The Houston SaberCats are heading back to familiar territory — the playoffs — and they’ll face a familiar foe. On Saturday, June 21, Houston travels to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Warriors in the Major League Rugby Western Conference Final, a rematch stacked with rivalry, revenge, and playoff pressure.
While Utah holds the top seed in the West with an impressive 11-5 record and a league-leading 58 points, it was Houston (10-6, 54 points) who swept the season series — winning all three matchups against the Warriors in 2025. That includes a gritty 22-15 victory in March, a dominant 37-17 win at Zions Bank Stadium just six days later, and a narrow 29-24 victory to complete the sweep in May.
But regular season results mean little now.
“We’re obviously aiming to be the best in the West, and if we’re good enough to do that, then we go to the final,” said Warriors head coach Greg Cooper, whose team earned the first-ever home conference final in club history.
Coach Cooper credits the Warriors’ chemistry as a major factor behind their historic season.
“The boys really enjoy each other’s company, and they fight for each other… That little brotherhood has helped us.”
While Utah holds the top seed in the West with an impressive 11-5 record and a league-leading 58 points, it was Houston (10-6, 54 points) who swept the season series — winning all three matchups against the Warriors in 2025. That includes a gritty 22-15 victory in March, a dominant 37-17 win at Zions Bank Stadium just six days later, and a narrow 29-24 victory to complete the sweep in May.
But regular season results mean little now.
“We’re obviously aiming to be the best in the West, and if we’re good enough to do that, then we go to the final,” said Warriors head coach Greg Cooper, whose team earned the first-ever home conference final in club history.
Coach Cooper credits the Warriors’ chemistry as a major factor behind their historic season.
“The boys really enjoy each other’s company, and they fight for each other… That little brotherhood has helped us.”
Still, no matter how close this Utah team is, the SaberCats have proven they have the formula to beat them. Now it’s about doing it one more time — with the MLR Finals on the line.
Houston enters the match with a chip on its shoulder and a roster built for playoff grit. The challenge? Beat the top seed in front of their home crowd — for the fourth time in a single season. If the SaberCats can stay disciplined, lean into their defensive pressure, and replicate their success at the breakdown, they may just be headed to their first-ever MLR Final.
