Professional rugby union team from Houston, Texas
Rugby team
The Houston SaberCats are an American professional rugby union team based in Houston , Texas. The team was founded in 2017 and competes in Major League Rugby ,[ 1] the top-level rugby union competition in the United States and Canada that played its first season in 2018. The SaberCats organization was born from one of the founding amateur rugby clubs that pooled resources to emerge professionally, and were the first in MLR membership to build a rugby-specific stadium intended for MLR competition.
Houston plays their games in SaberCats Stadium , which was opened on April 13, 2019.[ 2] In February 2018, the City of Houston agreed to fund $3.2 million of the $15.25 million needed to build a permanent rugby stadium for use by the Houston SaberCats at Houston Sports Park .[ 3] On July 17, the SaberCats announced that a three-year naming rights were awarded to British multinational software and technology company Aveva , and that it would be initially known as "Aveva Stadium".[ 4] Following this deal, the venue became known as "SaberCats Stadium".
Houston Sports Park is also the permanent training ground for Major League Soccer soccer team Houston Dynamo as well as the Houston Dash women's soccer team.
During the 2018 regular season, the SaberCats played their home matches at Dyer Stadium [ 5] and trained at Athlete Training and Health in Houston. The team also played at Constellation Field , home of the Sugar Land Skeeters , for part of the 2019 season, and for their exhibition matches in 2017 and 2018.[ 6] Also, in April 2019, while the new pitch at SaberCats Stadium healed, the team returned to Dyer Stadium to play one match against San Diego before returning to SaberCats Stadium.
2019 home games were shown on KUBE-TV an independent station in Houston .
Players and personnel [ edit ]
The Houston SaberCats squad for the 2024 Major League Rugby season is:[ 7]
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
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.
Current coaching staff [ edit ]
Pote Human (Head Coach)
Vic Meyer (Assistant Coach - Attack)
Ryan Nell (Assistant Coach – backs)
Jon Hood (Strength & Conditioning Coach)
Season
Conference
Regular season
Postseason
Pos
Pld
W
D
L
F
A
+/−
BP
Pts
Pld
W
L
F
A
+/−
Result
2018
-
7th
8
1
0
7
216
256
−40
7
11
-
-
-
-
-
-
Did not qualify
2019
-
7th
16
6
0
10
345
496
−151
6
30
-
-
-
-
-
-
Did not qualify
2020 [ a]
Western
6th
5
1
0
4
99
116
−17
2
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cancelled
2021
Western
6th
16
2
0
14
274
550
-276
5
13
-
-
-
-
-
-
Did not qualify
2022
Western
3rd
16
9
0
7
408
393
+15
12
48
1
0
1
27
46
-19
Lost West Conference Final (Seattle Seawolves ) 27–46
2023
Western
3rd
16
10
0
6
484
413
+71
13
53
1
0
1
26
37
-11
Lost West Conference Eliminator Game (Seattle Seawolves ) 26-37
Totals
77
29
0
48
1,826
2,224
-398
32
108
1
0
1
27
46
-19
2 postseason appearances
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
November 18, 2017
Dallas Reds
Away
Won, 31–24
December 2, 2017
Dallas Harlequins
Away
Won, 125–0
December 9, 2017
Austin Blacks
Away
Won, 46–31
December 9, 2017
Austin Blacks
Away
Won, 55–14
December 16, 2017
Dallas Reds
Home
Won, 21–5
January 6, 2018
Seattle Saracens
Away
Won, 50–7
January 13, 2018
Vancouver Ravens
Away
Lost, 23–26
January 20, 2018
Uruguay National Team
Home
Lost, 24–32
January 27, 2018
James Bay Athletic Club
Home
Won, 42–13
February 3, 2018
Capital Selects
Home
Won, 49–3
February 10, 2018
Chicago Lions
Home
Won, 60–10
February 17, 2018
New York Athletic Club
Away
Won, 39–38
February 24, 2018
New Orleans Gold
Home
Won, 30–12
March 3, 2018
Ontario Arrows
Home
Draw, 28–28
March 24, 2018
New Orleans Gold
Away
Draw, 32–32
April 7, 2018
San Diego Legion
Away
Won, 33–17
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
April 21
New Orleans Gold
Home
Lost, 26–35
April 28
Austin Elite
Home
Won, 50–38
May 4
San Diego Legion
Away
Lost, 32–35
May 19
New Orleans Gold
Away
Lost, 26–35
May 26
Utah Warriors
Home
Lost, 30–36
June 2
Seattle Seawolves
Home
Lost, 7–20
June 9
Glendale Raptors
Away
Lost, 24–37
June 23
Utah Warriors
Away
Lost, 27–31
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
December 1, 2018
Austin Blacks
Away
Won, 78–12
December 8, 2018
Dallas Reds
Away
Won, 34–8
January 11, 2019
Austin Elite
Home
Lost, 10–14
January 19, 2019
Glendale Raptors
Home
Lost, 21–36
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Venue
Result
January 26
Austin Elite
Away
Dell Diamond
Won, 21–20
February 9
San Diego Legion
Away
Torero Stadium
Lost, 13–17
February 22
Toronto Arrows
Home
Constellation Field
Lost, 27–44
March 2
Rugby United New York
Home
Constellation Field
Lost, 8–35
March 10
Seattle Seawolves
Away
Starfire Sports
Lost, 14–27
March 16
New Orleans Gold
Home
Constellation Field
Lost, 11–49
March 23
Utah Warriors
Home
Constellation Field
Won, 29–27
April 6
Glendale Raptors
Away
Infinity Park
Lost, 44–52
April 13
Seattle Seawolves
Home
Aveva Stadium
Lost, 12–52
April 21
Toronto Arrows
Away
York Stadium
Lost, 21–35
April 27
San Diego Legion
Home
Dyer Stadium
Lost, 19–41
May 5
Rugby United New York
Away
MCU Park
Lost, 0–21
May 18
New Orleans Gold
Away
Archbishop Shaw Stadium
Won, 27–20
May 25
Austin Elite
Home
Aveva Stadium
Won, 36–15
May 29
Glendale Raptors
Home
Aveva Stadium
Won, 32–17
June 1
Utah Warriors
Away
Zions Bank Stadium
Won, 31–27
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 .[ 13] It was cancelled the following week[ 14]
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
March 20
Seattle Seawolves
Home
Won, 30–24
March 27
New England Free Jacks
Home
Lost, 0–32
April 3
Austin Gilgronis
Away
Lost, 0–26
April 10
San Diego Legion
Home
Won, 34–32
April 17
LA Giltinis
Home
Lost, 48–33
April 24
Utah Warriors
Away
Lost, 50–43
May 8
New Orleans Gold
Away
Lost, 26–28
May 15
Toronto Arrows
Home
Lost, 10–19
May 22
Old Glory DC
Home
Lost, 13–21
May 29
San Diego Legion
Away
Lost, 11–39
June 5
Austin Gilgronis
Home
Lost, 9–28
June 13
LA Giltinis
Away
Lost, 5–52
June 19
Rugby ATL
Away
Lost, 15–33
June 26
Utah Warriors
Home
Lost, 5–24
July 10
Rugby United New York
Away
Lost, 19–54
July 15
Seattle Seawolves
Away
Lost, 21-40
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
February 5
LA Giltinis
Home
Won, 21–11
February 12
Rugby New York
Home
Lost, 7-10
February 19
Dallas Jackals
Away
Won, 38–33
February 26
San Diego Legion
Home
Lost, 20-31
March 5
Rugby ATL
Away
Lost, 22-29
March 12
Seattle Seawolves
Home
Won 21-19
March 26
Utah Warriors
Away
Won, 28-12
April 3
Austin Gilgronis
Away
Lost, 5-45
April 9
Dallas Jackals
Home
Won, 31-6
April 16
LA Giltinis
Away
Lost, 12-17
April 23
Toronto Arrows
Home
Won, 29-17
May 8
San Diego Legion
Away
Won, 34-24
May 14
Utah Warriors
Home
Won, 31-27
May 21
Old Glory DC
Away
Won, 59-42
May 27
Seattle Seawolves
Away
Lost, 36-43
June 3
Austin Gilgronis
Home
Lost, 14-29
Round
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
West Conference Finals
June 18
Seattle Seawolves
Home
Lost, 27-46
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
February 19
Dallas Jackals
Away
Won, 33-12
February 25
NOLA Gold
Home
Won, 35-14
March 5
San Diego Legion
Home
Won, 31-26
March 11
Seattle Seawolves
Away
Lost, 12-24
March 25
Rugby ATL
Home
Won, 40-28
April 2
Chicago Hounds
Away
Won, 38-21
April 8
Utah Warriors
Home
Lost, 24-30
April 15
Dallas Jackals
Home
Won, 33-21
April 23
New York Ironworkers
Away
Won, 34-27
April 30
San Diego Legion
Away
Lost, 16-29
May 13
Seattle Seawolves
Home
Lost, 17-34
May 20
Utah Warriors
Away
Lost, 28-34
May 27
Chicago Hounds
Home
Won, 40-33
June 3
Toronto Arrows
Away
Won, 48-26
June 9
Old Glory DC
Home
Won, 31-7
June 18
New England Free Jacks
Away
Lost, 24-47
Round
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Result
West Conference Eliminator Round
June 24
Seattle Seawolves
Away
Lost, 26-37
Date
Opponent
Home/Away
Location
Result
March 2
Utah Warriors
Home
SaberCats Stadium
Won, 22-15
March 10
Rugby Football Club Los Angeles
Away
Dignity Health Sports Park
Won, 27-12
March 16
Miami Sharks
Home
SaberCats Stadium
Won, 30-19
March 22
Seattle Seawolves
Away
Starfire Sports Complex
Won, 42-40
March 29
Dallas Jackals
Away
Choctaw Stadium
Won, 30-27
April 13
New England Free Jacks
Home
SaberCats Stadium
Lost, 47-35
April 20
Old Glory DC
Away
Maryland SoccerPlex
Won, 38-17
April 27
San Diego Legion
Home
SaberCats Stadium
Won, 33-0
May 4
Utah Warriors
Away
Zions Bank Stadium
Won, 29-24
May 10
Anthem RC
Away
American Legion Memorial Stadium
Won, 38-15
May 18
Chicago Hounds
Home
SaberCats Stadium
Won, 23-22
June 1
NOLA Gold
Away
The Gold Mine
Won, 21-7
June 8
Rugby Football Club Los Angeles
Home
SaberCats Stadium
Won, 29-12
June 15
Seattle Seawolves
Home
SaberCats Stadium
Won, 28-25
June 23
San Diego Legion
Away
Snapdragon Stadium
Lost, 37-24
June 29
Dallas Jackals
Away
SaberCats Stadium
^ "Major League Rugby – As It Stands" . Americas Rugby News . 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2018-01-23 .
^ "SaberCats fall to Seawolves in first match played at AVEVA Stadium" . Houston Chronicle . April 13, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019 .
^ Schneider, Andrew (2018-02-07). "Houston City Council Approved $3.2 Million Deal To Build A New Rugby Stadium" . Houston Public Media . Retrieved 2018-04-07 .
^ "SaberCats, city to break ground on new AVEVA Stadium late July" . KHOU . July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018 .
^ Gorman, Jack (2018-03-05). "Houston SaberCats Announce New Temporary Home" . Houston Press . Retrieved 2018-03-05 .
^ Dart, Tom (2018-01-22). "Houston? No problem – SaberCats bullish about latest US rugby venture" . The Guardian . Archived from the original on 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2018-01-23 .
^ "Houston SaberCats" . Americas Rugby News . Retrieved 31 December 2023 .
^ "Houston? No problem – SaberCats bullish about latest US rugby venture" . The Guardian . January 22, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ "Paul Emerick takes helm of SaberCats" . Houston Chronicle . May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019 .
^ "New Coach Announced Ahead of 2020 Season" . August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019 .
^ "Pote Human to join Heyneke Meyer at American Major League outfit" . Sport24 . September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021 .
^ "MLR 2022 - Houston SaberCats vs LA Giltinis - ARN Guide" . Americas Rugby News. 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2022-05-08 .
^ "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 March 14, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020 .
^ "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 .
Coach(es) Players Stadiums Final appearances Rivalries
Teams
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By year
See also
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