Houston SaberCats

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 competition in the United States 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 of in MLR membership to build a rugby-specific stadium intended for MLR competition.

Houston SaberCats
Full nameHouston SaberCats
Founded2017 (2017)
LocationHouston, Texas
Ground(s)Aveva Stadium (Capacity: 4,000)
PresidentJ.T. Onyett
Coach(es)Paul Healy (Head)
Paul Emerick (Skills)
Campbell Johnstone (forwards)
Ashley Dixon (S&C)
Captain(s)De Wet Roos
Top scorerSam Windsor (320)
Most triesSam Windsor (13)
League(s)Major League Rugby
202012th placed (regular season)
Team kit
Official website
www.houstonsabercats.com

Home field
Main article: Aveva Stadium

Houston plays their games in Aveva 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 naming rights were awarded to British multinational software and technology company Aveva.[4]

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 Aveva Stadium healed, the team returned to Dyer Stadium to play one match against San Diego before returning to Aveva Stadium.

StadiumCapacityLocationYear(s)
Dyer Stadium6,000Houston, Texas2018
Constellation Field7,500Sugar Land, Texas2018–2019
Aveva Stadium4,000Houston, Texas2019–present

Broadcasts
  • 2019 home games were shown on KUBE-TV an independent station in Houston.

Sponsorship
Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Other Shirt sponsor(s)
2018-2019 XBlades Aveva None
2020 Paladin Sports
2021–present Lone Star College System

Players and personnel

Current squad
For player movements before and during the 2021 season, see List of 2020–21 Major League Rugby transfers § Houston SaberCats.

The Houston SaberCats squad for the 2021 Major League Rugby season is:[7]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
Tiaan Erasmus Hooker South Africa
Diego Fortuny Hooker Argentina
Charlie Connolly Prop Ireland
Nik Hildebrand Prop Canada
Nikoloz Khatiashvili Prop Georgia
Valdemar Lee-Lo Prop United States
Liam Murray Prop Canada
Nicolás Solveyra Prop Argentina
Kyle Breytenbach Lock South Africa
Jérémy Lenaerts* Lock Belgium
Van Stewart* Lock Australia
Apisai Tauyavuca Lock Fiji
Luke Beauchamp Flanker Australia
Cecil Garber Flanker United States
Diego Magno Flanker Uruguay
Bronson Teles Flanker United States
Adriaan Booysen Number 8 Namibia
Player Position Union
De Wet Roos (c) Scrum-half Australia
Zachary Short Scrum-half United States
Crosby Stewart Scrum-half Canada
Kieran Farmer Fly-half United States
Sam Windsor Fly-half Australia
Matías Freyre Centre Argentina
Taylor Howden* Centre New Zealand
Moa Maliepo Centre Romania
Thomas Morani* Centre Argentina
Max Tacket Centre United States
Paula Balekana Wing Fiji
Veramu Dikidikilati Wing Fiji
Malacchi Esdale Wing United States
Zack Godfrey Wing United States
Zach Pangelinan Fullback United States
Robbie Povey Fullback Canada
  • 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

Head coaches

Former Assistant Coaches

Captains

Records

Season standings
Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/− BP Pts   Playoffs
2018 7th 8107216256–40711   Did not qualify
2019 7th 166010345496−151630   Did not qualify
2020 12th 510499116-1726  Season cut short due to Coronavirus Pandemic

2018 season

Exhibition
DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
November 18, 2017Dallas RedsAwayWon, 31–24
December 2, 2017Dallas HarlequinsAwayWon, 125–0
December 9, 2017Austin BlacksAwayWon, 46–31
December 9, 2017Austin BlacksAwayWon, 55–14
December 16, 2017Dallas RedsHomeWon, 21–5
January 6, 2018Seattle SaracensAwayWon, 50–7
January 13, 2018Vancouver RavensAwayLost, 23–26
January 20, 2018Uruguay National TeamHomeLost, 24–32
January 27, 2018James Bay Athletic ClubHomeWon, 42–13
February 3, 2018Capital SelectsHomeWon, 49–3
February 10, 2018Chicago LionsHomeWon, 60–10
February 17, 2018New York Athletic ClubAwayWon, 39–38
February 24, 2018New Orleans GoldHomeWon, 30–12
March 3, 2018Ontario ArrowsHomeDraw, 28–28
March 24, 2018New Orleans GoldAwayDraw, 32–32
April 7, 2018San Diego LegionAwayWon, 33–17

Regular season
DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 21New Orleans GoldHomeLost, 26–35
April 28Austin EliteHomeWon, 50–38
May 4San Diego LegionAwayLost, 32–35
May 19New Orleans GoldAwayLost, 26–35
May 26Utah WarriorsHomeLost, 30–36
June 2Seattle SeawolvesHomeLost, 7–20
June 9Glendale RaptorsAwayLost, 24–37
June 23Utah WarriorsAwayLost, 27–31

2019 season

Exhibition
DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
December 1, 2018Austin BlacksAwayWon, 78–12
December 8, 2018Dallas RedsAwayWon, 34–8
January 11, 2019Austin EliteHomeLost, 10–14
January 19, 2019Glendale RaptorsHomeLost, 21–36

Regular season
DateOpponentHome/AwayVenueResult
January 26Austin EliteAwayDell DiamondWon, 21–20
February 9San Diego LegionAwayTorero StadiumLost, 13–17
February 22Toronto ArrowsHomeConstellation FieldLost, 27–44
March 2Rugby United New YorkHomeConstellation FieldLost, 8–35
March 10Seattle SeawolvesAwayStarfire SportsLost, 14–27
March 16New Orleans GoldHomeConstellation FieldLost, 11–49
March 23Utah WarriorsHomeConstellation FieldWon, 29–27
April 6Glendale RaptorsAwayInfinity ParkLost, 44–52
April 13Seattle SeawolvesHomeAveva StadiumLost, 12–52
April 21Toronto ArrowsAwayYork StadiumLost, 21–35
April 27San Diego LegionHomeDyer StadiumLost, 19–41
May 5Rugby United New YorkAwayMCU ParkLost, 0–21
May 18New Orleans GoldAwayArchbishop Shaw StadiumWon, 27–20
May 25Austin EliteHomeAveva StadiumWon, 36–15
May 29Glendale RaptorsHomeAveva StadiumWon, 32-17
June 1Utah WarriorsAwayZions Bank StadiumWon, 31-27

2020 season

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.[11] It was cancelled the following week[12]

Regular season
DateOpponentHome/AwayLocationResult
February 8Colorado RaptorsHomeAveva StadiumWon, 21-12
February 16Toronto ArrowsNeutralLas Vegas BallparkLost, 22-27
February 22Old Glory DCHomeAveva StadiumLost, 13-22
March 1Rugby United New YorkHomeAveva StadiumLost, 23-31
March 7Austin GilgronisHomeAveva StadiumLost, 20-24
March 14New England Free JacksAwayUnion Point Sports ComplexCancelled
March 21Seattle SeawolvesAwayStarfire StadiumCancelled
April 5San Diego LegionAwayTorero StadiumCancelled
April 11Utah WarriorsHomeAveva StadiumCancelled
April 18Colorado RaptorsAwayInfinity ParkCancelled
April 26Austin GilgronisAwayRound Rock Multipurpose ComplexCancelled
May 2Seattle SeawolvesHomeAveva StadiumCancelled
May 9New Orleans GoldAwayGold MineCancelled
May 16San Diego LegionHomeAveva StadiumCancelled
May 23Rugby ATLHomeAveva StadiumCancelled
May 30Utah WarriorsAwayZions Bank StadiumCancelled

References
  1. "Major League Rugby – As It Stands". Americas Rugby News. 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  2. "SaberCats fall to Seawolves in first match played at AVEVA Stadium". Houston Chronicle. April 13, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  3. 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.
  4. "SaberCats, city to break ground on new AVEVA Stadium late July". KHOU. July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  5. Gorman, Jack (2018-03-05). "Houston SaberCats Announce New Temporary Home". Houston Press. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  6. 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.
  7. "Houston SaberCats". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  8. "Houston? No problem – SaberCats bullish about latest US rugby venture". The Guardian. January 22, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  9. "Paul Emerick takes helm of SaberCats". Houston Chronicle. May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  10. "New Coach Announced Ahead of 2020 Season". August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  11. Anonymous, "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SUSPENDS 2020 SEASON FOR 30 DAYS," www.majorleague.rugby, March 12, 2020 Retrieved March 14, 2020
  12. "Major League Rugby cancels remainder of 2020 campaign". Yahoo! Sports. AFP. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
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