Utah Warriors rugby team makes it into the playoffs for the first time

The Utah Warriors are playing in Salt Lake City in the professional Rugby league playoffs for their first time. Photo: Olga Guryanova

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The Utah Warriors are making a significant impact in the 2025 Major League Rugby playoffs. Their successful season, marked by an 11-5 regular-season record and the league’s most points scored, has led them to clinch the top seed in the Western Conference.

This accomplishment is particularly notable as it earned them the right to host their first-ever home playoff game at Zions Bank Stadium.

The Warriors’ first playoff match, a Western Conference semi-final against the Seattle Seawolves, was a hard-fought battle. Utah secured a narrow 23-21 victory, with key contributions from Jordan Trainor’s two tries and D’Angelo Leuila’s decisive penalty kicks. This win advanced them to the next stage and marked their first home playoff win in franchise history.

Next up for the Warriors is the Western Conference Final, which they will host at Zions Bank Stadium on Saturday, June 21st. Click here to purchase tickets. The opponent will be the Houston Sabercats, a team that handed the Warriors three losses during the regular season, including a season sweep.

This sets the stage for a compelling rematch to determine who will represent the Western Conference in the MLR Championship.
Head coach Greg Cooper has emphasized maintaining their successful approach for the playoff run, and the team is eager to reward their dedicated fan base with continued success.

A win against Houston would propel them to the MLR Championship, which will take place in Rhode Island on June 28th. The Warriors are striving to achieve this goal.

Warrior fan and father, Reed, said, “I was able to bring my family to three games. It was a lot of fun for all the kids, my wife, and myself. The atmosphere is very family-friendly for even my youngest kids. I had four children attend the pregame Jr. Warriors clinics on two separate occasions; they had a lot of fun with those experiences and it was a very positive and encouraging environment.”

The countries from which athletes on the Warriors rugby roster hail include, but are not limited to:

• USA
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Canada
• South Africa
• Ireland
• Great Britain