In a season where balance was everything, Ryan Martin struck it perfectly—blending experience and continuity with a sharp, evolving edge. Today, Major League Rugby officially named Martin the 2025 Coach of the Year, a fitting tribute to the architect behind the New England Free Jacks’ historic third consecutive championship.

Returning to Quincy for his second year at the helm after the departure of former head coach Scott Mathie, Martin brought not just familiarity, but a sharpened lens forged through his recent stints in some of the world’s toughest rugby environments. Following a year with the Melbourne Rebels (2022) and two seasons in Japan with Toyota Verblitz (2023, 2024), Martin returned with fresh ideas. That mix—something old and something new—proved to be the perfect formula.

Under his guidance, the Free Jacks posted a 14-5 record. Martin’s belief in rotation and backing every player wasn’t just lip service. With the “Rule of 3” campaign living and breathing within the hyper-connected Free Jacks off-field environment, Ryan championed the principle that a team’s true strength lies in its depth. When key playmakers like Jayson Potroz and Faletoi Peni went down injured, Martin didn’t panic. He pivoted and course-corrected. 

Defensively, the Free Jacks were once again the gold standard. They conceded the fewest tries per game in the league (2.79) and led the MLR in dominant tackles (223)—a staggering 44 more than the next closest team. Add in a league-best 44 forced turnovers, and it’s clear the Free Jacks’ identity as a relentless defensive unit remained intact under Martin’s stewardship.

Martin sharpened the Free Jacks’ attack in 2025, blending structure with unpredictability. The team led the league in kicking, averaging 25 kicks and over 700 meters per game, while also dominating set-piece—with a league-best 32 defensive lineout steals and an 86% success rate on attack. Just when opponents thought they had them figured out, the Free Jacks would strike—averaging 5.63 linebreaks and 23.16 tackle breaks per game. That variation in tempo and point of attack was what made Martin’s Free Jacks nearly impossible to contain.

Ryan Martin stands not just as a tactical mastermind, but as one of the engines behind one of the most dominant stretches in MLR history. Something old, something new—and undeniably something special. 

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