MLR Week 1 Recap

The MLR’s fiercest rivalry - whether you call it the West Coast Classic, The War in the West, or simply MLR’s Greatest Rivalry - lived up to its billing on Sunday, but only if you were a Legion fan. The San Diego Legion opened their 2025 campaign in emphatic fashion, dismantling the Seattle Seawolves 40-26 at Torero Stadium. While the final score suggests a competitive contest, the reality was far more lopsided, as the Legion ran rampant early, securing a 35-0 lead before the Seawolves could even get on the board.

This clash carried extra weight with longtime Seawolves star and USA Eagle Tavite Lopeti now wearing Legion colors, adding further intrigue to an already heated matchup. As the reigning Western Conference Champions, Seattle arrived with a strong lineup and high expectations. Instead, they were overwhelmed from the opening whistle.

First Half Blitz Leaves Seawolves Reeling

San Diego wasted no time seizing control, striking in just the 3rd minute when Lincoln McClutchie sliced through the defense and set up Christian Poidevin under the posts. The home crowd had barely settled before the Legion struck again, exploiting Seattle’s misalignment to send Ryan James over in the corner at the 7-minute mark. The onslaught continued in the 13th minute when Jed Holloway finished off a coast-to-coast breakout, extending the lead to 21-0.

Seattle, known for their physicality, found themselves on the back foot as San Diego’s relentless pressure forced errors. More defensive lapses left the visitors exposed, and James secured his brace in the 27th minute after stepping the last defender. Seattle had a glimmer of hope on the final play of the half, but Malembe Mpofu was driven into touch just short of the line. Instead of breaking their scoreless streak, the Seawolves trudged into the sheds staring at a daunting 28-0 deficit.

San Diego Slams the Door

Any hopes of a second-half comeback were quickly dashed when Tomas Aoake coasted in for the Legion’s fifth try at the 44-minute mark, pushing the score to 35-0. At that point, the contest was effectively over.

Discipline briefly became a concern for the home side, as a pair of yellow cards to Jimmy Hokafonu and Poidevin gave Seattle a lifeline. The Seawolves finally broke through in the 57th minute when Cameron Orr powered over. Eddie Fouché added another for Seattle in the 63rd, followed by Jesse Mackail’s lineout drive try in the 73rd, making it a more respectable 35-19.

However, just as Seattle began to entertain thoughts of a miracle comeback, San Diego shut the door. A slick break from Marcel Brache set up Connor Tupai for a crucial try in the 75th minute, restoring the Legion’s control at 40-19. The Seawolves continued pushing, eventually scoring a last-gasp try with the clock in the red to secure a bonus point, but it was little consolation on a night when they had been thoroughly outplayed.

Key Performances and Takeaways

• Brad Wilkin (MOTM) – The flanker was everywhere, dominating the breakdown and leading San Diego’s defensive stand.
• Lincoln McClutchie – Controlled the game beautifully with his tactical kicking and stood tall against Seattle’s aggressive midfield.
• Ryan James & Tomas Aoake – Their finishing ability turned half-chances into points, exposing Seattle’s defensive frailties.
• Set-Piece Stability – Despite facing one of the heaviest packs in MLR, the Legion’s scrums and lineouts held firm.

What’s Next?

San Diego’s dominant start sets the tone for their season, but there’s little time to celebrate. A quick turnaround sees them travel to Charlotte for a Friday night showdown with the much-improved Anthem Rugby. With cold and potentially damp conditions awaiting, the Legion will need to maintain their sharpness to keep the momentum rolling.

Seattle, meanwhile, has a bye week to regroup before facing the Houston SaberCats on March 1st. They’ll need to fix their defensive lapses and rediscover their physical edge if they want to reassert themselves in the Western Conference.

For now, though, the West Coast belongs to San Diego.