Seawolves end fierce match against RFCLA in 26-26 draw
Fifth-place Seattle stays within reach of postseason
By Uriah Aguon, edited by Charles Hamaker
Tukwila, WA - Seattle came close, yet is still so far.
After a fierce battle at Starfire Stadium, our Seattle Seawolves finished their match against RFC Los Angeles on Friday, May 2nd in a 26-26 draw.
Before the match, Seattle inducted Kellen Gordon, an original member of the franchise, into its Seawolves Legends series. Gordon’s rugby journey began as a child with the Redmond Rugby Club, followed by the Eastside Axemen, the Washington Loggers, and eventually, Central Washington University.
He retired from the Seawolves officially after the 2024 season; however, Gordon initially stepped away in 2020 following the pandemic and the birth of his son. Gordon’s last full season with the Seawolves was in 2022, but he was also asked by head coach Allen Clarke to sit on the bench during two games in the 2021 and 2024 seasons.
Friday was a decisive match for Seattle: a loss would have buried them in last place in the Western Conference, making it unlikely for them to reach the playoff bracket, and a win would have launched them into the fourth and final qualifying spot for the postseason.
What Seattle got instead was a tie, keeping it within capacity to qualify but still in danger of missing the cut.
Game gallery of our Seattle Seawolves playing host to RFC Los Angeles at Starfire Sports Complex on May 2nd, 2025. (Photos by Aaron Benson for Circling Seattle Sports)
Match recap:
Seattle proved its mettle immediately from kickoff, scoring a try in the fourth minute.
Working in phases past the halfway line, outside center Divan Rossouw received the ball two passes out of the ruck and ran forth into a wall of LA defenders. Rather than trying to break through himself or risk another ruck, Rossouw squib kicked the ball under RFCLA’s legs. Fullback Duncan Matthews picked up the ball ahead of the try line and rolled over it to score.
Los Angeles put the pressure on the Seawolves, secluding them inside their own territory for majority of the first half. 22 meters past the halfway line, LA scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou mirrored Rossouw’s squib kick, sending the ball forth from a ruck and ahead of right wing Rory van Vugt. Seattle right wing Lauina Futi reached the ball first, preventing what could have been LA’s first try.
Seattle’s second try was scored in the 20th by hooker Dewald Kotze. The Seawolves won a lineout just meters before Los Angeles' try line. Transitioning into a maul, Seattle pushed forward a few inches before rotating and swinging Kotze into the try zone.
Continuing to fall back onto its 22, the Seawall seemed prepared to ricochet Los Angeles back as many times as necessary, most notably thanks to box kicks from scrum-half JP Smith and power runs from Matthews, loosehead prop Cameron Orr, eight-man Riekert Hattingh, and fly-half Dan Kriel.
In the final stretch of the first half, RFCLA tied the score, 14-14.
Los Angeles scored its first try in the 29th, dropping into rucks and moving within inches of the try line. Stopped by the Seawall, Bertranou sent the ball out to inside center Christian Leali'ifano, who passed out to fly-half Billy Meakes at the touchline. Meakes ran a curve past the Seawall and cut the difference to 14-7.
Los Angeles' second try was in the 35th, courtesy of blindside flanker Tim Anstee. Playing with advantage from a ruck penalty, LA went one ruck away from the try line. Anstee picked up the ball and ran straight from the try zone, barely getting his arm over as Orr wrapped him.
Seattle had an opportunity to regain the lead just before halftime. Los Angeles was penalized in the 37th when its eight-man Ben Houston engaged in the ruck while being off his feet. Inside center Rodney Iona was set up just past the halfway line and already had two successful conversions for the match, but he missed the goal post to the left. The score remained 14-14 entering halftime.
Both sides went all-out to start the second half, fighting to break the tie.
Los Angeles’ efforts backfired early in the half when its outside center, Nick Chan, and hooker, Ben Sugars, were yellow-carded in the 42nd and 47th minutes. Chan was carded for a high tackle with head contact after he collided with Futi, who recovered a box kick from Bertranou alongside the touchline. Sugars was carded for a coc roll on lock Olajuwon Noa during a ruck on Seattle’s five-meter line.
During the same series of phases, Brock Gallagher, who was subbed in for Smith at scrum-half, took a hit that required him to be walked off the field. Smith was taken off near the end of the first half for a similar cause. With both its starting and substitute scrum-halves off, Seattle moved Eduard Fouché (typically a fly-half) to the position.
Malacchi Esdale — subbed at right wing for Futi — regained the lead for the Seawolves in the 49th, 21-14. After Rossouw recovered the ball, left wing Toni Pulu took to as far as the halfway line before dumping off to Fouché. Three passes to the touchline, Esdale slithered through a cluster of defenders until eventually finding an open break almost 20 meters out.
Los Angeles kept the pressure strong, not letting the two-man deficit change its energy. The Seawall continued to stall or push back the opposing runs, but few opportunities gained were utilized to their fullest due to repeated dropped passes from the Seattle offense.
Back at full strength after Chen and Sugars returned from the sin bin, Los Angeles tied the score again in the 63rd. Exiting the scrum, Bertranou handed off to Leali'ifano and then to tighthead prop Justus Tavai, who scored right beneath the goal post, foregoing the conversion kick.
Surviving by the resilient Seawall and fast action on offense, Seattle kept LA a safe distance away from its try zone.
Patience paid off in the 71st for the Seawolves when Matthews sent a box kick into LA territory. Rushing downfield, Matthews ran right under the ball and tapped it back to Rossouw, who sprinted the entirety of LA’s territory to reach the try zone. Iona missed his second conversion kick of the match, but Seattle regained the lead 26-21.
With just ten minutes remaining, the Seawall needed only to hold off Los Angeles from gaining any more meters on the wrong side of the halfway line.
When it seemed as if Seattle would walk away with a much-needed win, Los Angeles lock Jason Damm scored a try in the 79th minute. Five phases from the last lineout of the match, Damm drove his shoulder over the try line with Rossouw on top of him; however, a missed kick by Bertranou meant LA would not take the lead.
Full-time was called, and the Seawolves left the field with a tie instead of a win.
Although the Seawolves are still fifth in the West, a draw gives them two table points, and they got the fourth-try bonus point from Rossouw in the 71st. Combined with two missed conversation kicks (five potential points for Seattle), the Seawolves came close but narrowly missed the victory.
What's next?
Still on the hunt for a season-changing win, Seattle’s next match is against the Utah Warriors on Monday, May 12th, at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, at 6PM PDT.
Utah is the current leader of the MLR Eastern Conference with an 8-0-3 record and 41 table points. The Warriors are challenging the Seawolves after a 28-12 loss to Old Glory DC on May 4th.
Seattle is fifth in the MLR Western Conference with a 4-1-6 record and 28 points.
The top four teams in each conference qualify for the postseason. Above Seattle on the Western Conference table in fourth and third are RFCLA and the Houston SaberCats with 30 and 37 points, respectively. With five games remaining in the season, Seattle is at risk of missing the cut; however, a win within the next two weeks, including at least one bonus point, would easily secure or tie for the fourth-place spot.
The Seawolves' previous outing against the Warriors was a 30-27 loss. Utah gained early momentum with two tries in the first half and kept the Seawolves from recovering by holding possession in Seattle territory. Seattle’s composure, Seawall, and swift ball action will be essential to gaining the advantage over the Warriors, whose previous win was decided by crucial penalty kicks and decisive open-field play.
Instagram: @CirclingSeattleSports Twitter: @CirclingSports Threads: @CirclingSeattleSports Tiktok: @CirclingSeattleSports Facebook: Circling Seattle Sports BlueSky: @circlingseasports.bsky.social
〰️
Instagram: @CirclingSeattleSports Twitter: @CirclingSports Threads: @CirclingSeattleSports Tiktok: @CirclingSeattleSports Facebook: Circling Seattle Sports BlueSky: @circlingseasports.bsky.social 〰️
Check out our previous Seattle Seawolves articles here.
Check out our previous articles written by Uriah Aguon here, and his SPU work here.
Cover photo and photos in this article by Aaron Benson. Check out our previous articles with photos by Aaron Benson here and his portfolio here.
Support the work of Circling Seattle Sports by checking out our merchandise!