The 2025 season didn’t begin on a high note as the Houston SaberCats suffered a loss in the season opener to the Chicago Hounds in a tight and extremely physical contest 25-22. Now the Cats hit the road to take on a team coming off a similar defeat in week one as they head to LA to face RFC Los Angeles.
Your 23-man roster is off to LA for Game 2 against @RugbyFCLA 😼
— Houston SaberCats (@HOUSaberCats) February 22, 2025
Cheer on the ‘Cats at our Official Watch Party @Platypusbrewing tomorrow!🍻🎉#MLR2025 #HTownRugby pic.twitter.com/XmOrqqLSHw
RFC Los Angeles dropped their opening contest to the reigning champion New England Free Jacks 24-17.
If the SaberCats want to prevent an 0-2 start to the season, they’ll need to protect the ball and maintain possession against RFCLA after struggling with control in the second half of their loss to the Hounds.
How to Watch the Houston SaberCats at RFC Los Angeles
Sunday 02/23, 5:00 p.m. CT on CW39 Houston or ESPN+
Rugby 101
Players are divided into forwards and backs. The numbers matter for starters as that will indicate what position they play.
Forwards
#1 – Tighthead Prop
#2 – Hooker
#3 – Loosehead Prop
#4 – Lock
#5 – Lock
#6 – Blindside Flanker
#7 – Openside Flanker
#8 – No. 8
Backs
#9 – Scrumhalf
#10 – Flyhalf
#11 – Left Wing
#12 – Inside Center
#13 – Outside Center
#14 – Right Wing
#15 – Fullback
Next up, what you would think of as a touchdown in football is a try in rugby – and the ball must be quite literally touched down to count as a try (funnily enough this is where the gridiron football term touchdown comes from). A try is worth five points.
After a try, instead of a PAT, we have the conversion. If the kick goes through the uprights it’s worth two points instead of the one in gridiron football.
Passes can only be backward, a forward pass results in a stoppage of play and a loss of possession. Kicking forward is legal, however.
I won’t get into mauls, rucks, scrums, and lineouts here but keep an eye out for these key components of the game that occur when a ball is knocked on or a penalty occurs.
Stay tuned in to Apollo for more rugby coverage this season and follow us for more content!
