Major League Rugby is in crisis after its champion club, the Australian-dominated LA Giltinis, were kicked out of the competition for an undisclosed “violation of league rules.”
MLR tweeted the bombshell news on Wednesday, which followed the Austin Gilgronis also being disqualified last week.
Both star-studded, expansion clubs are named after cocktails and owned by Australian entrepreneur Adam Gilchrist (not the cricketer).
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Coached by now Waratahs boss Darren Coleman, the Giltinis won the competition in their debut season last year.
Wallabies legend Matt Giteau is the club’s star playmaker while fellow former Test stars Stephen Hoiles (coach), Adam Ashley-Cooper (assistant coach) and Adam Freier (general manager) also hold prominent roles.
The Guardian reported the disqualifications were for salary cap breaches but Wallabies great Drew Mitchell – a close friend of Giteau and Ashley-Cooper – painted a different picture on Twitter.
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The Gilgronis and Giltinis finished first and second respectively in the MLR’s Western Conference heading into the playoffs.
The MLR said the Houston SaberCats would now host the Western Conference final and play the winner of the Seattle Seawolves vs San Diego Legion eliminator.
The drama is a blow to US rugby’s reputation after the country was awarded the 2031 (men’s) and 2033 (women’s) World Cups.
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The Giltinis also have Australian players Dave Dennis, Will Chambers, Billy Meakes, Angus Cottrell and Harrison Goddard on their books while the Sam Harris-coached Gilgronis squad includes Locky McCaffrey, Mack Mason and Ryan Louwrens.
The Giltinis are yet to comment on their expulsion.
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