LA Giltinis
FoundedMay 28, 2020
Disbanded2022
Ground(s)Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Capacity: 77,500)
CEOAdam Gilchrist
Coach(es)Stephen Hoiles
Captain(s)Dave Dennis
League(s)Major League Rugby
20222nd (Western Conference)
Official website
giltinis.com
Current season

The LA Giltinis were a Major League Rugby team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. The team was announced in 2020 and entered the league in the 2021 season as an expansion franchise. Owned by Adam Gilchrist and Loyals Rugby, the team was named for a yet-to-be-released drink, itself a portmanteau of "Gilchrist" and "martini".[1] The Giltinis were based in El Segundo, California, and played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Darren Coleman was their first head coach.[2]

The club won the MLR Shield in their inaugural season, but were disqualified from the playoffs in 2022. The Giltinis and the Austin Gilgronis—another MLR team owned by Gilchrist—were removed from the league in October 2022.

History

A potential Los Angeles expansion bid for MLR, led by LA Coast Rugby and Adam Gilchrist, was announced in 2018 with plans for the team to enter the league in 2019.[3] The team's bid was later replaced by a new proposal from Loyals Rugby, who were announced as the winners of the expansion team in 2020.[1][2] The team, named for a cocktail like the Austin Gilgronis, began play in 2021.[1] In its first season, the Giltinis posted a 12–4 record, hosted, and defeated Rugby ATL in the MLR final, winning the shield.[4]

During the 2022 season, MLR announced that the Giltinis and the Gilgronis—both owned by Gilchrist—were disqualified from the playoffs due to a violation of league rules, allegedly including salary cap issues.[5] Gilchrist filed suit against the league in June 2022; the two teams were expelled from the league in October following a failed attempt to sell both teams.[6]

Stadium

The Giltinis played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a multi-use stadium in Exposition Park, Los Angeles.[7]

Sponsorship

Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2021–2022 Paladin Sports None

Roster

The LA Giltinis squad for the 2022 Major League Rugby season was:[8]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Lindsey Stevens Hooker Canada Canada
Joe Taufeteʻe Hooker United States United States
Andrew Tuala Hooker Samoa Samoa
Charlie Abel Prop Australia Australia
Fred Apulu Prop Samoa Samoa
Marco Fepulea'i Prop Samoa Samoa
Leslie Leuluaʻialiʻi-Makin Prop Australia Australia
Djustice Sears-Duru Prop Canada Canada
Nathan Den Hoedt Lock Australia Australia
Dave Dennis (c) Lock Australia Australia
Sam Peri Lock United States United States
Corey Thomas Lock Canada Canada
Luke White Lock United States United States
Adam Ashe Back row Scotland Scotland
Zach Bonte Back row United States United States
Cyrille Cama Back row United States United States
Angus Cottrell Back row Australia Australia
Hanco Germishuys Back row United States United States
Langilangi Haupeakui Back row United States United States
Christian Poidevin* Back row Australia Australia
Player Position Union
Harrison Goddard Scrum-half Australia Australia
Cristian Rodriguez Scrum-half United States United States
Tas Smith Scrum-half United States United States
Orene Ai'i Fly-half New Zealand New Zealand
Luke Carty Fly-half United States United States
Matt Giteau Fly-half Australia Australia
Luke Burton Centre Australia Australia
Will Chambers Centre Australia Australia
Ben LeSage Centre Canada Canada
Bill Meakes Centre Australia Australia
Adam Channel Wing United States United States
Brooklyn Hardaker Wing Australia Australia
Ryan James Wing United States United States
Kahanu Koi Wing United States United States
D'Montae Noble Wing United States United States
John Ryberg Wing United States United States
D. T. H. van der Merwe Wing Canada Canada
Tom Mitchell Fullback England England
Jordan Trainor Fullback New Zealand New Zealand
  • Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
  • * denotes players qualified to play for the United States on dual nationality or residency grounds.
  • MLR teams are allowed to field up to ten overseas players per match.

Head coaches

Assistant coaches

Captains

Records

LA Giltinis won the Major League Rugby Championship Shield in their inaugural season (2021).

Season standings

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/− BP Pts   Playoff results
2021 1st 161204545305+2401163Won West Conference Final (Utah Warriors) 17–13
Won Major League Rugby final (Rugby ATL) 31-17
2022 2nd 161105468340+1281157Disqualified [11]

Honors

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pengelly, Martin (June 1, 2020). "Major League Rugby announces LA Giltinis, second team named for a drink". The Guardian. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Major League Rugby Officially Welcomes the LA Giltinis" (Press release). Major League Rugby. May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  3. ↑ Carroll, Rory (July 11, 2018). "Los Angeles to get professional rugby team in 2019". Reuters. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  4. ↑ Evans, Luca (August 1, 2021). "Giltinis win Major League Rugby championship in debut season". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  5. ↑ Pengelly, Martin (June 7, 2022). "Major League Rugby in crisis as LA and Austin disqualified from playoffs". The Guardian. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  6. ↑ Pengelly, Martin (October 26, 2022). "LA and Austin out of MLR as US rugby faces further uncertainty". The Guardian. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Meet The Giltinis: LA's New Rugby Team to Open Play At Coliseum March 20". CBS Los Angeles. February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  8. ↑ "LA Giltinis". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  9. ↑ "MLR Champion Adam Ashley-Cooper Swoops into Coaching Role".
  10. ↑ "Giltinis unveil new look Rugby and Commercial departments for 2022".
  11. ↑ "Major League Rugby in crisis as LA and Austin disqualified from playoffs". The Guardian. June 7, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.


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