Connacht, Ulster, Munster, & Leinster to Play New England’s 1st Professional Rugby Team, The Free Jacks, in March & April for the Cara Cup
- Opening day sees the Free Jacks hosting Connacht A on Saturday, March 16, as part of 4 matches to be played at the Union Sports Complex, in Weymouth, MA
- The Munster match hosted at the Irish Cultural Centre (ICC) will be the first time in history Rugby is to be played on the Gaelic Athletic Association Field at the Irish Cultural Centre
- Harvard’s Mignone Rugby Stadium to serve as host for the final match of the Cara Cup
- Cara Cup sets the stage for the Free Jacks entry into the 2020 MLR competition
- Tickets available now for the inaugural Cara Cup at https://thefreejacks.showare.com
Boston, MA – The New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby announced today a number of premier venues around the greater Boston area that will play host to the four Irish Provincial “A” sides in a historic six game tournament, The Cara Cup, including Union Point Sports Complex, Harvard’s Mignone Rugby Field and the Irish Cultural Centre.
The 2019 Cara Cup will be a celebration of sport, heritage and friendship between New England and Ireland, as represented by the titular word “cara”, or Gaelic for “friend.”
“The Cara Cup motto this year, the line often credited to W.B. Yeats—‘There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t yet met’—is perfect for our budding relationship with the Irish provinces, and even more so a reflection of our great sport and the new fans that are coming into it and the type of experience we aim to have at our matches—a lot of fun, high-value entertainment, very friendly, and welcoming to all,” said Co-Founder and Chief Executive of the Free Jacks, Alex Magleby. “Connacht, Ulster, Munster, and Leinster are all playing an exciting brand of rugby, as is reflected in the successes of the Irish National Team. These six matches will bring entertaining sport in a fun environment to friends old and new.”
| Free Jacks v Connacht A | March 16 | 3:00PM | Union Point Sports Complex | Weymouth, MA |
| Connacht A v Ulster A | March 20 | 7:00PM | Union Point Sports Complex | Weymouth, MA |
| Free Jacks v Ulster A | March 24 | 6:30PM | Union Point Sports Complex | Weymouth, MA |
| Free Jacks v Munster A | April 6 | 4:00PM | Irish Cultural Centre | Canton, MA |
| Munster A v Leinster A | April 10 | 7:00PM | Union Point Sports Complex | Weymouth, MA |
| Free Jacks v Leinster A | April 14 | 5:00PM | Harvard Mignone Field | Boston, MA |
*all times EST
David Nucifora, IRFU Performance Director, commented: “Sharing our collective insight and experiences through these matches with the rapidly growing rugby population and fanbase in New England is an exciting challenge. We also have many Irish Rugby supporters in the greater Boston area we are excited to connect with again.”
“The success of Irish Rugby in recent years has further elevated the sport at home and abroad,” said Union Point Sports Co-Owner Joe Bradley, an Irish National. “With the Six Nations currently in full swing and the Rugby World Cup this fall, we hope the strong Irish population in Massachusetts comes out to see top players perform in this great sport”
“We are incredibly excited about this opportunity with the Free Jacks and certainly feel that our partnership is mutually beneficial,” said Greg Jackson, Executive Director of the ICC. “It’s in-line with our mission of promoting and preserving Irish Culture as rugby is growing sport in Ireland and here in the United States. We are looking forward to the tremendous occasion and the beginning of a really wonderful symbiotic relationship between our two organizations.”
Ticket information here: https://thefreejacks.showare.com
For information on large group rates and VIP packages, please email ticketing@thefreejacks.com
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New England Free Jacks
Rugby Club New England, aka the Free Jacks, is greater Boston’s 1st Professional Rugby team representing all the greatness of the six New England states on and off the field. The Free Jacks were named the 9th member of Major League Rugby on September 20th and will compete in the 2020 MLR regular season.
For more information on the Free Jacks:
Owen Scannell
(203) 273-4033
Owen.scannell@thefreejacks.com
Major League Rugby
Major League Rugby (MLR) is a professional rugby league, launched in April 2018. It is an initiative of the American rugby community, in partnership with private investors, who believe that American rugby can thrive at the highest levels—as a commercial enterprise; as an influential player on the international scene; and as a participation sport at the youth and senior level. MLR is the pinnacle of American rugby, and provides a rallying point for local communities, a focal point for American rugby fans, and an aspirational destination for young athletes.
For more information on Major League Rugby
Hampton Pelton
801.99.8130
info@usmlr.com
Union Sports Complex
Union Point Sports Complex is a brand new (opened January 2nd, 2018), 25-acre indoor and outdoor sports complex. Global Premier Soccer (GPS), Boston Laxachusetts, and Boston Rugby Club are among the sports organizations that call Union Point Sports Complex home. UPSC is unique to the South Shore and located within the town of Weymouth while bordered by the towns of Abington and Rockland and sitting just 12 miles south of Boston. UPSC features four fully lit synthetic turf fields equipped with permanent playing surfaces for soccer, lacrosse, rugby and field hockey. Field 4 is a rugby specific pitch and is a certified international playing surface. For more information on the Union Sports Complex visit www.unionpointsportscomplex.com or call (781) 660-2871.
Irish Cultural Centre of New England
The Irish Cultural Centre is a non-profit cultural organization located at 200 New Boston Drive, Canton Mass. The Centre, which recently celebrated its 28th anniversary, promotes and organizes Irish cultural, educational, sporting and social events. For more information on the Irish Cultural Centre visit www.IrishCulture.org or call (781) 821-8291.
