Rugby Football Club Los Angeles
Rugby FC Los Angeles were an American professional rugby union team based in Los Angeles, California, that competed in Major League Rugby. The team began play in 2020 [Major League Rugby season|2020] as Rugby ATL, based in Atlanta, Georgia, but announced they would relocate to Los Angeles for the 2024 season, under new ownership. In July 2025 it was announced that the team would merge with San Diego Legion to create a single, statewide rugby franchise, California Legion.
History
Rugby ATL
On September 21, 2018, Major League Rugby announced that Atlanta was one of the expansion teams joining the league for the 2020 season. The team name "Rugby ATL" was revealed on February 26, 2019. The team was unofficially known as the Rattlers and in 2021 an alternate logo with a rattlesnake was unveiled. Rugby ATL played its first three seasons at Lupo Family Field on the campus of Life University in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta. The field was damaged by flooding in September 2021 and the team moved to Silverbacks Park ahead of the 2022 season.Following the death of their original team owner, S. Marcus Calloway, the ownership of the team was placed into an investment group, acquiring control of the franchise on an interim basis. The move kept Rugby ATL operational, until a permanent ownership group was acquired in 2023.
Rugby FC Los Angeles
On August 2, 2023, Major League Rugby announced that Rugby ATL would be relocating to a yet-to-be announced location for the 2024 season. On August 17, it was announced the team would relocate to Los Angeles. On December 21, it was announced that the team would be renamed to Rugby FC Los Angeles, abbreviated to RFCLA. This marked the return of Major League Rugby back to Los Angeles since the removal of the former LA Giltinis in October 2022. On the same day, it was announced that RFCLA would play out of Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.In July 2025 it was announced that Rugby Football Club Los Angeles and San Diego Legion would unite to form a single, statewide rugby franchise, The California Legion.
Sponsorship
Personnel
Head coaches
- Scott Lawrence
- Stephen Brett
- Stephen Hoiles
Assistant coaches
- Stephen Brett
- Blake Bradford
Captains
- Matt Heaton
- Ryan Nell
Records
Season standings
404 Rugby (2019)
Rugby ATL started with an exhibition side, called 404 Rugby. From September to November 2019, 404 Rugby played exhibition matches against Mystic River, New York [Athletic Club RFC|NYAC], Old Blue, and USA Rugby men's club champions Life University.2019 season
All games in the 2019 season were exhibition games and did not count in the MLR standings.| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Location | Result |
| September 7 | Mystic River | Away | Pine Banks | 50–25 |
| September 14 | Old Blue | Home | Lupo Family Field | 45–6 |
| September 28 | New York Athletic Club | Away | Travers Island | 42–17 |
| October 5 | Life University | Away | Lupo Family Field | 22–21 |
| October 12 | New Orleans | Away | Gretna Park | 55–24 |
| October 19 | Old Blue | Away | Columbia Soccer Stadium | 17–25 |
| November 2 | New York Athletic Club | Home | Lupo Family Field | 66–7 |
| November 9 | Life University | Home | Lupo Family Field | 30–18 |
2020 season
On March 12, 2020, MLR announced the season would go on hiatus immediately for 30 days due to fears surrounding the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic. It was cancelled the following weekRegular season
2021 season
Regular season
Post season
2022 season
Regular season
Post season
| Round | Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
| East Eliminator | June 11 | Rugby New York | Home | Lost, 19–26 |