Houston_SaberCats
Houston SaberCats
Professional rugby union team from Houston, Texas
The Houston SaberCats are an American professional rugby union team based in Houston, Texas. The team was founded in 2017 and competes in Major League Rugby,[1] the top-level rugby union competition in the United States and Canada that played its first season in 2018. The SaberCats organization was born from one of the founding amateur rugby clubs that pooled resources to emerge professionally, and were the first in MLR membership to build a rugby-specific stadium intended for MLR competition.
Quick Facts Full name, Founded ...
| Full name | Houston SaberCats | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2017; 7 years ago (2017) | |
| Location | Houston, Texas | |
| Ground(s) | SaberCats Stadium (Capacity: 4,000) | |
| President | Mike Sheehan | |
| Coach(es) | Pote Human | |
| Captain(s) | Johan Momsen | |
| Top scorer | Sam Windsor (432) | |
| Most tries | Sam Windsor (14) | |
| League(s) | Major League Rugby | |
| 2023 | Elimination round 3rd (Western Conference) | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| www | ||
Close
Main article: SaberCats Stadium
Houston plays their games in SaberCats Stadium, which was opened on April 13, 2019.[2] In February 2018, the City of Houston agreed to fund $3.2 million of the $15.25 million needed to build a permanent rugby stadium for use by the Houston SaberCats at Houston Sports Park.[3] On July 17, the SaberCats announced that a three-year naming rights were awarded to British multinational software and technology company Aveva, and that it would be initially known as "Aveva Stadium".[4] Following this deal, the venue became known as "SaberCats Stadium".
Houston Sports Park is also the permanent training ground for Major League Soccer soccer team Houston Dynamo as well as the Houston Dash women's soccer team.
During the 2018 regular season, the SaberCats played their home matches at Dyer Stadium[5] and trained at Athlete Training and Health in Houston. The team also played at Constellation Field, home of the Sugar Land Skeeters, for part of the 2019 season, and for their exhibition matches in 2017 and 2018.[6] Also, in April 2019, while the new pitch at SaberCats Stadium healed, the team returned to Dyer Stadium to play one match against San Diego before returning to SaberCats Stadium.
More information Stadium, Capacity ...
| Stadium | Capacity | Location | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dyer Stadium | 6,000 | Houston, Texas | 2018 |
| Constellation Field | 7,500 | Sugar Land, Texas | 2018–2019 |
| SaberCats Stadium | 4,000 | Houston, Texas | 2019–present |
Close
More information Season, Kit manufacturer ...
| Season | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Other Shirt sponsor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–2019 | XBlades | Aveva | None |
| 2020 | Paladin Sports | ||
| 2021 | Lone Star College System | ||
| 2022 | Live Oak Vodka | None | |
| 2023 | None |
Close
Current squad
For player movements before and during the 2024 season, see List of 2023–24 Major League Rugby transfers § Houston SaberCats.
The Houston SaberCats squad for the 2024 Major League Rugby season is:[7]
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
More information Player, Position ...
Close
- Senior 15s and senior 7s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
- * denotes players qualified to play for the United States on dual nationality or residency grounds.
- MLR teams are allowed to field up to ten overseas players per match.
Current coaching staff
- Pote Human (Head Coach)
- Vic Meyer (Assistant Coach - Attack)
- Ryan Nell (Assistant Coach – backs)
- Jon Hood (Strength & Conditioning Coach)
Head coaches
Justin Fitzpatrick (2017–2019)[8]
Paul Emerick (2019)[9]
Paul Healy (2020–2021)[10]
Pote Human (2022–Present)[11]
Former assistant coaches
- Sam Windsor (Backs – 2017–2019)
- Paul Emerick (Backs – 2017–2020)
- Matt Trouville (Lineouts – 2017–2019)
Neil Kelly (Defense – 2019)
Darren Morris (Forwards – 2019)
Captains
- Kyle Sumsion (2018)
- Matt Trouville (2019)
- De Wet Roos (2020)
- Luke Beauchamp (2021) (co-captain)
- De Wet Roos (2021) (co-captain)
- Dean Muir (2022–)[12]
Season standings
More information Season, Conference ...
| Season | Conference | Regular season | Postseason | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | +/− | BP | Pts | Pld | W | L | F | A | +/− | Result | |||
| 2018 | - | 7th | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 216 | 256 | −40 | 7 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Did not qualify | |
| 2019 | - | 7th | 16 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 345 | 496 | −151 | 6 | 30 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Did not qualify | |
| 2020[lower-alpha 1] | Western | 6th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 99 | 116 | −17 | 2 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Cancelled | |
| 2021 | Western | 6th | 16 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 274 | 550 | -276 | 5 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | Did not qualify | |
| 2022 | Western | 3rd | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 408 | 393 | +15 | 12 | 48 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 46 | -19 | Lost West Conference Final (Seattle Seawolves) 27–46 | |
| 2023 | Western | 3rd | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 484 | 413 | +71 | 13 | 53 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 37 | -11 | Lost West Conference Eliminator Game (Seattle Seawolves) 26-37 | |
| Totals | 77 | 29 | 0 | 48 | 1,826 | 2,224 | -398 | 32 | 108 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 46 | -19 | 2 postseason appearances | |||
Close
Notes
- 2020 regular season shortened and playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exhibition
More information Date, Opponent ...
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 18, 2017 | Dallas Reds | Away | Won, 31–24 |
| December 2, 2017 | Dallas Harlequins | Away | Won, 125–0 |
| December 9, 2017 | Austin Blacks | Away | Won, 46–31 |
| December 9, 2017 | Austin Blacks | Away | Won, 55–14 |
| December 16, 2017 | Dallas Reds | Home | Won, 21–5 |
| January 6, 2018 | Seattle Saracens | Away | Won, 50–7 |
| January 13, 2018 | Vancouver Ravens | Away | Lost, 23–26 |
| January 20, 2018 | Uruguay National Team | Home | Lost, 24–32 |
| January 27, 2018 | James Bay Athletic Club | Home | Won, 42–13 |
| February 3, 2018 | Capital Selects | Home | Won, 49–3 |
| February 10, 2018 | Chicago Lions | Home | Won, 60–10 |
| February 17, 2018 | New York Athletic Club | Away | Won, 39–38 |
| February 24, 2018 | New Orleans Gold | Home | Won, 30–12 |
| March 3, 2018 | Ontario Arrows | Home | Draw, 28–28 |
| March 24, 2018 | New Orleans Gold | Away | Draw, 32–32 |
| April 7, 2018 | San Diego Legion | Away | Won, 33–17 |
Close
Regular season
More information Date, Opponent ...
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 21 | New Orleans Gold | Home | Lost, 26–35 |
| April 28 | Austin Elite | Home | Won, 50–38 |
| May 4 | San Diego Legion | Away | Lost, 32–35 |
| May 19 | New Orleans Gold | Away | Lost, 26–35 |
| May 26 | Utah Warriors | Home | Lost, 30–36 |
| June 2 | Seattle Seawolves | Home | Lost, 7–20 |
| June 9 | Glendale Raptors | Away | Lost, 24–37 |
| June 23 | Utah Warriors | Away | Lost, 27–31 |
Close
Exhibition
More information Date, Opponent ...
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 1, 2018 | Austin Blacks | Away | Won, 78–12 |
| December 8, 2018 | Dallas Reds | Away | Won, 34–8 |
| January 11, 2019 | Austin Elite | Home | Lost, 10–14 |
| January 19, 2019 | Glendale Raptors | Home | Lost, 21–36 |
Close
Regular season
More information Date, Opponent ...
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 26 | Austin Elite | Away | Dell Diamond | Won, 21–20 |
| February 9 | San Diego Legion | Away | Torero Stadium | Lost, 13–17 |
| February 22 | Toronto Arrows | Home | Constellation Field | Lost, 27–44 |
| March 2 | Rugby United New York | Home | Constellation Field | Lost, 8–35 |
| March 10 | Seattle Seawolves | Away | Starfire Sports | Lost, 14–27 |
| March 16 | New Orleans Gold | Home | Constellation Field | Lost, 11–49 |
| March 23 | Utah Warriors | Home | Constellation Field | Won, 29–27 |
| April 6 | Glendale Raptors | Away | Infinity Park | Lost, 44–52 |
| April 13 | Seattle Seawolves | Home | Aveva Stadium | Lost, 12–52 |
| April 21 | Toronto Arrows | Away | York Stadium | Lost, 21–35 |
| April 27 | San Diego Legion | Home | Dyer Stadium | Lost, 19–41 |
| May 5 | Rugby United New York | Away | MCU Park | Lost, 0–21 |
| May 18 | New Orleans Gold | Away | Archbishop Shaw Stadium | Won, 27–20 |
| May 25 | Austin Elite | Home | Aveva Stadium | Won, 36–15 |
| May 29 | Glendale Raptors | Home | Aveva Stadium | Won, 32–17 |
| June 1 | Utah Warriors | Away | Zions Bank Stadium | Won, 31–27 |
Close
On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to fears surrounding the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic.[13] It was cancelled the following week[14]
Regular season
More information Date, Opponent ...
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 8 | Colorado Raptors | Home | Aveva Stadium | Won, 21–12 |
| February 16 | Toronto Arrows | Neutral | Las Vegas Ballpark | Lost, 22–27 |
| February 22 | Old Glory DC | Home | Aveva Stadium | Lost, 13–22 |
| March 1 | Rugby United New York | Home | Aveva Stadium | Lost, 23–31 |
| March 7 | Austin Gilgronis | Home | Aveva Stadium | Lost, 20–24 |
| March 14 | New England Free Jacks | Away | Union Point Sports Complex | Cancelled |
| March 21 | Seattle Seawolves | Away | Starfire Stadium | Cancelled |
| April 5 | San Diego Legion | Away | Torero Stadium | Cancelled |
| April 11 | Utah Warriors | Home | Aveva Stadium | Cancelled |
| April 18 | Colorado Raptors | Away | Infinity Park | Cancelled |
| April 26 | Austin Gilgronis | Away | Round Rock Multipurpose Complex | Cancelled |
| May 2 | Seattle Seawolves | Home | Aveva Stadium | Cancelled |
| May 9 | New Orleans Gold | Away | Gold Mine | Cancelled |
| May 16 | San Diego Legion | Home | Aveva Stadium | Cancelled |
| May 23 | Rugby ATL | Home | Aveva Stadium | Cancelled |
| May 30 | Utah Warriors | Away | Zions Bank Stadium | Cancelled |
Close
Regular season
More information Date, Opponent ...
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 20 | Seattle Seawolves | Home | Won, 30–24 |
| March 27 | New England Free Jacks | Home | Lost, 0–32 |
| April 3 | Austin Gilgronis | Away | Lost, 0–26 |
| April 10 | San Diego Legion | Home | Won, 34–32 |
| April 17 | LA Giltinis | Home | Lost, 48–33 |
| April 24 | Utah Warriors | Away | Lost, 50–43 |
| May 8 | New Orleans Gold | Away | Lost, 26–28 |
| May 15 | Toronto Arrows | Home | Lost, 10–19 |
| May 22 | Old Glory DC | Home | Lost, 13–21 |
| May 29 | San Diego Legion | Away | Lost, 11–39 |
| June 5 | Austin Gilgronis | Home | Lost, 9–28 |
| June 13 | LA Giltinis | Away | Lost, 5–52 |
| June 19 | Rugby ATL | Away | Lost, 15–33 |
| June 26 | Utah Warriors | Home | Lost, 5–24 |
| July 10 | Rugby United New York | Away | Lost, 19–54 |
| July 15 | Seattle Seawolves | Away | Lost, 21-40 |
Close
Regular season
More information Date, Opponent ...
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 5 | LA Giltinis | Home | Won, 21–11 |
| February 12 | Rugby New York | Home | Lost, 7-10 |
| February 19 | Dallas Jackals | Away | Won, 38–33 |
| February 26 | San Diego Legion | Home | Lost, 20-31 |
| March 5 | Rugby ATL | Away | Lost, 22-29 |
| March 12 | Seattle Seawolves | Home | Won 21-19 |
| March 26 | Utah Warriors | Away | Won, 28-12 |
| April 3 | Austin Gilgronis | Away | Lost, 5-45 |
| April 9 | Dallas Jackals | Home | Won, 31-6 |
| April 16 | LA Giltinis | Away | Lost, 12-17 |
| April 23 | Toronto Arrows | Home | Won, 29-17 |
| May 8 | San Diego Legion | Away | Won, 34-24 |
| May 14 | Utah Warriors | Home | Won, 31-27 |
| May 21 | Old Glory DC | Away | Won, 59-42 |
| May 27 | Seattle Seawolves | Away | Lost, 36-43 |
| June 3 | Austin Gilgronis | Home | Lost, 14-29 |
Close
Post season
See also: 2022 Major League Rugby playoffs
More information Round, Date ...
| Round | Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Conference Finals | June 18 | Seattle Seawolves | Home | Lost, 27-46 |
Close
Regular season
More information Date, Opponent ...
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 19 | Dallas Jackals | Away | Won, 33-12 |
| February 25 | NOLA Gold | Home | Won, 35-14 |
| March 5 | San Diego Legion | Home | Won, 31-26 |
| March 11 | Seattle Seawolves | Away | Lost, 12-24 |
| March 25 | Rugby ATL | Home | Won, 40-28 |
| April 2 | Chicago Hounds | Away | Won, 38-21 |
| April 8 | Utah Warriors | Home | Lost, 24-30 |
| April 15 | Dallas Jackals | Home | Won, 33-21 |
| April 23 | New York Ironworkers | Away | Won, 34-27 |
| April 30 | San Diego Legion | Away | Lost, 16-29 |
| May 13 | Seattle Seawolves | Home | Lost, 17-34 |
| May 20 | Utah Warriors | Away | Lost, 28-34 |
| May 27 | Chicago Hounds | Home | Won, 40-33 |
| June 3 | Toronto Arrows | Away | Won, 48-26 |
| June 9 | Old Glory DC | Home | Won, 31-7 |
| June 18 | New England Free Jacks | Away | Lost, 24-47 |
Close
Post season
More information Round, Date ...
| Round | Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Conference Eliminator Round | June 24 | Seattle Seawolves | Away | Lost, 26-37 |
Close
- "Major League Rugby – As It Stands". Americas Rugby News. 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
- "SaberCats fall to Seawolves in first match played at AVEVA Stadium". Houston Chronicle. April 13, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
- Schneider, Andrew (2018-02-07). "Houston City Council Approved $3.2 Million Deal To Build A New Rugby Stadium". Houston Public Media. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
- "SaberCats, city to break ground on new AVEVA Stadium late July". KHOU. July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- Gorman, Jack (2018-03-05). "Houston SaberCats Announce New Temporary Home". Houston Press. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
- Dart, Tom (2018-01-22). "Houston? No problem – SaberCats bullish about latest US rugby venture". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
- "Houston SaberCats". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- "Houston? No problem – SaberCats bullish about latest US rugby venture". The Guardian. January 22, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
- "Paul Emerick takes helm of SaberCats". Houston Chronicle. May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- "New Coach Announced Ahead of 2020 Season". August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
- "Pote Human to join Heyneke Meyer at American Major League outfit". Sport24. September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
- "MLR 2022 - Houston SaberCats vs LA Giltinis - ARN Guide". Americas Rugby News. 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
- "Major League Rugby cancels remainder of 2020 campaign". Yahoo! Sports. AFP. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
