Three Utah Warriors Earn Spots On All-MLR Teams For 2023 Season
Jul 18, 2023, 12:51 PM | Updated: 5:16 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Multiple members of the Utah Warriors earned spots on the All-MLR teams for the 2023 Major League Rugby season.
Utah Warriors named All-MLR
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MLR announced its first and second All-MLR teams on Tuesday, July 18. The professional rugby league also shared a list of honorable mentions.
Three Warriors received All-MLR honors for the 2023 season, including one on the first team and two on the second team.
Utah’s Lance Williams was the only Warrior to be named to the All-MLR first team. Joe Mano and Caleb Makene received recognition on the All-MLR second team. Utah’s Joel Hodgson was an honorable mention by the league.
Congrats to the boys on an amazing season and for earning spots on the MLR teams! 🎊#ForTheNation pic.twitter.com/TRpq5c1nsM
— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) July 18, 2023
Mano tied for the most tries scored this season along with New England’s Paula Balekana. Both players scored 14 tries. Mano was No. 5 on the league’s list for ball carry meters in 2023 at 1,602 meters.
RELATED: Utah Warriors Defeat New York Ironworkers In Final Game Of Season
Makene came in at No. 4 in ball carry meters in MLR this season with 1,619 meters.
Hodgson was the league’s third-leading scorer in 2023 with 124 points. The flyhalf was No. 4 in MLR for successful goal kicking this season with 40 attempts that connected. Hodgson also led the league in kicking meters at 6,198 meters.
YOUR 2023 @RTICCoolers ALL-MLR SELECTIONS 💫
Full article: https://t.co/aOAZnQWJnB pic.twitter.com/U5mVva2cGr
— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) July 18, 2023
Utah Warriors in 2023
Utah finished its 2023 schedule with a 10-6 record and 50 points. The Warriors ended up in fourth place in the MLR Western Conference standings and three points out from the final playoff spot in the West.
The Herriman-based club had a positive point differential of +24. The Warriors also finished with four more total tries than their opponents combined for.
Also on July 18, the Warriors announced the hiring of Andy Chesnut as chief commercial officer and Wayne Tarawhiti as director of players & pathway.
🚨 Off-season update: Utah Warriors add commercial leader & make key staff adjustments.
Read the full story here:https://t.co/pOvdlmQ8Vz pic.twitter.com/BYuzFBaiXL
— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) July 18, 2023
Utah also plans to add two assistant coaches to Greg Cooper’s staff this offseason. The Warriors recently lost general manager Brandon Sparks and assistant coach Shaun Davies, who decided to “pursue other opportunities outside of rugby.”
