New Orleans Gold


The New Orleans Gold were an American professional rugby union team based in the New Orleans metropolitan area that competed in Major League Rugby. The team was founded in 2017. Since January 2020, French rugby power ASM Clermont Auvergne has owned a minority stake in the team. The team withdrew from competition at the end of the 2025 Major League Rugby season.

Home field

Gold Mine on Airline

The team played at the Gold Mine on Airline, also known as the Shrine on Airline and was previously Zephyr Field, in Metairie, Louisiana, on the East Bank of the New Orleans metropolitan area.

Joe Zimmerman Stadium

For the first two seasons of Major League Rugby in 2018 and 2019, the team played at Joe Zimmerman Stadium at Archbishop Shaw High School under the branding of Gold Stadium. The natural turf field with grandstand seating for up to 3,000 people is located on the West Bank at Marrero, Louisiana.

Broadcasts

Home games were previously shown on Cox Sports Television. Ian McNulty and Geoffrey Ormsby are the on air talent.
In 2025, the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network became the official broadcast network of the team.

Sponsorship

For the 2022 season, NOLA Gold partnered with local Louisiana, Port Orleans Brewing Company to make "GOLDen Ale". These 16-ounce cans will be available for purchase in the brewery's tap room and on tap at the start of the season. It will also be sold throughout the season in the team's home stadium, the Shrine on Airline.
SeasonKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
2018XBlades-
2019XBladesLouisiana Tourism
2020Paladin Sports-
2021Paladin Sports-
2022Paladin SportsLouisiana Tourism
2023Paladin SportsLCMC Health
2024Paladin SportsLCMC Health

Players and personnel

Head coaches

  • Nate Osborne
  • Kane Thompson
  • Cory Brown
  • Danny Lee

    Assistant coaches

  • Kane Thompson, forwards and defense
  • Taylor Howden, backs
  • Todd Fitzgerald,Assistant GM/assistant head coach/assistant coach/Director of Player Personnel
  • Nicolas Godignon, scrum, breakdown
  • Carlos Spencer

    Captains

  • Taylor Howden
  • Eric Howard
  • Kyle Baillie
  • Cam Dolan

    Records

Season standings

2018 season

Exhibitions

Regular season

2019 season

Exhibitions

Regular season

2020 season

On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to fears surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. One week later, MLR announced that it had canceled the rest of the 2020 season.

Regular season

2021 season

Regular season

2022 season

Regular season

2023 season

Regular season

2024 season

NOLA Gold played 16 games in the 2024 regular season, with all eight home games played at the Gold Mine. The team finished the regular season 10–6 and qualified for its first playoff berth, losing to the Chicago Hounds 45-21 in the Eastern Conference semifinal.

Regular season

Postseason

DateOpponentHome/AwayLocationResult
July 21Chicago HoundsHomeGold MineLost, 45-21