METAIRIE, La. — After a 3-1 start, the NOLA Gold finished the first half of the 2024 Major League Rugby season with an overall record of 4-4. However, with eight games remaining, the third-placed Eastern Conference squad aims to get back to their winning ways.
WWL Louisiana caught up with first-year head coach Cory Brown to get insight into the team's recent slide.
“We had a few red cards and four guys had suspensions, and a couple injuries, so we probably didn’t quite adapt and adjust to that very well," Brown told WWL. "But, you know, the competition is really close. So, every team can beat everyone. And that’s what’s great about Major League Rugby, every team can beat each other.
One player slated to return is explosive Australian midfielder Jordan Jackson-Hope, who missed the past four games due to a foot injury.
Coach Brown says the Jackson-Hope's return, will benefit the entire team both on and off the pitch.
"I thought he was one of the best backs in the competition in those first three rounds," explained Brown. "And he showed that on attack, but also on defense. And he just makes really good decisions in that contact area, and when to pass away or not to pass. So, it’d be great for the rest of the guys around him to have him back."
Jackson-Hope is also happy to be back and ready to help turn the Gold's fortunes around.
"It was really frustrating watching from the sidelines," he told WWL. "We just had a few things not go our way, but that’s football and we don’t want to make any excuses. I’m just really happy to be back and there’s a lot of boys coming back from injuries now."
With Jackson-Hope's return, and the continued performance of Taniela Filimone, who has scored seven tries and signed a 3-year contract extension, the Gold still have sights firmly set on making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
But as Coach Brown claimed, in MLR every game is a hurdle and this week's hurdle doesn't come much bigger than the visiting Seattle Seawolves, winners of five straight.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Gold Mine on Airline (formerly Zephyr Stadium) in Metairie, La.
The Gold are 2-2 at home this season.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.