Seattle Seawolves

Last updated

Seattle Seawolves
Seattle Seawolves primary logo.svg
Founded2017;7 years ago (2017)
Location Tukwila, Washington
Ground(s) Starfire Sports (Capacity: 4,500)
Coach(es) Allen Clarke
Captain(s) Riekert Hattingh
Top scorer Brock Staller (313)
Most tries Riekert Hattingh (14)
League(s) Major League Rugby
2023 Conference finalist
2nd (Western Conference)
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1st kit
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Official website
seawolves.rugby

The Seattle Seawolves are an American professional rugby union team based in Tukwila, Washington. The team was founded in 2017 and competes in Major League Rugby (MLR), the top-level rugby union competition in the United States that began play in 2018. The Seawolves won two MLR championships in 2018 and 2019, and lost in the 2022 final. They play at Starfire Sports, a 4,500-seat stadium in Tukwila that primarily serves soccer teams.

Contents

History

The team was founded in 2017 by an investor group headed by Adrian Balfour and Shane Skinner. [1] The Seawolves won the inaugural MLR Grand Final in 2018, [2] and defended the title in the 2019 Major League Rugby Championship. In the final on June 16, 2019, the Seattle Seawolves defeated San Diego Legion 26–23 at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego. [3]

Stadium

A Seawolves game at Starfire Sports in 2022 Seattle Seawolves vs San Diego Legion, 2022 MLR Playoffs at Starfire Sports - 01.jpg
A Seawolves game at Starfire Sports in 2022

The Seattle Seawolves play at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. [4] The team offered 1,800 season tickets for their inaugural season, which sold out prior to the first match. [5]

Broadcasts

Home games for 2019 were shown on Root Sports Northwest, an AT&T SportsNet affiliate. [6] Dan Power and Kevin Swiryn were the on-air talent. [7]

Kit history

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Home 2018–19
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Away 2018
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Away 2022–
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Home 2023–

Sponsorship

SeasonKit manufacturerShirt sponsorOther Shirt sponsor(s)
2018–2019 XBlades NoneNone
2020 Paladin Sports KrusteazNone
2021–2022 WaFd Bank None
2023 Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
Tukwila
(ExperienceTukwila.com)

Players and personnel

Current squad

The Seattle Seawolves squad for the 2024 Major League Rugby season is: [8]

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

PlayerPositionUnion
Peter Malcolm Hooker Flag of the United States.svg United States
DaQuan Perry Hooker Flag of the United States.svg United States
Joe Taufeteʻe Hooker Flag of the United States.svg United States
Dewald Donald Prop Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Kellen Gordon Prop Flag of the United States.svg United States
Olive Kilifi Prop Flag of the United States.svg United States
Sam Matenga Prop Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Cameron Orr Prop Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
Mason Pedersen Prop Flag of the United States.svg United States
Chance Wenglewski Prop Flag of the United States.svg United States
Jean Droste Lock Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Rhyno Herbst Lock Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Taylor Krumrei Lock Flag of the United States.svg United States
Isaia Lotawa Lock Flag of the United States.svg United States
Mahonri Ngakuru Lock Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Monate Akuei Back row Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya
Reid Davis Back row Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada
Charles Elton Back row Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Pago Haini Back row Flag of the United States.svg United States
Riekert Hattingh (c) Back row Flag of the United States.svg United States
Neal Moylett Back row IRFU flag.svg Ireland
Kara Pryor Back row Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Huw Taylor Back row Flag of England.svg England
PlayerPositionUnion
Ryan Rees Scrum-half Flag of the United States.svg United States
JP Smith* Scrum-half Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Rhys Jones Fly-half Flag of the United States.svg United States
Mack Mason Fly-half Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
Sam Windsor* Fly-half Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
David Busby Centre IRFU flag.svg Ireland
Dan Kriel Centre Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Tevita Kuridrani Centre Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
Tavite Lopeti Centre Flag of the United States.svg United States
Lauina Futi Wing Flag of the United States.svg United States
Conner Mooneyham Wing Flag of the United States.svg United States
Toni Pulu* Wing Flag of Niue.svg Niue
Jeremiah Sio Wing Flag of the United States.svg United States
Jade Stighling Wing Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Duncan Matthews Fullback Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Divan Rossouw Fullback Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia

Head coaches

Captains

Records

Season standings

SeasonConferenceRegular seasonPostseason
PosPldWDLFA+/−BPPtsPldWLFA+/−Result
2018 -2nd8602232188+445292206143+18Won Semifinal (San Diego Legion) 38–24
Won Major League Rugby final (Glendale Raptors) 23-19
2019 -2nd161114498407+9112582205640+16Won Semifinal (Toronto Arrows) 30–17
Won Major League Rugby final (San Diego Legion) 26-23
2020 [lower-alpha 1] Western4th5104138162-2448------Cancelled
2021 Western5th164012343461-1181026------Did not qualify
2022 Western4th16907435354+7364632110476+28Won West Conference Eliminator (San Diego Legion) 43–19
Won West Conference Final (Houston SaberCats) 46–27
Lost Major League Rugby final (Rugby New York) 15-30
2023 Western2nd161204509348+16111591116936+33Won West Conference Eliminator (Houston SaberCats) 37–26
Lost West Conference Final (San Diego Legion) 32-10
Totals77431332,1551,733+42248226872290192+954 postseason appearances

Notes

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

Honors

2018 season

Regular season

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 22 San Diego Legion HomeWon, 39–23
April 28 Glendale Raptors HomeLost, 15–19
May 12 New Orleans Gold AwayWon, 31–29
May 20 Utah Warriors HomeWon, 41–32
May 27New Orleans GoldHomeWon, 55–26
June 2 Houston SaberCats AwayWon, 20–7
June 8 Austin Elite AwayWon, 20–19
June 16Glendale RaptorsAwayLost, 11–33

Postseason

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
June 30San Diego LegionHomeWon, 38-24
June 16Glendale RaptorsNeutralWon, 23–19

2019 season

Exhibition

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
December 22 (2018)Crimson TideAwayWon, 48–7
January 5 SFGG AwayWon, 45–0
January 17 Seattle Saracens HomeWon, 74–3

Regular season

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
January 27 Glendale Raptors HomeWon, 20-18
February 2 San Diego Legion AwayLost, 13-17
February 10 New Orleans Gold AwayLost, 31-41
February 17 Toronto Arrows HomeWon, 35–30
February 24 Rugby United New York HomeWon, 33-21
March 10 Houston SaberCats HomeWon, 27-14
March 16 Austin Elite AwayWon, 29-17
March 31San Diego LegionHomeLost, 22-28
April 5 Utah Warriors AwayWon, 48-36
April 13Houston SaberCatsAwayWon, 52–10
April 21New Orleans GoldHomeWon, 25–24
April 28Toronto ArrowsAwayLost, 7-29
May 11Rugby United New YorkAwayWon, 38-31
May 18Glendale RaptorsAwayWon, 53-36
May 26Utah WarriorsHomeDraw, 27-27
June 2Austin EliteHomeWon, 38–26

Postseason

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
June 9Toronto ArrowsHomeWon, 30-17
June 16San Diego LegionAwayWon, 26–23

2020 season

On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to fears surrounding the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic. [11] It was cancelled the following week [12]

Regular season

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
February 9 San Diego Legion AwayLost, 24–33
February 16 Old Glory DC AwayLost, 22–28
February 22 Toronto Arrows HomeLost, 17–39
February 29 New England Free Jacks HomeWon, 44–29
March 7 Utah Warriors HomeLost, 31–33
March 15 Rugby United New York AwayCancelled
March 21 Houston SaberCats HomeCancelled
March 29 Colorado Raptors HomeCancelled
April 4 Austin Gilgronis AwayCancelled
April 12San Diego LegionHomeCancelled
April 25Utah WarriorsAwayCancelled
May 2Houston SabreCatsAwayCancelled
May 10 Rugby ATL AwayCancelled
May 17 New Orleans Gold HomeCancelled
May 24Colorado RaptorsAwayCancelled
May 31Austin GilgronisHomeCancelled

2021 season

Regular season

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
March 20 Houston SaberCats AwayLost, 24–30
March 28 LA Giltinis AwayLost, 26–57
April 10 Utah Warriors AwayWon, 20–15
April 17 Toronto Arrows AwayLost, 7-52
April 25 Austin Gilgronis AwayLost, 15-42
May 2 Rugby United New York HomeLost, 23-21
May 9 San Diego Legion HomeWon, 21-15
May 16 Old Glory DC AwayLost, 18-22
May 23 Rugby ATL HomeLost, 6-25
June 6Utah WarriorsHomeLost, 28-29
June 13 New England Free Jacks AwayLost, 21-25
June 20Austin GilgronisHomeLost, 31-36
June 27LA GiltinisHomeLost, 14-29
July 3San Diego LegionAwayLost, 21-34
July 11 New Orleans Gold HomeWon, 30-6
July 15Houston SaberCatsHomeWon, 40-21

2022 season

Exhibition

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
January 22 Seattle Rugby Club HomeWon, 76-8
January 28 Hartford Harpooners HomeWon, 50-0

Regular season

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
February 6 Toronto Arrows HomeWon, 21-8
February 10 Utah Warriors HomeWon, 20-17
February 20 San Diego Legion AwayWon, 31-28
February 26 Austin Gilgronis HomeLost, 25-18
March 4 New Orleans Gold HomeLost, 25-24
March 12 Houston SaberCats AwayLost, 21-19
March 19 Dallas Jackals AwayWon, 34-12
March 26 LA Giltinis HomeLost, 12-31
April 9 New England Free Jacks AwayLost, 22-24
April 16San Diego LegionHomeWon, 34-32
April 23Utah WarriorsAwayWon, 20-14
May 1Austin GilgronisAwayLost, 6-17
May 8Dallas JackalsHomeWon, 74-7
May 15 Rugby United NY AwayLost, 22-30
May 27Houston SaberCatsHomeWon, 43-36
June 5LA GiltinisAwayWon, 35-27

Post season

RoundDateOpponentHome/AwayResult
West EliminatorJune 12 San Diego Legion HomeWon, 43–19
West Conference FinalsJune 18 Houston SaberCats AwayWon, 46–27
MLR Championship June 25 Rugby United NY AwayLost, 15–30

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References

  1. ↑ "Seattle has a brand new sports team". KIRO 7 News. September 21, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  2. ↑ Arthur, Ben (May 16, 2019). "The driving force of the Seattle Seawolves". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  3. ↑ "'I can't explain this feeling': Seawolves repeat as Major League Rugby champions with try as time expires". The Seattle Times. June 16, 2019. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  4. ↑ "About the Seattle Seawolves". Seattle Seawolves. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  5. ↑ Saul, John (April 13, 2018). "Seattle's hottest new startup is no tech company: Get to know the Seawolves and professional rugby". The Seattle Times . Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  6. ↑ "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY'S SEATTLE SEAWOLVES EXTEND TELEVISION PARTNERSHIP WITH ROOT SPORTS". www.seattleseawolves.com. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  7. ↑ "San Diego Legion at Seattle Seawolves". IMDb . March 31, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Seattle Seawolves". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Seawolves win first game as pro rugby makes Seattle debut". The Seattle Times. April 22, 2018. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Anton Moolman new Head Coach of Seattle Seawolves". Americas Rugby News. September 9, 2018. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018.
  11. ↑ Anonymous, "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SUSPENDS 2020 SEASON FOR 30 DAYS," www.majorleague.rugby, March 12, 2020 Retrieved March 14, 2020
  12. ↑ "Major League Rugby cancels remainder of 2020 campaign". Yahoo! Sports. AFP. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.


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