Community Rugby and MLR Showcase Proves Huge Success
Rugby Football Club Los Angeles (RFCLA) took center stage in a jam packed day of rugby action at the Long Beach Festival of Rugby, in a highly competitive match against Major League Rugby (MLR) repeat finalists, San Diego Legion, in front of 1,500 fans across the event.
The festival kicked off with California State University, Long Beach facing off against Occidental College in the women’s match, followed by Division 2 action between Belmont Shore and San Luis Obispo. The Division 1 clash saw Belmont Shore edge out Santa Monica in an exciting home victory with a final score of 58-31.
The main event featured RFCLA taking on SD Legion, three-time MLR finalists and preseason favorites for the 2024 campaign.
The match started with RFCLA asserting early dominance, led by Argentinian international Gonzalo Bertranou, a global standout with 68 test caps, controlling play in the opening 30 minutes.
RFCLA struck first with a try from Ben Houston, followed closely by another five-pointer from hooker Ben Sugars. USA Eagle and California native Christian Dyer, a key signing for the LA franchise, also found himself on the scoresheet in the first half. Despite their early momentum, RFCLA trailed 19-21 at halftime.
Head Coach Steve Hoiles, in his first match in LA since returning to professional coaching in 2022, opted for fielding an entirely new lineup in the second half as part of their final trial preparations. San Diego capitalized, scoring three unanswered tries in the third quarter. However, RFCLA responded with a late try from Cam Gerlach, who impressively converted his own effort from the sideline, bringing the deficit to just nine points in the closing minutes.
The final score stood at 40-31, with LA scoring five tries to San Diego’s six.
“A lot of players stood up and played well,” said Hoiles. “From our new, younger recruits like Nick Chan and Ben Houston to our more experienced players like Gonzalo Bertranou, Matt Heaton, as well as Billy Meakes and Andrew Coe—both of whom played out of position but performed really well.
"San Diego will be a top team this season and one of the teams to beat. They showed their depth and experience today. Though the tries were pretty even, and I’m sure John (SD Legion Head Coach) would agree, that both teams have areas to improve.”
“Our focus now shifts to our first two matches, preparing to face last year’s champions at Wallis Annenberg Stadium at UCLA next Saturday. Trials are valuable, but our priority is looking ahead and being ready.”
Hoiles also expressed gratitude for the support behind the event: “I just want to thank Ray Egan and the Belmont Shore support staff for making this happen. As a club, we definitely want to continue this tradition in the years to come.”
Reflecting on the festival atmosphere, he added, “It was a great day of rugby—truly a collective effort that brought together all levels of the game. From women’s and collegiate matches to club rugby and the professional game in MLR, it was incredible to see.”
“The support from Long Beach State’s operations team, down to the folks running the BBQ, really shows the potential of the sport in Southern California. Seeing so many faces from the rugby community, both new and old, reminds us why many of us are back in MLR and why we are proud to be in LA.”
RFCLA now turns its attention to the season opener as they prepare to take on the reigning champions, the New England Free Jacks in a highly anticipated matchup at Wallis Annenberg Stadium at UCLA, Saturday February at 6 PM.
Rugby Football Club Los Angeles Season Tickets now available here!
