Old Glory DC

Major League Rugby announced on May 15, 2018, that an expansion team would begin play in Washington, D.C., by the 2020 season{{cite news |last1=Pengelly |first1=Martin |title=Washington DC team to enter Major League Rugby 'no later' than 2020 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/15/washington-dc-team-major-league-rugby-2020-pro-14 |work=The Guardian |date=May 15, 2018 |language=en}} and confirmed the team in November 2018.{{cite web |url=https://therunnersports.com/toronto-officially-joins-major-league-rugby-for-2019-washington-dc-in-2020/ |title=Toronto Officially Joins Major League Rugby For 2019; Washington, DC In 2020 |work=The Runner Sports |first=James |last=Rowe |date=November 3, 2018}} On February 6, 2019, the team name was announced as Old Glory DC. On March 28, 2019, the Scottish Rugby Union announced that it had purchased a minority interest in the team.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/26379639/scottish-rugby-take-minority-stake-new-us-team |title=Scottish Rugby take minority stake in new U.S. team |work=ESPN |date=March 28, 2019 |access-date=March 28, 2019 |agency=Reuters}}

After losing seven matches in a row to start the 2022 season, Old Glory DC announced the immediate departure of head coach Andrew Douglas on March 29, 2022. At the time of his departure, Douglas was the longest-tenured head coach in MLR, having joined for the 2019 exhibition season before the first MLR season in 2020. He left with a 10-17-1 overall MLR record and a 37.5% winning percentage.{{cite web |last1=McCay |first1=Chris |title=Head Coach Andrew Douglas to Depart Old Glory DC |url=https://oldglorydc.com/head-coach-andrew-douglas-to-depart-old-glory-dc/ |website=Old Glory DC |date=29 March 2022 |access-date=31 March 2022}}{{cite news |title=Old Glory parts ways with Head Coach Andrew Douglas |url=https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2022/03/29/old-glory-parts-ways-with-head-coach-andrew-douglas/ |access-date=31 March 2022 |work=Americas Rugby News |date=29 March 2022}} Three days later, on April 1, Old Glory DC announced that former NOLA Gold head coach Nate Osborne would serve as an interim head coach for the remainder of the season while the team conducted a search for a permanent replacement.{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Hope |title=Old Glory DC Names Nate Osborne Interim Head Coach |url=https://oldglorydc.com/old-glory-dc-names-nate-osborne-interim-head-coach/ |website=Old Glory DC |date=April 2022 |access-date=1 April 2022}}

On October 31, 2022, Josh Syms was announced as the new head coach.{{Cite web |title=Old Glory DC Announces Joshua "Josh" Syms as Head Coach |url=https://oldglorydc.com/old-glory-dc-announces-joshua-josh-syms-as-head-coach1/ |access-date=2022-10-31 |website=Old Glory DC |language=en-US}} On May 15, 2023, it was announced that Syms would leave at the end of the season to coach forwards for the Italian team Zebre Parma.{{cite news |title=Josh Syms to depart DC for Italy |url=https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2023/05/24/josh-syms-to-depart-dc-for-italy/ |access-date=5 June 2023 |work=Americas Rugby News |date=24 May 2023}} Several weeks later, Old Glory made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.{{cite news |title=Old Glory slides past Gold to book first ever playoff spot |url=https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2023/06/03/old-glory-slides-past-gold-to-book-first-ever-playoff-spot/ |access-date=5 June 2023 |work=Americas Rugby News |date=3 June 2023}} On July 7, 2023, the team announced the hiring of Simon Cross as head coach to replace Syms.{{cite news |title=Simon Cross Named Head Coach of Old Glory DC |url=https://oldglorydc.com/simon-cross-named-head-coach-of-old-glory-dc|access-date=October 3, 2023 |website=Old Glory DC |language=en-US|date=July 7, 2023}}

In June 2023, the team announced Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Verdine White and businessman Paxton Baker had become minority owners.{{cite news |last1=Mosley |first1=Kyle T. |title=Earth, Wind, and Fire's Verdine White Ventures Into Sports Ownership |url=https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/rugby/earth-wind-and-fires-verdine-white-ventures-into-sports-ownership |access-date=21 March 2024 |work=Sports Illustrated |date=13 June 2023}}

In the 2024 season, Old Glory began play at the Maryland SoccerPlex, a sports complex in Germantown, Maryland. That season, Old Glory made the playoffs for the second time in franchise history.

The team played their exhibition and inaugural campaigns at Cardinal Stadium on the campus of Catholic University of America.{{Cite news |url=https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2023/09/06/new-home-field-for-old-glory-dc-in-mlr-2024/ |title=New home field for Old Glory DC in MLR 2024 |date=September 6, 2023 |work=Americas Rugby News}} In 2021 they moved to Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia.{{Cite news |first=Neal |last=Augenstein |url=https://wtop.com/loudoun-county/2020/10/pro-rugby-team-old-glory-dc-moving-to-loudoun-county/ |title=Pro rugby team Old Glory DC moving to Loudoun County |date=October 22, 2020 |access-date=October 22, 2020 |work=WTOP-FM}} The team played three seasons at Segra Field and on September 6, 2023, it was announced that the team would move to the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland the following season.{{cite news |title=Old Glory DC Announces the Maryland Soccerplex as Our Home Venue for the 2024 Major League Rugby Season|url=https://oldglorydc.com/old-glory-dc-announces-the-maryland-soccerplex-as-our-new-venue-for-2024/// |access-date=October 3, 2023 |website=Old Glory DC |language=en-US|date=September 6, 2023}}

{{for|player movements before and during the 2025 season|List of 2024-25 Major League Rugby transfers#Old Glory DC}}

The Old Glory DC squad for the 2025 Major League Rugby season is:{{cite web|url=https://www.americasrugbynews.com/competitions/2025-major-league-rugby/mlr-2025-old-glory-dc/|title=Old Glory DC|work=Americas Rugby News|access-date=14 January 2025}}

{{Rugby squad start}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=HK | name=Tristan Cole}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=URU | pos=HK | name=Facundo Gattas}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=HK | name=KoiKoi Nelligan}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=ARG | pos=HK | name=Martin Vaca}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=PR | name=Sam Davies}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=PR | name=Jack Iscaro}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=PR | name=Iseki Kava}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=CAN | pos=PR | name=Cali Martinez}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=WAL | pos=PR | name=Joe Rees}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=PR | name=Joe Wrafter}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=URU | pos=LK | name=Ignacio Dotti}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=LK | name=Rob Harley}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=FJI | pos=LK | name=Tevita Naqali*}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=LK | name=Charlie Overton}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=LK | name=Bill Whiteside}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=ARG | pos=BR | name=Lautaro Bavaro}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=BR | name=Brady Daniel}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=BR | name=Cory Daniel}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=BR | name=Jamason Faʻanana-Schultz (c)}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=BR | name=Collin Grosse}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=ZIM | pos=BR | name=Aaron Juma}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=BR | name=Ray Santiago}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=BR | name=Logan Weidner}}

{{rugby squad mid}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=SH | name=Conor Buckley}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=SH | name=John LeFevre}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=SH | name=Ethan McVeigh}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=RSA | pos=SH | name=Aidan Ridgway}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=FH | name=Kieran Farmer}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=FH | name=Jason Robertson}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=CE | name=Tommaso Boni}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=CE | name=Jason Emery}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=CE | name=Nick Grigg}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=WAL | pos=CE | name=Steffan Hughes}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=IRE | pos=CE | name=Declan O’Loughlin*}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=RSA | pos=CE | name=Seb Schefermann}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=WG | name=Perry Humphreys}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=ARG | pos=WG | name=Axel Müller*}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=WG | name=John Powers}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=WG | name=John Rizzo}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=FB | name=Damien Hoyland}}

{{rugby squad player | nat=USA | pos=FB | name=Owen Sheehy}}

{{Rugby squad end}}

• Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
• * denotes players qualified to play for the {{nrut|United States}} on dual nationality or residency grounds.
• MLR teams are allowed to field up to ten overseas players per match.

• {{flagicon|NZL}} Andrew Douglas (2019–March 2022)
• {{flagicon|AUS}} Nate Osborne (April 2022–October 2022) interim
• {{flagicon|NZL}} Josh Syms (October 2022–May 2023)
• {{flagicon|SCO}} Simon Cross (July 2023–present)

• {{flagicon|USA}} Josh Brown (2019) (Captain)
• {{flagicon|SCO}} Mungo Mason (2020–2021) (Co-captain)
• {{flagicon|USA}} Thretton Palamo (2020–2021) (Co-captain)
• {{flagicon|SAM}} Danny Tusitala (2022) (Captain)
• {{flagicon|USA}} Jamason Faʻanana-Schultz (2023–24) (Captain)
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Stan South (2023) (Vice Captain)
• {{flagicon|SCO}} Rob Harley (2025-present) (Captain)
• {{flagicon|USA}} Jamason Faʻanana-Schultz (2025-present) (Vice Captain)
• {{flagicon|WAL}} Steffan Hughes (2025-present) (Vice Captain)

All games in the 2019 season were exhibition games and did not count in the MLR standings.

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.{{cite news |url=https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/major-league-rugby-suspends-2020-season-for-30-days/ |title=MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SUSPENDS 2020 SEASON FOR 30 DAYS |work=Major League Rugby |date=March 12, 2020 |access-date=March 14, 2020}} It was cancelled the following week.{{cite news |date=March 19, 2020 |title=Major League Rugby cancels remainder of 2020 campaign |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/major-league-rugby-cancels-remainder-2020-campaign-144516941--spt.html |work=Yahoo! Sports |agency=Agence France-Presse |access-date=March 19, 2020}}

Old Glory played two preseason matches in January 2022. Both matches were held at the St. James Sports Complex, a series of indoor fields in Springfield, Virginia.{{cite news |title=2022 Old Glory Preseason Schedule |url=https://oldglorydc.com/2022-old-glory-preseason-schedule/ |access-date=4 January 2022}}

Old Glory played eighteen matches in the regular season with two bye weeks. Their home matches were played at Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia.{{cite web |title=2022 Match Schedule |url=https://oldglorydc.com/schedule2022/ |access-date=4 January 2022}} Because the MLR's Eastern Conference had one team fewer than the Western Conference, Old Glory played the Toronto Arrows three times in the regular season, once at home and twice in Toronto.

Old Glory played 16 games in the 2023 regular season. All eight home games were played at Segra Field. They advanced to the playoffs, defeating the Rugby New York Ironworkers to advance to the conference final, which they lost to the New England Free Jacks.

Old Glory played 16 games in the 2024 regular season. All eight home games were played at the Maryland SoccerPlex. The team made it to the playoffs for the second time in its history, securing a place by taking a losing bonus point in their loss to the Miami Sharks on June 22. They made the playoffs for the second time in team history and were defeated by the New England Free Jacks in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final.

In 2025, Old Glory played 16 matches. One of eight home matches was played at George Mason Stadium. The team made the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{official website}}

{{Old Glory DC}}

{{Major League Rugby}}

{{Washington, D.C. sports}}

{{Virginia Sports}}

{{Old Glory DC squad}}

Category:Major League Rugby teams

Category:Rugby clubs established in 2018

Category:Rugby union teams in Washington, D.C.

Category:2018 establishments in Washington, D.C.

Category:2019 in sports in Washington, D.C.

Category:2020 in sports in Washington, D.C.