Independents
About
The Independents are the official senior development squads for the New England Free Jacks MLR team as well as the USA Rugby National Teams (Men and Women) as part of the Free Jacks key participation in the USA Rugby National Development Program.
Both the Men’s and Women’s Independents, as well as the U23s, are selected from the best players in and connected to rugby in New England through performances in the club and collegiate competitions, as well as through skill development and performance testing in the Free Jacks Academy Regional Training Groups.
The Independents logo is the Free Jacks fist of freedom carrying the Forster Flag. Upon finding a Colonial flag that featured a Union Jack, Revolutionaries would tear the British Jack from the flag and fashion 13 white stripes with the material, six on one side, seven on the other. 13 and 6 are important numbers to the Free Jacks, as there are 13 Academy regions and 6 states of New England.
The Forster Flag was carried by the Men of Manchester Militia during the battle of Lexington during the American Revolution. It is the only known surviving patriot flag that was made in this way. Literally symbolising Freedom from the Union Jack.
Team Colors: Blue & Red
Jersey:
fixtures
| Date | Team | Opponent | Location | Time | Score | Result |
| 4/20/2024 | Independents U23 Men | Atlantic Selects | Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy MA | 9.00am | ||
| 5/5/2024 | Independents U23 Men | Rugby Quebec | Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy MA | 9.00am | ||
| 5/16/2024 | Independents U23 Men | Ulster Academy | Kingspan Stadium, Belfast | 10.30am | ||
| 5/25/2024 | Independents U23 Men | Rugby Quebec | TBC | 2.00pm | ||
| 6/2/2024 | Independents U23 Men | Eastern Finals (New Brunswick/New Foundland) | Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, Montreal | TBC | ||
| 6/8/2024 | Independents U23 Men | TBC | Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy MA | 2.00pm | ||
| 6/28/2024 | Independents U23 Women | USA U23 All Stars | Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy MA | TBC | ||
| 6/30/2024 | Independents U23 Women | USA U23 All Stars | Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy MA | TBC |
*All times ET
results
| Date | Team | Opponent | Location | Time | Score | Result |
| 1/14/2023 | Independents Blue | Tri State Foundry | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 9.00AM | 3-10 | L |
| 1/14/2023 | Independents White | Southeast Bears | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 9.00am | 12-19 | L |
| 1/14/2023 | Independents Red | Midwest Barbarians | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 10.00am | 16-6 | W |
| 1/14/2023 | Independents White | Pac Coast Grizzlies | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 11.00am | 3-19 | L |
| 1/14/2023 | Independents Red | Mid Atlantic Sharks | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 12.00pm | 17-7 | W |
| 1/14/2023 | Independents White | Tri State Foundry | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 2.15pm | 5-10 | L |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents Blue | Midwest Barbarians | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 3.15pm | 12-7 | W |
| 1/14/2023 | Independents Red | Great Lakes Thunderbirds | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 3.15pm | 9-22 | L |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents Red | Southeast Bears | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 9.00am | 15-12 | W |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents Red | Southeast Bears | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 9.00am | 15-12 | W |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents White | Midwest Barbarians | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 9.00am | 15-12 | W |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents Blue | Great Lakes Thunderbirds | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 10.30am | 3-17 | L |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents Blue | Southeast Bears | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 12.30pm | 5-19 | L |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents Red | Independents White | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 1.00pm | 12-3 | W |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents White | Great Lakes Thunderbirds | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 3.45pm | 17-12 | W |
| 1/15/2023 | Independents Red | Pac Coast Grizzlies | Aveva Stadium, Houston | 4.00pm | 28-0 | W |
| 5/21/2023 | Independents – U23 Men | Mystic River | Veterans Memorial Stadium | 10.00am | 43-22 | W |
| 5/28/2023 | Independents – U23 Men Blue | Independents U23 Red | Veterans Memorial Stadium | 1.15pm | 41-22 | W to Blue |
| 6/4/2023 | Independents – U23 Men | New York Academy | Sacred Heart Greenwich | 11.45am | 45-36 | W |
| 6/10/2023 | Independents – U23 Men | New York Academy | Pine Banks Malden | 12.30pm | 49-45 | W |
| 6/22/2023 | Junior Jacks Boys | Houston Academy | Veterans Memorial Stadium | 1.00pm | 12-29 | L |
| 6/22/2023 | Junior Jacks Boys | MYRO Lions | Veterans Memorial Stadium | 4.45pm | 24-0 | W |
| 6/23/2023 | Junior Jacks Boys | Florida Jaguares | Veterans Memorial Stadium | 2.15pm | 0-19 | L |
| 6/23/2023 | Independents U23 Women | Central South Mustangs | Des Moines Rugby Club | 11.30am | 102-5 | W |
| 6/24/2023 | Junior Jacks Boys | New York Academy | Veterans Memorial Stadium | 1.00pm | 21-19 | W |
| 6/25/2023 | Independents U23 Women | Rocky Mountain Peaks | Des Moines Rugby Club | 11.00am | 10-72 | L |
*All times ET
News
Tryouts
Trials are run through the Free Jacks Academy Tracking Days that take place throughout the year in each of the Free Jacks Regional Training Groups. Please reach out to Academy@FreeJacks.com for more information.
