In one month, Los Angeles will welcome its newest professional sports franchise to the City of Angels. The LA Giltinis will begin play at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as a member of the Major League Rugby with their first league match to be held March 20th vs. the New England Free Jacks.
MLR was founded in 2018 with seven teams and has since expanded to a total of 13 teams – 12 which will be competing this season and an additional expansion team, the Dallas Jackals will join the league in 2022. The current teams in the league are: Austin (TX) Gilgronis; Houston (TX) Sabercats; New England (Boston) Free Jacks; NOLA (New Orleans) Gold; Old Glory DC (Washington, D.C.); Rugby ATL (Atlanta); Rugby United New York; San Diego Legion; Seattle Seawolves; Toronto Arrows; Utah Warriors; and the newest addition to the league, the Los Angeles Giltinis.
“I’m very excited to have Rugby return to the LA Coliseum for the first time in 65 years,” Joe Furin, General Manager, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The LA Giltinis will be led by former Australian Wallabies player and senior sports executive Adam Freier as General Manager.
MLR has continued to prove that fans across North America are falling in love with rugby because of the duality it offers. For some it’s the intensity, physicality and speed of the game that get them hooked. For others it’s the communal celebration after every match where players and fans from both teams come together to celebrate over food and drinks. Los Angeles, after hosting its first LA Sevens, World Rugby Sevens Series to a rousing success, will now have its very own professional Rugby franchise, the LA Giltinis.
“Rugby World Cup is the third biggest sporting event on the planet, and many would agree that Los Angeles is the sporting capital of the world, so it became imperative for this city to have its very own Rugby team in the LA Giltinis,” Freier said.
The LA Giltinis headquarters and practice facility will be located in El Segundo, CA. The Giltinis will play all home matches at the legendary and renowned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, known as “The Greatest Stadium in the World.”
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