Welcome to our new weekly feature letting you know who will win each game in each round. Feel free to let us know your picks in the comments. That’s also the best way to ridicule us when we inevitably get something terribly wrong.
Raptors at SaberCats
This is the underrated matchup of the week. Colorado and Houston will both be fighting for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. Colorado is traveling from cold weather to warm in the first week of the season looking to give their new system its first test. Combine that with Houston’s Sam Windsor perhaps being the second best flyhalf in the league.
Winner: SaberCats
Old Glory at the Gold
An expansion team in its first ever game traveling south to play a team that spent a large chunk of last year at the top of the playoff table. That about sums it up. Also, The Beast will not be in the 23, so that excitement will also be missing.
Winner: NOLA Gold
Warriors at Atlanta
Rugby ATL is the expansion team most likely to make a little noise in the playoff race. They’ve essentially played a year long preseason. However, you can’t go against the experience of the Warriors.
Winner: Warriors
RUNY at the Free Jacks
And so begins the New York/Boston rivalry. I expect this to become a hard fought, competitive series. In two years.
Winner: RUNY
SeaWolves at the Legion
Easily the game of the week and one that could have large playoff implications. These are the heavy weights. The top dogs. The only true rivalry in the MLR. While we picked the Legion to end up on top by season’s end, you can’t bet against the champs without good reason. Expect them to overcome a tough road matchup and give us a game worth watching twice.
Winner: SeaWolves
Arrows at the Gilgronis
While this matchup is between two established franchises, it feels more like one of the above matchups between an established franchise and an expansion. Austin had a massive amount of turnover, has a new coach, and is on its second team name change since they last took the field. Toronto is a quickly growing team that had their first full offseason. Easy pick, even on the road.
Winner: Arrows
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