +42 17 57 1 0 1 13 17 -4 Lost West Conference Final (LA Giltinis) 13-17
2022 Western 6th 16 5 0 11 424 395 +29 6 33 - - - - - - Did not qualify
2023 Western 4th 16 10 0 6 445 421 +24 10 50 - - - - - - Did not qualify
Totals 77 32 3 42 2,126 2,205 -55 54 195 2 0 2 34 51 -17 2 postseason appearances

Notes

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

Honors

2018 season

Date Opponent Home/Away Venue Location Result
March 30 Glendale Raptors° Home Rio Tinto Stadium Sandy, Utah Lost, 42–15
April 6 Ontario Arrows° Home Rio Tinto Stadium Sandy, Utah Lost, 24–20
April 20 Prairie Wolf Pack° Home Zions Bank Stadium Herriman, Utah Won, 80–12
April 29 San Diego Legion Away Torero Stadium San Diego, California Lost, 24–31
May 5 Glendale Raptors Home Zions Bank Stadium Herriman, Utah Lost, 29–36
May 11 Austin Elite Home Zions Bank Stadium Herriman, Utah Won, 41–22
May 20 Seattle Seawolves Away Starfire Stadium Seattle, Washington Lost, 30–41
May 26 Houston SaberCats Away Dyer Stadium Houston, Texas Won, 36–30
June 1 Austin Elite Away Round Rock Multipurpose Complex Austin, Texas Lost, 33–41
June 16 New Orleans Gold Home Zions Bank Stadium Herriman, Utah Lost, 43–46
June 23 Houston SaberCats Home Zions Bank Stadium Herriman, Utah Won, 31–27
June 30 Glendale Raptors°° Away Infinity Park Glendale, Colorado Lost, 21–34

° = Preseason game
°° = Playoff semifinal
     Matches won are colored green

2019 season

Exhibition

Date Opponent Home/Away Venue Result
October 13, 2018 Glendale Raptors Away Infinity Park Postponed
October 20, 2018 Glendale Raptors Home Postponed
January 12, 2019 Life West Home RSL Academy Indoor Field Won, 25–10
February 9, 2019 New England Free Jacks Home Zions Bank Training Center Won, 70–15

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Venue Result
February 1 Austin Elite Away Dell Diamond Win, 17–9
February 17 San Diego Legion Away Torero Stadium Lost, 10–21
February 23 Glendale Raptors Home Zions Bank Stadium Draw, 26–26
March 2 New Orleans Gold Home Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 19–21
March 9 Rugby United New York Home Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 21–47
March 23 Houston SaberCats Away Constellation Field Lost, 27–29
March 30 Toronto Arrows Home Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 31–64
April 5 Seattle Seawolves Home Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 36–48
April 13 New Orleans Gold Away Gold Stadium Lost, 19–28
April 20 Rugby United New York Away MCU Park Lost, 22–24
April 27 Austin Elite Home Zions Bank Stadium Won, 35–19
May 4 Glendale Raptors Away Infinity Park Lost, 22–64
May 12 Toronto Arrows Away York Stadium Lost, 21–28
May 18 San Diego Legion Home Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 21–31
May 26 Seattle Seawolves Away Starfire Sports Draw, 27–27
June 1 Houston SaberCats Home Zions Bank Stadium Lost, 27–31

2020 season

On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] It was cancelled the following week.[9]

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 9 Rugby ATL Away Lost, 19–28
February 15 New England Free Jacks Home Won, 39–33
February 22 Austin Gilgronis Away Draw, 20–20
February 29 Colorado Raptors Away Lost, 14–22
March 7 Seattle Seawolves Away Won, 33–31
March 13 New Orleans Gold Home Cancelled
March 27 San Diego Legion Home Cancelled
April 4 Toronto Arrows Away Cancelled
April 11 Houston SaberCats Away Cancelled
April 18 Austin Gilgronis Home Cancelled
April 25 Seattle Seawolves Home Cancelled
May 3 Old Glory DC Away Cancelled
May 8 Colorado Raptors Home Cancelled
May 16 Rugby United New York Home Cancelled
May 25 San Diego Legion Away Cancelled
May 30 Houston SaberCats Home Cancelled

2021 season

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 20 Austin Gilgronis Away Won, 30–28
March 27 Toronto Arrows Home Won, 39–24
April 3 New England Free Jacks Away Lost, 21–22
April 10 Seattle Seawolves Home Lost, 15–20
April 17 San Diego Legion Away Lost 29-31
April 24 Houston SaberCats Home Won, 50-43
May 8 Old Glory DC Home Won, 34-33
May 15 LA Giltinis Away Lost, 27-38
May 22 New Orleans Gold Away Lost, 29-24
May 29 Austin Gilgronis Home Won, 45-24
June 6 Seattle Seawolves Away Won, 29-28
June 12 San Diego Legion Home Won, 45-41
June 19 Rugby United New York Away Won, 29-28
June 26 Houston SaberCats Away Won, 24-5
July 10 Rugby ATL Home Lost, 31-41
July 17 LA Giltinis Home Won, 34-29

Post season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
July 25 LA Giltinis Away Lost, 13-17

2022 season

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 6 San Diego Legion Away Lost, 31-29
February 10 Seattle Seawolves Away Lost, 17-20
February 19 Austin Gilgronis Away Lost, 10-24
March 5 Dallas Jackals Home Won, 69-22
March 13 LA Giltinis Away Won, 28-19
March 19 Toronto Arrows Home Lost, 24-27
March 26 Houston SaberCats Home Lost, 12-28
April 1 San Diego Legion Home Lost, 25-40
April 15 Old Glory DC Away Lost, 21-22
April 23 Seattle Seawolves Home Lost, 14-20
April 30 New England Free Jacks Away Lost, 17-33
May 7 Rugby ATL Home Won, 44-26
May 14 Houston SaberCats Away Lost, 27-31
May 21 Austin Gilgronis Home Won, 22-8
May 28 LA Giltinis Home Lost, 32-39
June 4 Dallas Jackals Away Won, 33-5

2023 season

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 19 San Diego Legion Away Lost, 17-33
February 25 Dallas Jackals Home Won, 33-25
March 5 Chicago Hounds Away Won, 14-10
March 18 NOLA Gold Away Lost, 37-14

See also

References

  1. ^ "MLR Notes: Utah announces name, Seattle picks venue". This is American Rugby. 2017-09-25. Archived from the original on 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  2. ^ "Utah Warriors Announce Home Venue for the Major League Rugby Season". Utah Warriors. 2018-01-25. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  3. ^ "Zions Bank Real Academy new home for Real Salt Lake development pyramid". Real Monarchs. May 24, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  4. ^ "Utah Warriors". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Utah Warriors Names Alf Daniels Head Coach". djcoilrugby. 2017-10-18. Archived from the original on 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2017-11-19.
  6. ^ "Utah Warriors announce resignation of head coach Chris Latham". OurSports Central. January 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "Warriors Hand Captaincy to Former USA U20 Captain & Vice-Captaincy to Veteran Eagle". Utah Warriors Rugby. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  8. ^ "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SUSPENDS 2020 SEASON FOR 30 DAYS". www.majorleague.rugby. March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  9. ^ "Major League Rugby cancels remainder of 2020 campaign". Yahoo! Sports. AFP. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

External links

Utah Warriors
Major League Rugby
Sports teams based in Utah
Salt Lake City
Utah Warriors – current squad
Categories