2023 USARL season

Last updated
2023 USARL season
LeagueUSA Rugby League 2023 season
DurationJune 3rd - September 14th, 2023
Teams12
Minor premiersSanta Rosa Dead Pelicans (1st title)
ChampionsSanta Rosa Dead Pelicans (1st title)

The 2023 USA Rugby League season was the 26th season overall of amateur and semi-professional rugby league competition in the United States and the 11th season under the governance of the USARL.

Contents

With the inclusion of the Pacific Coast Rugby League, the competition is now officially played on both coasts of the United States, with the winner being the first-ever coast to coast National Champion in American rugby league history. The league sees a boost in participating clubs from four in 2022 to twelve in 2023. Two more clubs will join in 2024.

Clubs

Pacific Coast Conference (California Division)
ColorsClubFoundedCity (MSA)Stadium
Cronulla colours.svg
Los Angeles Mongrel 2019 Los Angeles, California Various
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
Los Angeles Bandidos 2022 Los Angeles, California Various
Giantscolours.svg
San Diego Barracudas 2020 San Diego, California Various
Melbourne colours.svg
Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans 2018 Santa Rosa, California For Pete's Sake Field
Pacific Coast Conference (Utah Division)
ColorsClubFoundedCity (MSA)Stadium
Melbourne colours.svg Glendale Storm 2022 Glendale, Utah Burgess Park
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Herriman Roosters 2022 Herriman, Utah Burgess Park
Canberra colours.svg Provo Broncos 2022 Provo, Utah Burgess Park
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Riverton Seagulls 2022 Riverton, Utah Burgess Park
South Conference
ColorsClubFoundedCity (MSA)StadiumTitles

(Last)

Brisbane colours.svg
Atlanta Rhinos 2014 Roswell, GA Elkins Pointe Middle School1 (2017)
Jacksonville colors.svg
Jacksonville Axemen 2006 Jacksonville, FL UNF Rugby Field3 (2022)
Wests Panthers Colours.svg
Southwest Florida Copperheads 2018 Naples, FL Paradise Coast Sports Complex0 (N/A)
Central Comets colours.svg
Tampa Mayhem 2014 Tampa, FL Hillsborough High School 1 (2021)

Regular season

Week One (June 3)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Cronulla colours.svg
Los Angeles Mongrel 22-22 San Diego Barracudas
Giantscolours.svg
Van Nuys High School (Van Nuys, CA)
Brisbane colours.svg
Atlanta Rhinos 12-42 Tampa Mayhem
Central Comets colours.svg
Elkins Point Middle School (Roswell, GA)
Week Two (June 17–18)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Melbourne colours.svg
Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans 40-14 Los Angeles Bandidos
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
For Pete's Sake Field (Santa Rosa, CA)
Giantscolours.svg
San Diego Barracudas 34-24 Los Angeles Mongrel
Cronulla colours.svg
Cesar Chavez Park (San Diego, CA)
Jacksonville colors.svg
Jacksonville Axemen 32-16 Southwest Florida Copperheads
Wests Panthers Colours.svg
University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Florida)
Week Three (June 24)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Brisbane colours.svg
Atlanta Rhinos 88-16 Southwest Florida Copperheads
Wests Panthers Colours.svg
SilverBack Park (Atlanta, GA)
Central Comets colours.svg
Tampa Mayhem 46-28 Jacksonville Axemen
Jacksonville colors.svg
Hillsborough High School (Tampa, FL)
Cronulla colours.svg
Los Angeles Mongrel 6-60 Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans
Melbourne colours.svg
Van Nuys High School (Van Nuys, CA)
Week Four (July 1–2)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Herriman Roosters 30-44 Riverton Seagulls Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Melbourne colours.svg Glendale Storm 22-48 Provo Broncos Canberra colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)

**Due to the 2023 Western North America heat wave, matches between San Diego/Santa Rosa and Los Angeles Mongrel/Los Angeles Bandidos were declared as a NO RESULT.**

Week Five (July 7–8)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Riverton Seagulls 52-44 Glendale Storm Melbourne colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Canberra colours.svg Provo Broncos 54-36 Herriman Roosters Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Brisbane colours.svg
Atlanta Rhinos 26-46 Jacksonville Axemen
Jacksonville colors.svg
SilverBack Park (Atlanta, GA)
Week Six (July 14–15)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Jacksonville colors.svg
Jacksonville Axemen 80-6 Atlanta Rhinos
Brisbane colours.svg
University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Florida)
Central Comets colours.svg
Tampa Mayhem 50-10 Southwest Florida Copperheads
Wests Panthers Colours.svg
Hillsborough High School (Tampa, FL)
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
Los Angeles Bandidos 18-60 Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans
Melbourne colours.svg
El Dorado Park (Long Beach, CA)
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Riverton Seagulls DRAW Provo Broncos Canberra colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Herriman Roosters 84-24 Glendale Storm Melbourne colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Week Seven (July 22–23)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Melbourne colours.svg
Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans 40-0 Los Angeles Mongrel
Cronulla colours.svg
For Pete's Sake Field (Santa Rosa, CA)
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
Los Angeles Bandidos 36-24 San Diego Barracudas
Giantscolours.svg
Chittick Field (Long Beach, CA)
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Riverton Seagulls DRAW Herriman Roosters Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Canberra colours.svg Provo Broncos DRAW Glendale Storm Melbourne colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Central Comets colours.svg
Tampa Mayhem 54-18 Atlanta Rhinos
Brisbane colours.svg
Hillsborough High School (Tampa, FL)
Wests Panthers Colours.svg
Southwest Florida Copperheads 6-70 Jacksonville Axemen
Jacksonville colors.svg
Paradise Coast Sports Complex (Naples, FL)
Week Eight (July 29–30)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Jacksonville colors.svg
Jacksonville Axemen 16-12 Tampa Mayhem
Central Comets colours.svg
University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Florida)
Melbourne colours.svg
Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans 40-0 San Diego Barracudas
Giantscolours.svg
For Pete's Sake Field (Santa Rosa, CA)
Cronulla colours.svg
Los Angeles Mongrel 8-28 Los Angeles Bandidos
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
Van Nuys High School (Van Nuys, CA)
Melbourne colours.svg Glendale Storm 48-44 Riverton Seagulls Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Herriman Roosters 20-34 Provo Broncos Canberra colours.svg Burgess Park (Alpine, UT)
Week Nine (August 5–6)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Giantscolours.svg
San Diego Barracudas 40-0 Los Angeles Bandidos
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
Cesar Chavez Park (San Diego, CA)

League standings

Pacific Coast Conference (California Division) [1]
ColorsClubMatches PlayedWinsDrawsLossesPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceCompetition Points
Melbourne colours.svg
Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans (California Champion)651024038+20211
Giantscolours.svg
San Diego Barracudas 6222120122-26
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
Los Angeles Bandidos 623196172-765
Cronulla colours.svg
Los Angeles Mongrel 604260184-1242
Pacific Coast Conference (Utah Division) [2]
ColorsClubMatches PlayedWinsDrawsLossesPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceCompetition Points
Canberra colours.svg Provo Broncos

(Utah Champion)

631213678+588
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Riverton Seagulls 5222140122+186
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Herriman Roosters 5141170156+146
Melbourne colours.svg Glendale Storm 5141138228-906
South Conference
ColorsClubMatches PlayedWinsDrawsLossesPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceCompetition Points
Central Comets colours.svg
Tampa Mayhem

(SOUTH #1)

650124696+15010
Jacksonville colors.svg
Jacksonville Axemen (SOUTH #2)6501272112+16010
Brisbane colours.svg
Atlanta Rhinos 6141150238-1123
Wests Panthers Colours.svg
Southwest Florida Copperheads 601560282-2221

National Semi-Final #1 : USARL South Conference Championship (Tampa vs Jacksonville)

USARL South Conference Championship (August 5)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Central Comets colours.svg
Tampa Mayhem

(SOUTH #1)

6-30 Jacksonville Axemen (SOUTH #2)
Jacksonville colors.svg
Hillsborough High School

(Tampa, FL)

National Semi-Final #2: Pacific Coast Conference Championship (California champion vs. Utah champion)

Pacific Coast Conference Championship (California vs. Utah) (August 12)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Melbourne colours.svg
Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans

(California Champion)

12-36 [3] Provo Broncos §

(Utah Champion)

Canberra colours.svg For Pete's Sake Field (Santa Rosa, CA)

(§): On August 15, 2023, the Pacific Coast Rugby League, USA Rugby League, and the Utah Rugby League Association announced that the Provo Broncos had been stripped of the PCRL championship title due to a breach of league rules during the PCRL championship game on August 12, for knowingly fielding an ineligible player. [4]

USA Rugby League National Championship: Jacksonville vs. Santa Rosa

USA Rugby League National Championship (September 14, 2023)
ColorsHome TeamScoreAway TeamColorsVenue
Jacksonville colors.svg
Jacksonville Axemen

(USARL South Champions) (6–0–1)

16-20 [5] [6] Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans

(Pacific Coast Rugby League Champions)(6–1–0)

Melbourne colours.svg
University of North Florida

(Jacksonville, Florida)

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References

  1. "2023 Schedule". Pacific Coast Rugby League. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  2. "2023 Schedule". Pacific Coast Rugby League. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  3. "Provo Broncos win inaugural PCRL men's championship". Pacific Coast Rugby League. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  4. "PCRL, USARL, URLA joint statement". Pacific Coast Rugby League. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  5. "Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans crowned national men's champions in PCRL first year". Pacific Coast Rugby League. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  6. 2023 National Championship: Jacksonville Axemen vs North Bay Dead Pelicans - August 26, 2023 , retrieved 2024-02-29