LA Giltinis won the Major League Rugby championship in its inaugural season with a 31-17 victory over Rugby ATL on Sunday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Each team registered a penalty to start 3-3 by the first hydration break. LA Giltnis took a 12-point lead on tries by John Ryberg to take control of the match for good. Marko Jansen Van Rensburg’s try brought ATL Rugby within five points, 15-10, at the half. LA pulled away in the second half with a try from D.T.H. van der Merwe and two more penalties from Matt Giteau.
The final was a rematch from earlier in the season when Rugby ATL held off LA Giltinis 17-12 on May 29, one of just four losses on the season for the first-year franchise.
An estimated 7,000 fans were in attendance.
About the Author
