Utah Warriors Looking to Secure Home Playoff Berth Saturday in West Coast Showdown v RFCLA

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Utah Warriors Looking to Secure Home Playoff Berth Saturday in West Coast Showdown v RFCLA

June 5, 2025 - Major League Rugby (MLR)
Utah Warriors News Release


Utah Warriors forward Bailey Wilson was all smiles following last Saturday's 31-10 playoff-clinching win over Anthem RC, and for good reason. The win marked the first time the Warriors have clinched a playoff berth since 2021, with Wilson and his teammates relishing the moment.

But not too much.

‚¬Â While expressing satisfaction of last Saturday's accomplishment, Bailey's thoughts quickly turned to the task ahead and his team's ultimate goal.

‚¬Â "We're really happy, but as an organization the focus is week-to-week," Wilson said following the win. "We don't get ahead of ourselves, and that's why we've been able to do what we've done. But now it's about a strong LA team that is very hungry."

‚¬Â Utah (10-5, 53 points) will take on RFC Los Angeles (8-6-1, 50) this Saturday at Zions Bank Stadium in its final match of the regular season. What's at stake is first place in Major League Rugby's Western Conference and a subsequent No. 1-seeding in the league's eight-team playoff.

‚¬Â "It's a huge game, and we need to be ready for it and end the season strong. Winning that game will bring us one step closer to our final goal of winning a championship," Wilson, who has been part of the Warriors since 2020 after graduating from Lone Peak High School, said.

‚¬Â A native Australian, Wilson and his family moved to Utah when he was 14 years of age, making his ties to the Warrior community uniquely entrenched among his teammates. He's played with the Warriors through most of their existence, experiencing several highs, and unfortunately several lows in recent years.

‚¬Â But as their current status attests to, this year's Warriors team is different.

‚¬Â "The connection this year is outstanding and as good as any I've been a part of," Wilson said. "We rally around each other, and our ability to move on from one week to the next, take the lessons, and then not repeat the mistakes we make has been crucial for us."

‚¬Â Indeed Utah's season hasn't been perfect.

‚¬Â After getting off to a scorching start, which included a critical 45-28 win over LA in April, Utah has experienced some lulls. But that's rugby, and tough stretches, along with unfortunate injuries happen with just about any season.

‚¬Â The good news is that Utah appears to be regaining its superior form shown forth during the first half of the season. The team is hoping to return key players like captain Gavin Thornbury and top-scorer D'Angelo Leuila, among several others just in time for the playoffs.

‚¬Â For right now, though, the entire focus is on Los Angeles with home field advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs at stake.

‚¬Â "We've had a tough stretch, had some injuries, but we're building momentum at the right time, we feel," Wilson said. "Now it's about playing as much as we can in front of our amazing fans who have been with us through it all. Getting even one playoff game in front of our incredible fans would be huge."



Major League Rugby Stories from June 5, 2025


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