This was an intense round of Major League Rugby. The changes in the ranks this week are probably more broad than they’ve been since the first couple weeks of the season. The TRS curse seemed to persist, with NOLA Gold losing and Rugby United New York nearly doing the same. But the Roosters hung on and seized sole possession of the top spot.

Oh, and Austin Elite Rugby. Three straight tough battles left them still seeking their first win. But they have, at least, found their way out of the rankings basement.

#1 RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK (Record: 7-1; Last Week: #1 tie)

The Roosters of New York crow in the new dawn that rises on them as the sole top team. Their win in San Antonio wasn’t the prettiest, but it allowed them to rest several key players and with seven wins, RUNY now has the best record in the league.

The backline has been stellar since Round 1, but the pack has really come along over the course of the season. At this stage, they arguably have the best set piece going. Especially when Dylan Fawsitt is available. And they’ve overcome one of their biggest perceived weaknesses –the lack of a back up fly half. With Cathal Marsh missing, RUNY has thrived under Chris Mattina and Harry Bennett at #10.

With a defense that is also thriving (allowed the second-fewest points, behind San Diego), they have no clear weakness left to attack. Given that the bulk of their remaining schedule is at home, the rest of the league is going to have to figure out a strategy to take them on if they are hoping to avoid a playoff game on Coney Island.

#2 NOLA GOLD (Record: 6-2; Last Week: #1 tie)

The Gold lost a heartbreaker in Glendale, though they were missing a few key players (i.e., Cam Dolan). Their attack was impressive, as always. They burned the steady Glendale defense on a number of occasions, including twice in the last 10 minutes to grab the lead. Nick Feakes has emerged as a legitimate weapon, as if the Gold needed any more.

If there is a problem area, it is still the defense. Both times NOLA took the lead on Saturday, Glendale was able to promptly retake it. The Gold have put in good defensive shifts, but they’ve also put in forgettable ones. When they can make stops, they are very challenging to beat.

And one good side effect of winning with a high octane offense is bonus points. The Gold have them in spades and remain top of the table.

#3 SAN DIEGO LEGION (Record: 5-2-1; Last Week: #4)

An impressive outing in Tukwila, Washington find the Legion moving up a spot to #3. If there was a Seawall this week, it was wearing red and white. The San Diego defense completely stymied Seattle’s attack, even with cards of both the yellow and red variety flying in their direction.

It was the best Legion outing in a while, and one wonders if there was a little extra incentive for the Californians to avenge the smackdown they received when they last visited Starfire in 2018.

After a tough schedule stretch, they’ll get a bit of a break as they host Austin. Then again, the Elite have been playing very well of late…

#4 tie SEATTLE SEAWOLVES (Record: 5-3; Last Week: #3)

It’s been some time since the Seawolves looked intimidating. The first few rounds were encouraging, culminating in their victory over RUNY. They seemed to be improving. The impact of having a head coach appeared to produce a more dynamic attack to compliment their steady defense. They defended their home.

Since that win, however, times have been tougher. They struggled in wins over both Texan teams. This week, they dropped one at home for the first time this season. Even after San Diego’s first half red card, Seattle’s attack barely seemed able to create chances. Meanwhile, penalties and mistakes let the Legion continue turning over the scoreboard. In truth, this one wasn’t as close as the score suggested.

The Seawolves need to get back on the top tier track. With how close this playoff race is turning out to be, they’d be well advised to do so sooner rather than later.

#4 tie GLENDALE RAPTORS (Record: 4-3-2; Last Week: #6)

Glendale followed up on a listless visit to New York with their best performance of the year. Petzer may be the missing piece they needed to turn meters into points. He was masterful in orchestrating decisive opportunities this week, albeit against a defense that trails some of the other top sides.

And, despite all of Seattle’s fanfare, it is Glendale who are undefeated at home. This week they’ll host the SaberCats, which should be a smaller lift than beating NOLA. Despite the big win, they still have only four of them in nine contests. They’ll need a bonus point win against Houston if they want to keep pace.

#6 TORONTO ARROWS (Record: 4-4; Last Week: #6)

Tough shakes to set a scoring record and not see a move forward in the rankings. It was an impressive performance, but unfortunately slightly less impressive than those of their peers this week. But with their entire road schedule and the sacrifices of the Americas Rugby Championship behind them, it is likely only up from here for the Arrows.

When near full strength, they’ve been one of the top teams in the league. That just hasn’t been often enough this season to prove anything. Yet. Their first home game, though, is against NOLA this week, on a long trip for the Gold. A win in that one would be a real statement.

#7 HOUSTON SABERCATS (Record: 2-5; Last Week: #8)

Houston pick up a spot after another shambolic loss by Utah. After their Round 10 bye, veteran Osea Kolinisau returns from suspension. Not sure what to make of it, though, since Houston played arguably their best game with both he and Josua Vici absent last week.

Round 11 will be daunting. Can the Windsor-led ‘Cats redeem a challenged MLR history by upsetting the Raptors in their own backyard? Probably not, but if they could that would be a real building block.

#8 tie AUSTIN ELITE RUGBY (Record: 0-9; Last Week: #9)

The Elite got a little more elite this week, finally escaping the lone spot at the bottom of our rankings. They did it without winning, but they have sure been close. They gave Seattle headaches, they had NOLA beat until the last play, and they pushed RUNY until the final 10 minutes. That’s about as strong of a three-week stretch as you can imagine without a win.

But their winless record is partly because Austin lost all of its easier early season fixtures. They’ve made this bed for themselves, and while they’re playing much better, they still must lie in it.

That said, I’d be a little nervous if I were San Diego this week.

#8 tie UTAH WARRIORS (Record: 1-5-1; Last Week: #7)

Where have you gone, Warriors who nearly beat Glendale? These last two rounds have been ones for the trash bin. The set piece has been surprisingly hapless. The Warriors are retaining only 80% of their own scrums, the lowest percentage in the league. Team structure has been nearly non-existent. What success they find comes through individual line breaks and smooth offloads. Entertaining, but not enough to win MLR ballgames.